THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Fisher College of Business
BUSML 4252 – Social Marketing and Public Policy
Dr. Blair Kidwell – Syllabus (Fall 2014 – Term 1)
Instructor Objectives Text Grades Assignments Policies Schedule
ORIENTATION
The primary aim of social marketing is "social good", whereas in
"commercial marketing" the aim is primarily "financial". This
class offers a revolutionary approach to solving a range of
social problems in the areas of health, safety, environmental
protection, financial well-being, and community involvement.
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Dr. Blair Kidwell
Email:
Blair Kidwell (Kidwell_82@fisher.osu.edu)
Office:
532 Fisher Hall
Telephone:
(614) 688-1312
Website:
http://fisher.osu.edu/departments/marketing-andlogistics/faculty/marketing/blair-kidwell/
Office
Hours:
3:45pm – 4:15pm, TTH; or by appointment. Email
usually ensures the quickest response.
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Course Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to introduce you to the discipline known as Social Marketing. This
area applies traditional marketing principles and techniques to the challenges and rewards of influencing
positive public behavior. We will examine many concepts and theories from the behavioral sciences
including psychological, sociological, and cultural perspectives and analyze their usefulness for developing
successful social marketing plans.
This course offers you an opportunity to:
 Understand the definition, theories and applications of social marketing
 Learn a ten-step model for developing, implementing and evaluating social marketing campaigns
 Learn how social marketing and public policy can be used to effectively change behavior
 Demonstrate your understanding of course material by developing a social marketing campaign in
three separate stages.
Course lectures, discussions and materials will include:
 Presentation of social marketing theory, including audience identification, establishing objectives and
goals, behavior change theories and frameworks, application of the 4Ps, budgeting and evaluation
 Illustrative, detailed examples of successful social marketing campaigns
 In depth discussions of ideas and opinions about what works and what doesn’t work
Required Textbook
The following text is required:
Kotler and Lee (2012), “Social Marketing: Influencing Behaviors for Good”, 4th edition, SAGE
Publications
This is a very good textbook which I think you will find very helpful in understanding and mastering
relevant concepts. Purchasing this book is critical in preparing yourself for the lectures, final exam and
group project. It is available at OSU bookstores and online. If you buy and older edition, please keep in
mind that the content and page numbers on the study guides will vary at times.
Student Evaluation
The final grade will be based on your performance in the following areas out of 300 points possible:
Final Exam
Term Project Papers (3 x 50 points)
Participation/In class work
Total
100
150
50
300
Your final grade will be determined by the points below. Please note: If you miss the next highest grade by
even one point you honestly will have my sympathy - but I will NOT change your grade! It is in your power
to make sure you are not on the border. Either way, I cannot change grades out of fairness to everyone.
Fairness is important to me, so be advised that as a course policy, I just don’t change grades, unless I’ve
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made an error. If you feel that you have been graded unfairly, please make a written case for why you feel
the grade is wrong (i.e., why your answer should be correct) and submit it to me within one week after the
assignment or test was posted on Carmen. If you submit a written appeal, I do not promise to change your
grade, but I promise to consider your appeal carefully and fairly.
A = 93 – 100%; 279 - 300 points
C = 73 – 76.9%; 219 - 230 points
A- = 90 – 92.9%; 270 - 278 points
C - = 70 – 72.9%; 210 - 218 points
B+ = 87 – 89.9%; 261- 269 points
D+ = 67 – 69.9%; 201 - 209 points
B = 83 – 86.9%; 249 - 260 points
D = 63 – 66.9%; 189 - 200 points
B- = 80 – 82.9%; 240 - 248 points
D - = 60 – 62.9%; 180 – 188 points
C+ = 77 – 79.9%; 231 - 239 points
F = 59.9% or below; < 180 points
Course Responsibilities
Final Exam:
There will be one exam. It will be a cumulative final assessment of your knowledge
throughout the term. This final exam will be closed book in a multiple choice format. The exam will
consist of 50 multiple choice questions worth 2 points each. The questions will come from both the
notes and the assigned chapters from the text. You are responsible for all material in the text, even if we
do not cover it in class. I will give you a list of review topics from which the questions will be drawn.
If you miss the exam without clearing it with me either before hand or as soon as possible in the case of
an emergency situation, you will receive a zero. If you miss the exam for an excused reason (e.g., illness,
family illness or death, etc., with written documentation), you will be able to take the exam at an alternate
time. Requirements for exam days: Please bring a no. 2 pencil! I will provide you with scan-sheets.
*Note: If you come more than 20 minutes late for the exam or if anyone has already left the room,
whichever is earlier, you cannot take the exam.
Individual Term Papers: You will be asked to complete a 10-15 page double-spaced typewritten
individual term project paper that cover the ten-step model for designing a social marketing campaign.
These papers are due (via dropbox in Carmen). See course schedule at the end of the syllabus for due
dates. Please note that I do not accept late submissions of these papers under ANY circumstances. The
details of these papers will be provided in the first two weeks of class. Briefly however, you are to:
1) Select a social issue (e.g., obesity, drinking and driving, recycling, voting) that is important to you
to focus on for all three term papers.
2) In addition to the term paper, you will be asked to give an oral (3-5 minute) presentation of your
ideas at the end of the term. You will not be graded for presentation quality; rather this is a
pass/fail requirement.
Class Participation/In class Exercises: Regular attendance and participation in class discussions is
expected of each student and will account for a small but important 50 points (~17%) toward your final
grade. Students should expect to be called on at random throughout the term, either to initiate class
discussion or to respond to a question. I may at times record attendance for class participation points. Inclass exercises will be conducted at various times throughout the semester at my discretion. Your
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participation and performance during these exercises will also count toward the 50 points. You MUST
attend class to receive credit for in-class exercises.
Course Policies
Course Communication: I will post all class announcements, schedule changes, readings
and teaching materials to the Carmen page. It is your responsibility to check the website. If you miss a
class, you are responsible for getting the notes from another student. Please note that what is on the
website is current and supersedes any and all information you may have printed on an earlier date. I may
also need to contact you from time to time via e-mail. I will use your OSU account for all e-mail
correspondence. Please make sure that your e-mail account does not go over quota so that you do not miss
important course correspondence. If you use another e-mail account (e.g. Gmail, Yahoo, etc.), please be
sure you forward your OSU e-mail to that account. Any changes to the information contained in this
syllabus will be announced in class and/or posted on the Carmen class page. It is your responsibility to
keep track of scheduled examinations/project dates, any changes in these dates, material covered in the
class, and all other announcements made in the class or on the class page.
Lecture Content: At times, my lectures will parallel the readings, although at other times they may deviate
substantially. You are responsible for all materials covered. The chapters should be read prior to class
when assigned on the course schedule.
Professional Behavior: When you come to class, be prepared to actively participate. During class you are
expected to be attentive. This means the following behaviors are inappropriate: talking while I am
presenting material in class, talking while other students are presenting or participating in class discussions,
interrupting me and your fellow students by arriving late for class, using your cell phone, or other wireless
device (voice or text), doing outside work, reading non-class material, studying for another class, sleeping,
etc. Further, I expect you to respect the opinions of others. Thus, disagreements in points of view should
not be made in an antagonistic or derogating manner. If I feel you are disrupting the learning process of
your classroom peers, you will be asked to leave. If you are asked to leave twice in a semester, you will
receive a one-letter grade deduction on your final grade. Any subsequent dismissals will result in an
additional letter grade deduction from your final grade.
Questions:
When you don’t know something or are confused about a particular topic, do not hesitate to
ask me in class. There are probably others in the same situation. If I am going over something and I am
speaking too quickly, ask me to slow down. I won’t know if I’m doing this unless you tell me. If you want a
more detailed response, ask me outside of class.
Student Progress: You will be able to access all of your grades in the course via Carmen. At times, an
opportunity for extra credit will be offered. It is important that you take advantage of these opportunities
since there is no way to know whether more opportunities might arise though the course of the semester.
Please Note: As the professor for this course, I reserve the right to retain for pedagogical reasons any
student's test, written assignment, paper, multimedia materials, or similar work submitted by the student,
either individually or as a group project, for this class.
Work Load: The University and College expectation is that students spend two hours outside of class for
every hour spent in class. Since this course meets 3 hours per week, you should expect to spend 6 hours
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per week outside of class on course-related work.
Written Assignments: Written work must be prepared in a professional manner. It is to be clearly
written, neat in appearance, with proper grammatical construction and correct spelling. Work which is not
presented in a professional manner will be reduced a full letter grade or at the very least, points will be
taken off. The grade assigned to written work will reflect both its appearance and analytical soundness.
The failure to complete assignments at the specified time represents a failure to meet your responsibilities.
Any assignment not submitted at the specified time will receive a grade of zero (0).
Handing in Your Work:




Points will be deducted if these guidelines are not followed. This includes:
Clearly indicating the title of the project or assignment, and your name.
Work should be typed and double-spaced (e.g., Do not turn in hand-written work).
12 pt. (Times New Roman) Font, and 1-inch margins all around, using black ink.
Print quality should be very high, and of course should be legible.
Academic Dishonesty:
The Ohio State University and the Committee on Academic Misconduct
(COAM) expect that all students have read and understand the University’s Code of Student Conduct and that
all students will complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must
recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the University’s Code of Student
Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”
The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04) defines academic misconduct as:
“Any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational
process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to) plagiarism, collusion
(unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another student, and possession of unauthorized
materials during an examination. Ignorance of the University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered
an “excuse” for academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct,
specifically, the sections dealing with academic misconduct.
If I suspect that a student has committed academic misconduct in this course, I am obligated by University
Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. If COAM determines that you
have violated the University’s Code of Student Conduct (i.e., committed academic misconduct), the
sanctions for the misconduct could include a failing grade in this course and suspension or dismissal from
the University. If you have any questions about the above policy or what constitutes academic misconduct
in this course, please contact me.
Special Accommodations: A student with a disability or those who need special accommodations should
talk to the professor individually within the first two weeks of the class.
Course Contract
Agreement to the Terms of the Syllabus: This syllabus should be considered a “contract”, whereby you
agree to abide by the terms and requirements within this syllabus. If you are uncomfortable with or do not
wish to abide by the requirements listed in this syllabus, you should make arrangements to drop the class.
Your continued enrollment in the class assumes that you have agreed to all of the terms listed herein.
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Course Schedule
*Calendar is subject to change. All changes will be discussed in advance of the day affected.
Date
SECTION I:
Aug 28 – Thursday
Sept 2 – Tuesday
Sept 4 – Thursday
Topic
What is Social Marketing?
Course Introduction and Definition
Lecture: What is Social Marketing?
Lecture: 10 Steps in the Strategic Process – Steps
#1 thru #4
SECTION II:
Sept 9 – Tuesday
Sept 11 – Thursday
Sept 16 – Tuesday
Sept 18 – Thursday
Sept 23 – Tuesday
Sept 25 – Thursday
Sept 30 – Tuesday
Social Marketing Strategic Process
Lecture: Step #5: Audience Insights & Theories
Lecture: Step #6: Positioning
Lecture: Step #7: Social Marketing – Product
Lecture: Step #7: Social Marketing – Price
Lecture: Step #7: Social Marketing – Place
Lecture: Step #7: Social Marketing – Promotion
Lecture: Step #7 and #8 – Selecting Channels &
Evaluation of Social Marketing Campaigns
SECTION III:
Oct 2 – Thursday
Public Policy
Lecture: Public Policy Intro and Marketing
Violators & Exam Review
Lecture: Advertising and Regulatory Practices
Association of Consumer Research Conference
Project Presentation Day
Final Exam – Normal class time!
Oct 7 – Tuesday
Oct 9 – Thursday
Oct 14 – Tuesday
Oct 16 – Thursday
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Assignment Due
Read Syllabus!
Read Chapter 1
Read Chapter 2 – Submit a picture
and answers to Dropbox on Carmen!
Read Chapter 8
Read Chapter 9
Read Chapter 10
Read Chapter 11
Read Chapter 12
Read Chapter 13
Read Chapter 14
Policy Notes I
Policy Notes II
No Class!!! – Final Project Due!
Presentations!!!
Study!!!