Promoting Behaviour Change Through Social Marketing A whole system communications programme changes people’s behaviour. There is good evidence that social marketing is an effective intervention when it is part of a broader programme of interventions/initiatives. Community consultation has indicated strong support for the social marketing component of Let's Beat Diabetes (LBD). In early 2005, a contestable process was undertaken to select a social marketing partner(s) to work closely with Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) and the LBD social marketing leadership group to develop and implement a five year social marketing strategy. After an intensive short-listing process, a number of preferred partners were selected to work on specific components of the strategy. A decision was also made to employ a project manager as part of the LBD to oversee this action area; to ensure CMDHB’s and LBD partner organisations’ strong Maori and Pacific linkages and networks are utilised in the social marketing approach; and to ensure effective linkages across the other action areas. Action Area Development The LBD social marketing action area was developed to engage social networks and promote a collective response to the community to combat the increasing incidence of obesity and diabetes, and the higher incidence of population at-risk. Emphasis is placed on the effectiveness of the social marketing for Maaori, Pacific and South Asian communities and for people with high deprivation. And campaign direction is strongly influenced by research, evaluation and community feedback. Building a social marketing programme required the engagement and active involvement of LBD’s diverse partners and 10 LBD action areas with objectives of: “promoting behaviour change” by creating demand for healthy behaviours; “facilitating behaviour change” by influencing the wider environment to make it easier for people to adopt healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Campaign Strategy Stage One The initial strategy focussed on obesity-preventing behaviours such as healthy eating and increased physical activity. The strategy later expanded to encourage people to find out if they had or were at risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
The development and launch of the phase 1 social marketing “Swap2win” campaign in June 2007 promoted swapping to healthier behaviours to reduce obesity. Success stories featuring local communities and organisations highlighted how communities could support each other through easy swaps such as swapping to healthier meal portions, low fat milk, water as the drink of choice and increased physical activity. Stage Two The Swap2Win evaluation, LBD Benchmark Survey 2007 and focus group research informed the second stage of the Social Marketing programme. The research identified the need for a more explicit and motivating message to cut through inertia and the norms of unhealthy eating, inactivity and unhealthy bodyweight. Stage 2 of the campaign elevates “Diabetes” into the community conversation and introduces the “Let’s Beat Diabetes” brand. This builds knowledge and awareness to facilitate changes to healthier lifestyles to prevent, delay or better control Type 2 Diabetes and related complications.
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