The societal marketing concept is a marketing approach that emphasizes the importance of considering not only consumers wants and the companys requirements but also societys long-term interests when making marketing decisions. The goal of this concept is to determine the needs, wants, and interests of a target market and to deliver the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that preserves or enhances the well-being of both the individual consumer and society in general.
The societal marketing concept is closely linked with the principles of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. It underlines that an organization should not ignore the societys long-term welfare to achieve its mission and vision. An organization should have moral and environmentally friendly strategies and should ensure that proper acts and laws are implemented.
The societal marketing concept is a systematic and planned process that follows six steps, including deciding which people to work with, what behavior to influence, how to go about it, and how to measure it. The goal of social marketing is always to change or maintain how people behave – not what they think or how aware they are about an issue.
The societal marketing concept believes that a company should make good marketing decisions by analyzing consumers wants, obligations, and societys long-term interests. Philip Kotler describes it as "the societal marketing concept believes that the organizations task is to define the needs, wants, and interests of a target market and to deliver the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that preserves or enhances the well-being of both the individual consumer and society in general".
