Formative Research in Social Marketing

This book brings together the state of the art and current debates in the field of formative research, and examines many of the innovative methods largely overlooked in the available literature. This book will help social marketing to move beyond surveys and focus groups.

The book addresses the needs of social marketing academics and practitioners alike by providing a robust and critical academic discussion of cutting-edge research methods, while demonstrating at the same time how each respective method can help us arrive at a deeper understanding of the issues that social marketing interventions are seeking to remedy.

Each chapter includes a scholarly discussion of key formative research methods, a list of relevant internet resources, and three key readings for those interested in extending their understanding of the method. Most chapters also feature a short case study demonstrating how the methods are used.

Krzysztof Kubacki is Associate Professor in Marketing at Griffith University. Woven throughout his research is an interest in the relationship between social marketing and consumer culture, with his most recent work focusing on physical activity among adults and children and alcohol consumption among young people.
Sharyn Rundle-Thiele leads Social Marketing at Griffith University and is Editor of the Journal of Social Marketing. Her research focuses on behavior change and she currently serves as an advisor on a diverse range of social marketing projects. Her current projects include changing adolescent attitudes towards drinking alcohol, and increasing healthy eating and physical activity to combat obesity.