Where Is the Toothpaste? A Systematic Review of the Use of the Product Strategy in Social Marketing

Abstract

The product strategy is a cornerstone of the product, price, place, and promotion (four Ps) of the marketing mix that has undergone significant scrutiny and critique. This study sought to conduct a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to better understand how product has been conceptualized and operationalized over multiple decades. Application of inclusion criteria resulted in a sample of 88 articles published from 1973 to 2015, representing work in 18 different countries in North America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. Content analysis showed that authors offering formal definitions of product have placed heavy emphasis on conceptualizing the product P as the prescribed behavior for the target audience in a social marketing initiative. Analysis of the operationalization of product strategies revealed more balance across the literature in thinking about product as beneficial outcomes and tangible goods as well as behaviors. Discussion focuses on consideration of the findings in the context of the call from several thought leaders in recent years to steer away from talking about the product as behavior and concentrate more on goods, services, and product features. The results also inspire discussion about the future utility of conceptualizing product within a three-tiered frame of actual, core, and augmented products.