Julia Carins

Eating for the better: a social marketing review (2000-2012)

OBJECTIVE The present study sought to identify both the ingredients for success and the potential impediments to social marketing effectiveness for healthy eating behaviour, focusing on studies conducted over the last 10 years. DESIGN A comprehensive literature review was undertaken examining seventeen databases to identify studies reporting the use of social marketing to address healthy eating. Thirty-four empirical studies were analysed to examine the effectiveness of social marketing interventions to improve healthy eating behaviour using Andreasens (2002) social marketing benchmark criteria. Statistical analysis was undertaken to quantitatively evaluate whether effectiveness varied between study categories (subsets). SETTING Healthy eating empirical studies published from 2000 onwards. SUBJECTS Empirical studies that self-identified as social marketing. RESULTS Sixteen social marketing studies (subset 1) were identified in the review. These were systematic studies which sought to change behaviour through tailored solutions (e.g. use of marketing tools beyond communication was clearly evident) that delivered value to the target audience. For these sixteen studies, the mean number of criteria identified was five. Six studies met all six criteria. Positive change to healthy eating behaviour was found in fourteen of sixteen studies. The sixteen studies that met the definition of social marketing used significantly more of Andreasens (2002) criteria and were more effective in achieving behavioural change than the eighteen studies in subset 2. CONCLUSIONS Social marketing is an involved process and it is important that studies identifying as social marketing adopt social marketing benchmark criteria. Social marketing when employed to its full extent offers the potential to change healthy eating.

Seeing through a Glass Onion: broadening and deepening formative research in social marketing through a mixed methods approach

ABSTRACT The purpose of formative research in social marketing is to understand the target audience to generate consumer insight, which informs the planning, development and initial implementation of social marketing programmes. Focus groups, interviews or surveys, all of which are self-report methods, are the most commonly reported methods employed in formative research. Reliance on a relatively narrow range of methods may constrain understanding and insight gained during formative research. This paper challenges social marketers to mix methods or use multiple methods and research perspectives to generate a broader understanding of the consumer and the context in which they behave. A case study is used to demonstrate how mixed methods were used in a formative research study to inform the development of a social marketing programme designed to change eating behaviour. Challenges of mixed methods are detailed along with recommendations for future research.

Fighting to eat healthfully: measurements of the military food environment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a quantitative study of the food environment designed to measure aspects of support for healthy eating. Design/methodology/approach – An ecological view of eating behaviour was taken by examining the food environment that surrounded a military population of interest. Food outlets (n = 34) were assessed using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in store (NEMS-S), Nutrition Environment Measures Study in restaurants (NEMS-R) and military Nutrition Environment Assessment Tool (mNEAT) instruments to determine how well food outlets supported healthy eating. Findings – Despite better-than-average provision of healthy options on-base, the total environment surrounding the military base barely supports healthy eating. Average support to healthy eating was 45 per cent (NEMS) or 27 per cent (mNEAT) of support that could be measured. Individuals accessing this food environment would find few healthy alternatives, little information directing them to healthy ch...

An Umbrella Review of the Use of Segmentation in Social Marketing Interventions

Drawing on evidence from a series of five systematic literature reviews, this umbrella review aims to understand the extent to which segmentation is employed in social marketing interventions. Ninety-three unique social marketing interventions were included in this umbrella review. We identified limited reported use of segmentation in social marketing interventions, with only a handful of social marketing interventions (16 %) reporting the use of segmentation. Further, the majority of social marketing interventions reporting segmentation limited program differences to one P: adaptation of promotional materials. Importantly, interventions reporting using at least four of the social marketing benchmark criteria, at least two out of four Ps, and adapting products rather than just promotional materials to cater to different segments needs and wants were observed to deliver positive behavioural outcomes.

A picture's worth a thousand words: a food-selection observational method

Issue addressed: Methods are needed to accurately measure and describe behaviour so that social marketers and other behaviour change researchers can gain consumer insights before designing behaviour change strategies and so, in time, they can measure the impact of strategies or interventions when implemented. This paper describes a photographic method developed to meet these needs.Methods: Direct observation and photographic methods were developed and used to capture food-selection behaviour and examine those selections according to their healthfulness. Four meals (two lunches and two dinners) were observed at a workplace buffet-style cafeteria over a 1-week period. The healthfulness of individual meals was assessed using a classification scheme developed for the present study and based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines.Results: Approximately 27% of meals (n = 168) were photographed. Agreement was high between raters classifying dishes using the scheme, as well as between researchers when coding photographs. The subset of photographs was representative of patterns observed in the entire dining room. Diners chose main dishes in line with the proportions presented, but in opposition to the proportions presented for side dishes.Conclusions: The present study developed a rigorous observational method to investigate food choice behaviour. The comprehensive food classification scheme produced consistent classifications of foods. The photographic data collection method was found to be robust and accurate. Combining the two observation methods allows researchers and/or practitioners to accurately measure and interpret food selections. Consumer insights gained suggest that, in this setting, increasing the availability of green (healthful) offerings for main dishes would assist in improving healthfulness, whereas other strategies (e.g. promotion) may be needed for side dishes.So what?: Visual observation methods that accurately measure and interpret food-selection behaviour provide both insight for those developing healthy eating interventions and a means to evaluate the effect of implemented interventions on food selection.

Approaching the wicked problem of obesity: an introduction to the food system compass

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on food consumption as part of the wicked problem of obesity. Specifically, the authors seek to explore the complex interplay between stakeholders such as food producers, marketers, health and medical practitioners and policymakers and their influence on the ways in which individuals consume food and also chart a course forward using a systems approach, social marketing techniques and social enterprise to develop solutions to effect change. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that proposes the food system compass to understand the complex interplay between stakeholders. Findings This new tool will provide social marketers with an improved understanding of the complexity of interactions between stakeholders and outcomes and integrating the necessity for coordination within and across micro, meso, exo and macro levels of the system as well as across sectors, institutions and stakeholders. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper and proposes the food system compass which offers a foundation for future research to expand upon. Originality/value This paper seeks to advance the theoretical base of social marketing by providing new insights into the trans-disciplinary and dynamic circumstances surrounding food consumption and obesity and highlights leverage points where joint actions can be facilitated with actors across and between micro, meso, exo and macro levels.

Delivering Healthy Food Choice: A Dual-Process Model Enquiry

Introduction: Military personnel need to eat healthfully to enable peak performance and sustain health. Poor dietary habits and a rising rate of obesity among military personnel indicate a need for programs to improve food choices. This study evaluated two programs conceived under a dual-process model (consumer-focused communications only and a broader social marketing program including communications and environmental changes). Methods: Programs were implemented and evaluated over a 6-week period in two military dining halls in Australia. Food selections were measured before and after program implementation using plate photography (N = 673 meals). Outcome variables included a healthy plate index (HPI), number of selections for food types, number of selections from three healthfulness categories (most healthful, moderately healthful, and least healthful), and a measure of how diner selections differed from the proportions of each healthfulness category available on the menu. Independent t tests were used to assess the difference between diner selections before and after program implementation. Results: Significant differences (p < .05) in diner selections were observed after implementation of both programs, all in a healthful direction. When communications were used in isolation, the HPI was higher, with more selections made, and more moderately healthful selections chosen. When communications and environmental changes were combined, the number of choices remained stable but the HPI increased, and more of the most healthful foods were chosen. Conclusions: The eating behavior of military personnel can be improved using consumer-focused communications. However, by altering the environment as well, a greater change in behavior can be realized.

Rolling with the punches: Insights from When Things Go Wrong

Much of our professional practice is underpinned by the cycle of planning. Most research projects require a plan to be set during the funding application process, which establishes expectations for colleagues working on the project that reports on milestones and deliverables at particular stages are clearly communicated to all research stakeholders. We all know that planning has many benefits. The process of planning helps us to set objectives, which for many of us increases the likelihood that things will be completed, making a final outcome (a published paper, a presentation, thesis or report) more likely. Another key benefit delivered by the process of planning is that it compels us to set a course of action to achieve the objectives that we set. Ideally, from time to time during the process, we should make sure that we are on track to deliver. In academia we are encouraged to network, which allows us to share our knowledge and learn the languages needed to clearly communicate our work to others. Universities across the globe encourage partnerships with other universities, industry, the non-profit sector and the governments who fund our work. To deliver the large-scale and long-term projects needed to deliver cutting-edge science, researchers work within the networks that they have established. To deliver the largest projects we must form and maintain working relationships with other academics and practitioners. In this way we can deliver results in a way that provides cutting-edge science while meeting the needs of project stakeholders. For example, the research work that we do can help our research partners to solve a problem, improve their processes, or through discovery can uncover new technolo-gies and ways of practising.

Visual Observation Techniques

Most scholars agree that social marketing aims to understand individuals, groups and/or communities in order the devise strategies to change behaviour. Yet often the research underpinning this process fails to directly observe behaviour, instead relying on self-reports of behaviour. Visual observation techniques aim to do just this—observe behaviour as it happens, thereby providing a more accurate account of behaviour rather than one that is reliant on participant awareness of behaviour and behavioural influences; and also on participant ability to recall information in sufficient detail. Visual observation is used in many different ways as part of number of research traditions. This chapter focuses on techniques that provide data that is predominately quantitative in nature, via structured observation or systematic observation. In this process, observers capture details of behaviour(s) as they occur, as well as features of the surrounding physical or social environment, and interactions between individuals and these environments. This chapter profiles manual visual observation techniques from a number of disciplines, focusing on a variety of behaviours. These examples and the accompanying discussion demonstrate the value of visual observation, and indicate how visual observation may be used in social marketing formative research.