New Book Series Tracks Development of Social Marketing

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – A new six-volume series, Social Marketing, depicts the development of social marketing thought and practice from the early 1970s through today.

The series is edited by Craig Lefebvre, Ph.D., a lead change designer at RTI International. 

Social marketing is the use of marketing concepts and techniques to solve important health and social issues, such as environmental sustainability and the prevention of infectious or chronic diseases. 

The books track the progress of social marketing theory and practice over forty years as it gained significance among practitioners, academics, researchers and policymakers in governments around the world. 

“This series highlights how social marketing stands apart from other approaches to health and safety promotion, disease prevention, and environmental sustainability, among other topics,” Lefebvre said. “In a relatively short time, social marketing has become a framework for developing comprehensive strategies  aimed at promoting, encouraging and supporting positive behavior changes.”

The series includes journal articles and book chapters from diverse sources and seeks to organize the field of social marketing, highlight its global scope and contributions, and present its current growth. 

The series includes:

• Volume One: Social Marketing: Conceptual Frameworks and Common Ground
• Volume Two: Social Marketing in the Developed World
• Volume Three: Social Marketing in Developing Countries - Part One
• Volume Four: Social Marketing in Developing Countries - Part Two
• Volume Five: Applications of Social Marketing for Sustainable Behavior and Environmental Protection
• Volume Six: Social Marketing: Deepening and Expanding the Impact

Lefebvre has more than two decades of experience using social marketing and communication programs to address a wide range of public health and social issues at community, state, national and global levels. More recently, he has become a recognized leader in the application of social media and mobile technologies in public health practice.

“For more than 25 years, Craig has been on the leading edge of developing social marketing programs,” said Lauren McCormack, senior director of RTI's health communication program. “The fact that SAGE Publications reached out to him about editing this series is a further testament to his standing in this field.”

Social Marketing is published by SAGE and is part of the SAGE Library in Marketing.