Download Social Marketing, TCR, Public Policy...What*s the Future Hold?

Dr. Ekant Veer, University of Canterbury
Presentation given at Griffith University, Brisbane,
27th August 2012
A little about me...
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PhD at Auckland 2007
Lecturer at University of Bath 2006-2010
Senior Lecturer of Marketing, University of
Canterbury since 2010
Most of my research focuses on consumer welfare
and impact of identity on consumption choices
Social media’s impact on contemporary consumer
culture
Editor of JRC, editorial board of JCB, CMC, IJEM
On the Transformative Consumer Research Advisory
Board, Chaired by David Glenn Mick
ACR’s Communications Co-ordinator
Why am I here?
What does the future hold for Social
Marketing/TCR style research?
 Is there a future in this field?
 How can we ensure we all have jobs?
 How can we ensure we have meaning in
those jobs?
 Answer questions/dispel myths...
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Social Marketing & TCR
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Social marketing is the use of contemporary
marketing technologies to affect the voluntary
behavioural change of consumers to improve their
lives and the society of which they are a part
(Adapted from Andreasan, 1994)
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TCR involve “investigations that are framed by a
fundamental problem or opportunity, and that strive
to respect, uphold, and improve life in relation to the
myriad conditions, demands, potentialities, and
effects of consumption.” (Mick, 2006)
Or, more simply put, “Research that focuses on
improving the lives of consumers”
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Social Marketing & TCR
Public Policy Research
Social Marketing
TCR
Tensions...
On the one hand...
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We have knowledge, skills
and perspectives in
marketing, consumer
behaviour and business in
general that can add to the
debate
We have a passion for this
type of research and
impacting a wider population
We see a greater purpose to
our roles as academics
(consciences of society)
There are greater
opportunities for external
funding
...but, on the other
 Pressure to publish
 We have an ‘outsider’
stigma and, especially in
marketing, deemed to be
part of the problem,
rather than the cure
 We lack a track record
 We lack a community.
Although, this is
improving
What’s the problem?
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Our engagement in the wider field is
loose
 Individuals have strong relationships, but as
a field, we are separated if not stigmatised
Our access to the success and fortunes
afforded to the wider group is tenuous
 Our work, ultimately, is ignored by those
outside our field
 Our careers suffer...
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So, why am I here?
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To resolve tension?
To broadcast our availability to a wider
population?
To convince everyone to do more social
marketing/TCR style research?
To steer you away from SM/TCR?
To identify areas of opportunity and help
you frame your research to target them...
To add meaning into your jobs...
Are there such things as ‘Hot’
topics?
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Yes and no...
General consensus that the best received
topics are ones that make a contribution to
knowledge and have an impact on society
TCR and Social Marketing excel on
societal impact
But...can suffer on contribution to
knowledge
Can be difficult to fulfil the promises we
make
What’s the plan?
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Career focused?
 Stick to what you’re doing and what you’ve
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been told
Publish rigorous/tight experiments with
counter intuitive findings
Publish qualitative work with explanatory
power on interesting contexts – the more
deviant, the better
Submit them to marketing journals
Repeat
However...
A career focused approach can turn you
into a publishing machine, but can affect
the impact of your work beyond the field
 It can build an indifference for the
population being investigated and an
excessive focus on the means of getting
published, rather than the role of
dissemination
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Betterment Focus
“If I made one person’s life better, and
never published an internationally
recognised journal article, I can die
happy”
 Laudable pursuit, but affects your career
progression
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 Not a good thing, as career & status does
affect your ability to gain external funding
Finding Balance
Look to where you add value
 Look to where you offer greatest impact
 Look to publish in forms that achieve
both career and external impact criteria
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What do people value from
marketing academics?
Promotion,
Entrepreneurship,
Marketisation/Market
entry strategies,
Cultural & experiential
meaning,
Consumer activism,
Alternative Perspective
Social
Psychology
Critical Studies
Experiments
Clinical Studies
Methods
Impact studies
Behavioural impact
Publish in forms where you’ll make
the greatest contribution
For you
For your area of investigation
Obviously, ranked
journals
 Easiest to hit marketing
ones
 Find areas you can add
value to non-marketing
journals
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Journals that are
interdisciplinary
Journals that offer
alternative forms of
publication
POLICY DOCUMENTS!
So, what does the future hold?
Integration and collaboration
 A silo approach will never impact the
wider field
 We can offer value, but it must reflect
our areas of perceived excellence
 Mercenary approach to tackling social
problems – we can’t do this on our own
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What is being done...
More and more TCR style work is being
submitted to and published in top CB
outlets
 HOWEVER, the most impactful research is
being submitted to cross-disciplinary
outlets (not just in I-factor scores)
 Funding is available to support efficacious
projects (from TCR, ACR and traditional
funding bodies)
 Frame your projects to exploit areas of
specific advantage, not replicate what is
being done in other fields
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