Social Marketing Strategies
Symbols. Many effective social marketing campaigns use symbolic visuals that are instantly recognizable. Examples include Awareness Ribbons, Smokey the Bear for wildfire prevention, and Rosie the Riveter, which was used during World War II to inspire women to help with the war effort.
Slogans. Other social marketing campaigns rely on short, memorable catch phrases, such as “Just Say No,” the slogan for the U.S. government's War on Drugs campaign. The phrase was created by First Lady Nancy Reagan to champion a substance abuse prevention program from the National Institutes of Health.
Imagery. Social marketing campaigns, particularly those pointing out negative consequences, often use powerful imagery to instantly illustrate the cause. Examples include the aforementioned photographs of sea turtles, and the photos of starving children used in the Christian Children's Fund commercials with Sally Struthers.
