Monday, May 16, 2005

The NeW York Times launched a series of articles yesterday on the role of class in society (including health which is todays).  Here's the introduction to the overview.  When people have been critical of social marketing approaches (such a Larry Wallack) it's because they do not see the arrention to "social deterfminants" as a level of intervnetion that social marketers (historically) addressed.  This series should pobably be required reading for people who want an introduction to some of these concepts and research.  The site included lots a links and a bibliography for the truly motivated; it also features some interactive elements as well. Class in America: Shadowy Lines That Still Divide Today, the country has gone a long way toward an appearance of classlessness. Americans of all sorts are awash in luxuries that would have dazzled their grandparents. Social diversity has erased many of the old markers. It has become harder to read people's status in the clothes they wear, the cars they drive, the votes they cast, the god they worship, the color of their skin. The contours of class have blurred; some say they have disappeared. But class is still a powerful force in American life. Over the past three decades, it has come to play a greater, not lesser, role in important ways. At a time when education matters more than ever, success in school remains linked tightly to class. At a time when the country is increasingly integrated racially, the rich are isolating themselves more and more. At a time of extraordinary advances in medicine, class differences in health and lifespan are wide and appear to be widening. 10:09:44 AM

NOTED: SOCIAL MARKETING IN THE NEWS   Governments Urged to Improve Access to Water, Sanitation   Governments have the primary role in promoting improved access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and adequate shelter, concludes the Commission of Sustainable Development in the final statement of its 13th session at the United Nations…   The recently launched “Handwashing Handbook” shows how state-of-the art marketing techniques can be used to change people’s behavior. The Handbook is based on over three years of successful large scale programs in Ghana, Madagascar, Nepal, Peru, and Senegal.    It uses social marketing techniques to promote sanitation and hygiene through the media. From marketing to mothers through radio spots highlighting nurture to TV-spots aimed at teenagers showing that hygienic behavior is “cool” or through songs in schools to reach younger children, the approach has proved to be a huge success.     Edditorial: Quick fixes (Phillippines) Statistics and figures can lie. In packaging and marketing work, it is expected to at least hide the real situation of the people, disabuse the strong perception of the public of a worsening economic condition and perhaps create optimism. Fine, except that realities are too glaring. Come June, families would take in another burden of the rising cost of sending their children to school with the unabated tuition fee increases of academic institutions. Add that to the rising cost of water and power rates, basic commodities, fare hike and what is left for an ordinary employee is their pay slip.   Quick fixes and interventions that provide high visibility and political payoffs will never redown to public good. Instead, they compound the problem. Poverty level is alarmingly high. It is not only the rapidly growing population that is jeopardizing the quality of basic social services, contributing to the ongoing decline in quality of basic education, and limiting access   There are realities on the ground. One that cannot be hidden under the rag even with media packaging and social marketing.     Major, Irreversible Damage to Human, Social, and Ecosystem Health, Likely, Civil Leaders Say   An extensive international survey of over 1,000 leaders of non-governmental organizations, private corporations, the public sector, academic and research institutes from over 60 countries has found that a strong majority (72%) expect we will incur major damage to human, social, and ecosystem health because society is failing to make its transition to sustainable development quickly enough. Alarmingly, one-in-five of these global 'stakeholders' believe major irreversible damage has already occurred. Most criticized for failing the development challenge include the United States, multinational companies, the IMF, World Bank and developing country governments. Despite the dire forecast, a majority (61%) also believe there are real opportunities to accelerate society's progress toward sustainable development through initiatives such as the creation of a social marketing campaign and a global social movement to champion sustainable development.     Government gets 160bn/- to fight three killers The Global Fund has granted Tanzania US$157.4m (160bn/-) to support the country’s initiatives to fight HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.   The grant will be used to procure adequate supply for condoms and social marketing of condoms to prevent new infection through sexual transmission. This is intended to reduce new infections.      APCON ,SFH:exploring health, social issues communication   The role of  Nigeria's media industry in ensuring effective communication of health as well as  other social issues was  the central  theme of discuss  as the second edition of the annual public forum jointly organised by the Advertising Practitioners Council of  Nigeria (APCON) in collaboration with  the Socity for Family Health (SFH).   It would not be put to place to wonder what synergy there is to an APCON /SFH relationships and what they aim to achive going  by their collaboration. APCON as the apex regulatory body has an over sight on issues relating to marketing communication and  has a concern for effective deploymnet of it for achieving good of generality of the conssuming public.   On the other, the  SFH,is a social marketing organisation having  a long history of   presence in several countries of the African  continent  including Nigeria  and has over the years  continually  deployed private sector approach to delivering  health services to  generality of African  people. The one day-  forum brought together key personalities  and major  players of the nations marketing communications sector  including operators of advertiser companies as clients, advertising agency practitioners and media personnel that cuts across the  print and broadcast media.     9:46:51 AM

© Copyright 2005 Craig Lefebvre. Last update: 6/1/2005; 9:05:19 AM.