Public Awareness
Community Based Social Marketing
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance Environmental Education goals and objectives include the development of a Gulf-wide public awareness campaign. To go beyond knowledge only based programs, an approach involving social marketing for behavior change was used to develop a strategy. The steps necessary to develop the strategy and their results are listed below.
Through generous grants with the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program and NOAA Northern Gulf Institute, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab was able to contract with the University of South Florida Center for Social Marketing. The ultimate deliverable being a strategy from which the Gulf of Mexico Alliance could brand itself and conduct a pilot program on behaviors related to nutrient reduction.
Step 1 Conduct a literature review on nutrient issues. Look for region wide social marketing campaigns. Literature Review
Step 2 Design a research strategy for the five U.S. Gulf states. Include focus groups and interview guidelines for target audiences. Research Plan
Step 3 Analyze the results of the focus groups and interviews. Use the information to design quantiative data collection. Qualitative Brief
Step 4 Conduct a region wide survey to verify qualitative results and attain more definitive information regarding audience participation in a program. Then hold a workshop to discuss the results toward the development of a strategy.
Research Brief and Strategy Workbook
Step 5 Complete the strategy and make it available for implementation.
Marketing Plan
For inquiries into this process, more information, or next steps please contact:
Lee Yokel
Environmental Education Coordinator/Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Jim Lindenberger
Director, Center for Social Marketing
University of South Florida, College of Public Health
