Social Marketing, New Media & Public Health

Fellows gathered for a day of learning about social marketing--think anti-tobacco Truth campaign, anti-drug Above the Influence public service announcements, and, if you're in Milwaukee, the Strong Babies [get immunized, are breast-fed, shouldn't be around smokers] plastered on billboards and buses.

At KW2 Creative Communications Company, we learned how to develop a social marketing campaign: set goals, determine the target audience, understand the audience, develop a message, deliver the message, and evaluate the results. To practice, we tried to develop a campaign to address bullying. It was tough! We got pretty stuck on determining our target audience: bullies? parents? bullied kids? teachers? And so forth...

Sara, Kelli, and Paula developing a faux-anti-bullying social marketing campaign at KW2 in Madison

For the afternoon session, we headed to UW's brand shiny new Institutes for Discovery and then UW's brand shiny new Union South. As we passed the rock climbing wall and wine bar to our meeting room, the UW alumni among us were in awe. 

Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Marisa enjoying the Star Trek-like exhibits at the Institute for Discovery

Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Mesozoic garden and Fibonacci fountain at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Raisa at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Katherine, Paula, and Sara presented "Social Marketing and Framing for Public Health" to the group, which inspired a good deal of discussion. We ended the session by critiquing (and enjoying) some current public health PSAs like this one from the New York City Health Department.