Core elements

SM Lite Core elements

SM Lite has three core elements, these are:

Specific target audience Social marketing is a specific communication intervention focused on having target audiences. A target audience is a group of individuals whose behaviour needs to change to positively impact the problem. They could be directly affected by the problem themselves, or those who can make policy or environmental changes (i.e., voting behaviour, approval of policies). It may also help to consider the groups or individuals who exert influence on the primary target audience’s behaviour in your SM Lite campaign. The target audience used in the citing of experiences of SM Lite are members of the coastal communities such as fisherfolks, coastal households, youth and divers.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices (KAP) surveys This is research conducted before and after the development of the SM Lite campaign to help the SM Lite implementing group: choose and describe a target audience, understand the factors which influence their behaviour, and identify the best ways to reach them (Pre Campaign); and determine the impact of the campaign on their knowledge, attitudes and practices (Post Campaign). This is also called formative assessment, market research, consumer research, or audience research. In between KAP surveys, and considered necessary, is the conduct of qualitative research through in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), to better understand the point of views and concerns of the target audience.

Intervention strategy A guiding plan of action for the social marketing program. The intervention strategy or “market” strategy encompasses: • Specific target audience segment(s) • Specific behaviour change goal • Benefits of the desired behaviour to promote • Costs and barriers to behaviour change that will be minimized • The marketing mix (product, price, place, and promotion) • Activities that will influence or support behaviour change

The cumulation of these three core elements as applied in the SM Lite campaigns in the pilot sites are visually shown in the succeeding pages.