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Guest Editorial
Social Change and Communication
Even as the twentieth century runs its final decade and the world moves closer
to the concept of the global village, man is no closer to the vision of Utopia
than he was when he first saw it. Social ills abound all over the world and
reformers make their efforts to remove them. The most advanced countries face
the problems of pollution, crime, and alienation, while there is a growing
realisation in developing countries that economic development depends to a
large extent on social change.
Campaigns for social change are not a new phenomenon. As far back as three
thousand years ago, campaigns were being waged in Greece and Rome to free the
slaves. Over the centuries, a number of such campaigns have made their mark on
history and are all testimonies to the continuing relevance of social reform.
What has developed in recent years, however, is a new approach to tackling the
issue of social change: the social marketing approach. Having gained
acceptance in the West in the 70’s, social marketing is beginning to be
accepted and applied in a number of developing countries today. Basically,
this approach seeks to apply the learnings and techniques of consumer product
marketing to social issues.
The needs of the social change agent are no different from those of the
marketer. The social change agent must know the existing attitudes and
practices related to the issue; must formulate, brand and "package"
the issue in a way that will be acceptable to the adoption - monetary,
physical, or mental - will not be too much for the adopter; must make a
redressal; infrastructure available; and finally, must promote adoption.
If such a process can help a marketer change attitudes and behaviour among the
masses for commercial gains, can it not - with appropriate modifications - do
the same for a social cause? The concepts of demand and supply are just as
relevant to the social marketer as to the commercial, because at the most
basic level social marketing involves a balancing of the forces of social
supply and demand.
In the entire process, and more so in social marketing, communication plays a
critical role. It serves, firstly, as the key to creating demand. Secondly,
communication can support the supply side activity by mobilising policy for
funds as well as by training and motivating the supply for funds as well as by
training and motivating the supply personnel. Finally, communication acts as
the vital link between demand and supply, informing the public about the
redressal infrastructure. In India too, the social marketing approach has
begun to make its presence felt.
With the increasing focus on social issues and the open attitude of the
Government towards private agencies, a number of advertising agencies in India
have begun to dabble with what they call "public service
advertising." Although a plethora of small agencies had been catering to
Government requirement before, the lack of a professional approach as well as
a national infrastructure rendered them little more than suppliers of
artworks, as opposed to providing a whole package, from strategy inputs to
final implementation.
Several large professional agencies have been involved with social campaigns
over the years. Few, however, have made an attempt to understand and cater to
the specific needs of social marketing. For most, it continues to be an
interesting diversion from everyday commercial clients; a creative exercise
rather than an agency commitment.
In any case, the advent of professionalism into social communications is a
welcome development. It should be interesting to watch the efforts of the
pioneers in the field and see if they lead to "making communication play
its rightful role in creating positive social change." May it lead others
also to realise their responsibility to the field of social communication.
D.K. Bose
Vice President and Manager
Thompson Social
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