“For a social cause message to be effective and encourage behavioural change it must be perceived as different from other advertising messages” (Sciulli and Bebko, 2005).
Marketing for not-for-profit causes is also known as social marketing. The difference between profit-orientated marketing and social marketing lies in the objectives. The bottom-line objective of a profit-orientated marketing campaign is financial and to make a sale and in turn, make some profit. Kotler and Zaltman (1971, p. 5) suggests that the principal objective of a social marketing program is to “influence the acceptability of social ideas”. Instead of selling goods or services, the goal is to sell a desired behaviour by advocating for a change in behaviour (Sciulli and Bebko, 2005). Sciulli and Bebko (2005) also draw a distinction between social marketing and social advertising. They argue that social marketing involves all elements of the marketing mix whilst social advertising is primarily concerned with communication. Like every other piece of communication, it is becoming increasingly difficult for social advertising to cut-through to the target audience.
Marketing for not-for-profit causes is also known as social marketing. The difference between profit-orientated marketing and social marketing lies in the objectives. The bottom-line objective of a profit-orientated marketing campaign is financial and to make a sale and in turn, make some profit. Kotler and Zaltman (1971, p. 5) suggests that the principal objective of a social marketing program is to “influence the acceptability of social ideas”. Instead of selling goods or services, the goal is to sell a desired behaviour by advocating for a change in behaviour (Sciulli and Bebko, 2005). Sciulli and Bebko (2005) also draw a distinction between social marketing and social advertising. They argue that social marketing involves all elements of the marketing mix whilst social advertising is primarily concerned with communication. Like every other piece of communication, it is becoming increasingly difficult for social advertising to cut-through to the target audience.
As said above, Sciulli and Bebko (2005) recommend that in order for a social cause message to be effective it must be distinguished in the mind of the audience to be different from other advertising communication. For the target audience to be discerned a piece of social advertising from a piece profit-orientated advertising in the first place, the message of promoted social cause must be perceived as more than a persuasion to purchase a product. Social communications should also elicit more emotional appeals than profit oriented advertisements. These requirements are necessary in order for a piece of social advertisement to be successful. The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) used this basic model and developed it further to promote the cause of road safety.
TAC
Pictures of You
Agency: Grey
TAC
Pictures of You
Agency: Grey
The TAC has been advertising road safety since 1989. The TAC and advertising agency Grey, have partnered together to produce over 100 TVCs, 200 billboards and 250 radio commercial (AFA, 2004). Since 1989, the social advertisements have estimated to have saved 5,500 lives and saved Victoria $8 billion (AFA, 2004). The TAC has developed their own advertising model, the Three E’s, to produce their campaigns. The Three E’s are: Emotion, Enforcement, and Education. This strategy has been effective and award winning. TAC won bronze in 2004 and silver in 2009 in the AFA’s Advertising Effectiveness awards (AFA, 2004, 2009).
AFA (2004). Everybody Hurts - 15 years of TAC Advertising, p.8
It is rare in today’s day and age to see firms which truly attempt to target everybody with the marketing communications. The TAC is amongst a few left who are still aiming to target the whole population. They believe “the best way to influence a minority is to talk to the majority” and that their “messages are universal and all-inclusive” (AFA, 2004, p. 2). This is an interesting strategy. Of course, the promoted cause is one that actually affects everybody. Nobody is immune to the potential fatal risks of the roads. The 2009 Pictures of You campaign was one that attempted to target the whole of Victoria in one sitting.
On Wednesday 20th of February 2008, the TAC launched its biggest and most emotive campaigns in its 20 year history targeting speeding drivers. That morning, the TAC released a full-page press ad asking all to tune in at 8.27pm for the unveiling of its latest campaign. In an Australian first, the TAC road blocked a whole 3 minute ad-break on every commercial channel so that 8.27pm that evening, every Victorian watching free to air television had to view the ad.
I believe this strategy was well thought out and well-executed yet again by the TAC and Grey. They are well deserving of the AFA award they won. Using the “road-block” was very creative and effective. It generated “talkability” amongst the community which is exactly the desired effect that TAC was hoping for. They want people to talk about the issue and hopefully influence one another into not speeding. The ad was well supported with a website, PR, print and outdoor which followed. This campaign is a great example of social advertising. It definitely distinguished itself from profit-orientated communication, it definitely had the emotional charge and it was definitely innovative which was able to generate the desired talk amongst the community.
CARE Australia
Breathe
Agency: DDB Group Melbourne
Next month, DDB Group Melbourne will launch its new TVC called Breathe for CARE Australia, (Australian Creative, 2010). The TVC will air on all free to air and pay TV channels and will be supported with online and print media. The objective of the TVC is to persuade donors to support the work of CARE Australia overseas by highlighting the support of women as the key to helping communities overcome poverty (Australian Creative, 2010). The TVC does not follow the industry standard of depicting the usual shots of poverty and desperateness. Instead it shows a girl of African descent drowning and someone saving her.
Tess Doughty, managing director, wanted to be disruptive and wanted to represent poverty as a metaphor rather than literal (Australian Creative, 2010). This approach helps differentiate CARE Australia from its “competitors”/peers who use the tradition approach of pulling on the heartstrings of the audience. It attempts to bring to life the statistic that by helping one woman overcome poverty, she will in turn help four others in her community (Australian Creative, 2010). CARE Australia is appealing to the audience’s sense of empowerment rather than pity or guilt. By donating to CARE Australia the audience is empowering one woman to help others. The notion of empowerment is a positive one, compared to empathy and guilt which is negative. CARE Australia may have found the new key to not-for-profit advertising.
The execution of the TVC is no doubt beautiful, creative and innovative. The shots used are aesthetically appealing and attractive. It creates the right tone and presents the message well. Even though the ad has less shock and horror like the others in this industry, it still maintains that sense of urgency by starting the TVC showing a drowning girl. Because there is no shock and ore tactics used, it matches well with the attempt to appeal the audience’s sense of empowerment.
