Using a Benchmark Perspective to Analyze Corporate Social Marketing Initiatives in India

Abstract

Background

In response to the Companies Act of 2013, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives have exploded in India. However, little research exists on Corporate Social Marketing (CSM) in India.

Focus of the Article

The current study addresses this gap and synthesizes insights from 31 CSR interventions in India across diverse industries, organized according to Campbell et al.’s (2022) corporate social marketing benchmarks to assess program development, research methods, audience targeting, partnerships, and market mix components.

Research Question

To what extent does the presence of corporate social marketing benchmarks predict the effectiveness of corporate social marketing interventions?

Method

The study employs qualitative content analysis to examine CSM programs across diverse industries in India, including FMCG, financial services, and manufacturing. The companies were selected from a list of nominated companies (including some who won or were included as honorable mentions) for the National CSR Awards in India in 2019 and 2020. The study evaluates the alignment of these CSM interventions with Sustainable Development Goals, adherence to CSM benchmarks, and the effectiveness of communication strategies.

Findings

The analysis reveals a significant link between the higher presence of corporate social marketing benchmarks and the success of the interventions (χ² = 9.64, p < .01). Strategic (such as 4Ps) and planning benchmarks (outcome setting objectives and partners) were observed in most interventions, while research and audience understanding benchmarks were the least frequent. The study also highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the interventions and proposes strategies to improve corporate involvement in social change.

Recommendations to Research/Practice

The current study validates the benchmarks presented by Campbell et al. (2022) as a practical tool to evaluate the effectiveness of CSM interventions in India. Additionally, this study underscores the expanding role of corporate social marketing (CSM) in driving behaviour change and advancing the broader social marketing agenda.

Importance to the Social Marketing Field

The current study advances the understanding of CSM in India by analyzing CSR interventions through a corporate social marketing benchmark lens, examining their strategic aspects, gaps, and key strengths to enhance corporate engagement in social change.

Keywords

corporate social marketing behavior change India social marketing corporate social responsibility benchmark

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Balasubramanian

N. K.

Kimber

Siemensma

(2005). Emerging opportunities or traditions reinforced. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 17(Spring 2005), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.9774/gleaf.4700.2005.sp.00010

Barnett

M. L.

Henriques

Husted

B. W.

(2020). Beyond good intentions: Designing CSR initiatives for greater social impact. Journal of Management, 46(6), 937–964. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206319900539

Bhatti

H. Y.

Galan-Ladero

M. M.

Galera-Casquet

(2023). Cause-related marketing: A systematic review of the literature. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 20(1), 25–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00326-y

Campbell

Deshpande

Rundle-Thiele

(2022). Corporate social marketing. In The Routledge companion to marketing and society (pp. 192–206). Routledge.

Chavan

Gowan

Vogeley

(2023). Collaborative corporate social responsibility praxis: Case studies from India. Social Responsibility Journal, 19(2), 229–248. https://doi.org/10.1108/srj-06-2021-0216

Davis

Campbell

Hildon

Hobbs

Michie

(2015). Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: A scoping review. Health Psychology Review, 9(3), 323–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2014.941722

Deshpande

(2016). Corporate social marketing: Harmonious symphony or cacophonous noise? Social Marketing Quarterly, 22(4), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500416674291

Deshpande

Hitchon

J. C.

(2002). Cause-related marketing ads in the light of negative news. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 79(4), 905–926. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769900207900409

Deshpande

Lee

(2014). Social marketing in India. Sage.

10.

Dietrich

Rundle-Thiele

Kubacki

(2017). Segmentation in social marketing (Vol. 1). Springer.

11.

Dietrich

Rundle-Thiele

Schuster

Connor

(2016). Co-designing social marketing programs. Journal of Social Marketing, 6(1), 41–61. https://doi.org/10.1108/jsocm-01-2015-0004

12.

Dooley

J. A.

Jones

S. C.

Iverson

(2012). Web 2.0: An assessment of social marketing principles. Journal of Social Marketing, 2(3), 207–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/20426761211265195

13.

Elving

W. J.

(2013). Scepticism and corporate social responsibility communications: The influence of fit and reputation. Journal of Marketing Communications, 19(4), 277–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2011.631569

14.

French

(2016). The importance of segmentation in social marketing strategy. In Dietrich

Rundle-Thiele

Kubacki

(Eds.), Segmentation in social marketing: Process, methods and application (pp. 25–40). Springer.

15.

French

Blair-Stevens

(2006). National social marketing benchmark criteria. The National Social Marketing Centre. https://www.thensmc.com/sites/default/files/benchmark-criteria-090910.pdf

16.

Galan-Ladero

M. M.

Sarmento

Marques

(2023). Social marketing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2030 Agenda by the United Nations. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 20(3), 521–527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-023-00381-7

17.

Handy

Seto

Wakaruk

Mersey

Mejia

Copeland

(2010). The discerning consumer: Is nonprofit status a factor? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 39(5), 866–883. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764010362113

18.

Hastings

Angus

Bryant

(2011). The Sage handbook of social marketing. Sage.

19.

Hoeffler

Keller

K. L.

(2002). Building brand equity through corporate societal marketing. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 21(1), 78–89. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.21.1.78.17600

20.

Jones

S. C.

Wyatt

Daube

(2016). Smokescreens and beer goggles: How the alcohol industry CSM protects the industry. Social Marketing Quarterly, 22(4), 264–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500415621558

21.

Kim

Rundle-Thiele

Knox

(2019). Systematic literature review of best practice in food waste reduction programs. Journal of Social Marketing, 9(4), 447–466.

22.

Kotler

Hessekiel

Lee

N. R.

(2012). Good works!: Marketing and corporate initiatives that build a better world... and the bottom line. John Wiley & Sons.

23.

Kotler

Lee

N. R.

(2005). Corporate social responsibility: Doing the most good for your company and your cause. Wiley.

24.

Kubacki

Rundle-Thiele

Lahtinen

Parkinson

(2015). A systematic review assessing the extent of social marketing principle use in interventions targeting children (2000–2014). Young Consumers, 16(2), 141–158. https://doi.org/10.1108/yc-08-2014-00466

25.

Kumar

Christodoulopoulou

(2014). Sustainability and branding: An integrated perspective. Industrial Marketing Management, 43(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2013.06.008

26.

Lam

Klein

Freisthler

Weiss

R. E.

(2013). Child center closures: Does nonprofit status provide a comparative advantage? Children and Youth Services Review, 35(3), 525–534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.12.004

27.

Lee

N. R.

(2016). Corporate social marketing: Five key principles for success. Social Marketing Quarterly, 22(4), 340–344. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500416672550

28.

Lee

N. R.

Kotler

Colehour

(2023). Social marketing: Behavior change for good. Sage.

29.

Lee

N. R.

Miller

(2012). Influencing positive financial behaviors: The social marketing solution. Journal of Social Marketing, 2(1), 70–86. https://doi.org/10.1108/20426761211203265

30.

Lefebvre

R. C.

(1997). Twenty-five years of social marketing: Looking back to the future. Social Marketing Quarterly, 3(3–4), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/152450049700300305

31.

Lefebvre

R. C.

(2012). Transformative social marketing: Co-creating the social marketing discipline and brand. Journal of Social Marketing, 2(2), 118–129. https://doi.org/10.1108/20426761211243955

32.

Maier

Meyer

Burkart

Terzieva

(2024). Societal roles of nonprofit organizations: Parsonian echoes and Luhmannian reframing of the organization–society interface. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 54(2), 327–349. https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640241241321

33.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs . (2024a). CSR in India. National CSR Portal. https://www.csr.gov.in/content/csr/global/master/home/home.html

34.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs . (2024b). National CSR awards. National CSR Portal. https://www.csr.gov.in/content/csr/global/master/home/national-csr-awards/national-csr-awards.html

35.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India . (2024c). National CSR portal. National CSR Portal. https://www.csr.gov.in/content/csr/global/master/home/home.html

36.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) . (2013). The companies act, 2013 (No. 18 of 2013, schedule VII: Activities which may be included by companies in their corporate social responsibility policies). Government of India. Retrieved from: https://upload.indiacode.nic.in/schedulefile?aid=AC_CEN_22_29_00008_201318_1517807327856&rid=79

37.

Pfajfar

Shoham

Małecka

Zalaznik

(2022). Value of corporate social responsibility for multiple stakeholders and social impact – Relationship marketing perspective. Journal of Business Research, 143, 46–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.051

38.

Polonsky

M. J.

Speed

(2001). Linking sponsorship and cause-related marketing: Complementarities and conflicts. European Journal of Marketing, 35(11/12), 1361–1389. https://doi.org/10.1108/eum0000000006484

39.

Reinecke

Ansari

(2016). Taming wicked problems: The role of framing in the construction of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Management Studies, 53(3), 299–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12137

40.

Saini

G. K.

Kumar

(2021). Role of corporate social marketing campaigns in employer branding: A study of campus engagement initiatives. Social Marketing Quarterly, 27(4), 324–346. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004211053858

41.

Schlesinger

Mitchell

Gray

B. H.

(2004). Public expectations of nonprofit and for-profit ownership in American medicine: Clarifications and implications. Health Affairs, 23(6), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.23.6.181

42.

Sheth

J. N.

Sinha

(2015). B2B branding in emerging markets: A sustainability perspective. Industrial Marketing Management, 51, 79–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2015.06.002

43.

Shira

Associates . (2020). An introduction to doing business in India 2020. Dezan Shira Associates.

44.

Singh

(2008). Tight rope walk at Tata steel: Balancing profits and CSR. South Asian Journal of Management, 15(1), 118–136.

45.

Truong

V. D.

Hall

C. M.

(2013). Social marketing and tourism: What is the evidence? Social Marketing Quarterly, 19(2), 110–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500413484452

46.

Truong

V. D.

Hall

C. M.

(2018). Corporate social marketing in tourism: To sleep or not to sleep with the enemy? In Marketing for sustainable tourism (1st ed., p. 19). Routledge.

47.

Xia

Deshpande

Bonates

(2016). Effectiveness of social marketing interventions to promote physical activity. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 13(11), 1263–1274. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2015-0189

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.71 MB

0.02 MB