Social Marketing as a Tool in Primary Prevention

This course has been developed for practitioners in the work to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence. It is based on the concepts of social marketing as described and utilized in recent educational and community organizing models of primary prevention. Further, it is designed to help you, the participant, apply these concepts in your own work in your local communities.  It is written with the assumption that you are familiar with general concepts related to primary prevention. New learners should complete the Building Blocks of Prevention course before proceeding.

This lesson teaches the concepts of social marketing as described and utilized in recent educational and community organizing models of primary prevention. It provides examples of successful social marketing campaigns and guides you through the steps of utilizing this strategy.

How can marketing strategies help us to prevent sexual and domestic violence?  To answer that question, we first have to think about what it is we’re trying to achieve.  We are trying to promote healthy, positive behaviors around sexuality and relationships.  Social marketing helps us to “sell” these behaviors to our intended audience.  Advance through this lesson to learn how.