Stakeholder involvement in social marketing anti-smoking interventions

This chapter examines the extent to which various stakeholders were involved and engaged in social marketing interventions that influenced and encouraged individuals to quit smoking. A systematic search of scholarly databases was conducted to identify articles published from 2009 to 2018. In total, 18 articles (reporting on 12 eligible interventions) were analysed. The results indicated that smokers (target audience) were the most frequently engaged stakeholder group, followed by health organisations and health-expert stakeholder groups. Involvement was more common in the earlier (design) stage, rather than in later stages (implementation and evaluation) of the social marketing process. The modes and methods of stakeholder involvement differed across stakeholder groups and the various stages of the interventions. Specific impacts of stakeholder involvement on intervention outcomes were reported in four interventions. Implications for social marketing theory and practice were discussed.