Social marketing approach for strengthening long-term care insurers’ function

Abstract

Social marketing, originally designed to address social issues, has found significant application in the field of public health. The effectiveness of this approach has been increasingly supported by evidence accumulated over time.

Social marketing operates within a structured framework comprising the following key stages: “preliminary research,” “strategy,” “program development,” “implementation,” and “evaluation”. In the preliminary research phase, a SWOT analysis was utilized to assess the current situation. This involves an examination of both internal “Strengths” and “Weaknesses” within the organization, as well as external “Opportunities” and “Threats.”

Subsequently, the entire population is segmented into multiple subgroups, with priority groups identified using methodologies such as the TARPARE model. Members of these prioritized groups are interviewed to explore their perspectives, values, and to identify potential benefits or barriers to behavior change (potentially facilitating a “value exchange”). Any conflicts (“competition”) with recommended behaviors are also pinpointed through these interviews. The insights gathered from the target audience guide the formulation of intervention strategies by integrating the 4Ps into the marketing mix: Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. These strategies are then put into action according to the established plan. After the intervention phase, an evaluation was conducted to determine the actual degree of behavioral change.

This paper provides an overview of social marketing and its associated processes. The subsequent discussion illustrates the incorporation of social marketing into preventive measures for long-term care at the municipal level using a hypothetical case study as an example. This study highlights how social marketing can strengthen long-term care insurers' function, offering a comprehensive understanding of its potential applications in the field.