Reflections on a decade in social marketing

– The purpose of this paper is to reflect on trends within social marketing after ten years of involvement with the field, including being co-founding editor of this journal.

– The paper outlines personal interaction in the development of social marketing and then highlights five “millstones” that are identified as limiting factors.

– Social marketing has to be more than just communications, has to be more than a definitional toy, has to break free from the straightjacket of the 4Ps and must reach beyond the well-trodden path of services marketing and be prepared to work with industry.

– Observations on the evolution of social marketing through personal experience of engagement with the field.