Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Authors
1 Ph.D. Student of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
3 Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Objective: This research aimed to identify social marketing areas and activities for application in sport organizations.
Methodology: The present systematic review includes all English-language studies on social marketing published in the first 24 years of this century. Relevant studies were identified through searches in Google Scholar, Emerald, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science journals. From the initial 1536 studies, after excluding irrelevant ones, 326 studies were selected and data on 16 variables were extracted and analyzed.
Results: The results of this study included familiarization with the general characteristics of social marketing studies, recognition of the organizational dimension of social marketing interventions and studies, recognition of the place of sports in the social marketing literature, and identification of activities and areas of application of social marketing. After coding the data, 51 distinct activities identified were placed in four general areas including customer-oriented, environmental, socio-cultural, and health.
Conclusion: The present study presents a classification of social marketing activities for use in sports organizations and emphasizes the growing trend of social marketing research, the main focuses of studies in this field, contemporary challenges facing society, and the growing interest of researchers in physical activity and health. Social marketing through sports can play a role as a powerful tool to create, change, or modify social behaviors in the sports fan community and in society. It is essential that sports organizations recognize the potential and areas of social marketing activity and review their marketing strategies with the aim of applying social marketing techniques.
Keywords
Main Subjects
Alsharairi, N.A., & Li, L. (2024). Social marketing targeting healthy eating and physical activity in young adult university students: A scoping review. Heliyon, 10(11), e31930. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31930]
Andreasen, A.R. (1995). Marketing Social Change: Changing Behavior to Promote Health, Social Development, and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Jossey‑Bass. [Link]
Andreasen, A.R. (2002a). Commercial marketing and social change. Social Marketing Quarterly, 8(2), 41-45. [https://doi.org/10.1080/15245000212552]
Andreasen, A.R. (2002b). Marketing social marketing in the social change marketplace. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 21(1), 3-13. [https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.21.1.3.17602]
Aras, R.J. (2011). Social marketing in healthcare . The Australasian Medical Journal, 4(8), 418. [https://doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2011.626]
Bamberg, S., Fujii, S., Friman, M., & Gärling, T. (2011). Behaviour theory and soft transport policy measures. Transportation Research, 45(3), 228–238. [Link]
Behnoosh, S., Naylor, M., & Dickson, G. (2018). The impact of endorsement on a sport-based social marketing campaign. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 18(6), 478-500. [https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSMM.2018.095226]
Cairney, J., Townsend, S., Harrison, Z., Woodforde, J., Wheeler, K., Mulcahy, S., & Gomersall, S. (2026). Organizational culture and sport: a narrative review and proposed synthesis framework. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 8, 1778505. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1778505]
Carins, J.E., & Rundle-Thiele, S.R (2014). Eating for the better: A social marketing review (2000–2012). Public Health Nutrition 17(7), 1628-1639. [https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980013001365]
Chichirez, C.-M., Purcărea, V. L (2018). Health marketing and behavioral change: a review of the literature. Journal of Medicine and Life, 11(1), 15. [Link]
Clapp, J.D., Johnson, M., Voas, R.B., Lange, J.E., Shillington, A., & Russell, C.J.A. (2005). Reducing DUI among US college students: Results of an environmental prevention trial. Addiction, 100(3), 327-334. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00917.x]
Corti, B., Holman, C., Donovan, R. J., Frizzell, S. K., & Carroll, A. M. (1997). Warning: attending a sport, racing or arts venue may be beneficial to your health. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 21(4), 371-376. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.1997.tb01717.x]
Craig Lefebvre, R., & Flora, J. A. (1988). Social marketing and public health intervention. Health education quarterly, 15(3), 299-315. [https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818801500305]
Crisp, B.R., & Swerissen, H (2003). Critical processes for creating health-promoting sporting environments in Australia. Health Promotion International, 18(2), 145-152. [https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/18.2.145]
Donovan, R., & Henley, N. (2010). Principles and practice of social marketing: an international perspective. Cambridge University Press. [Link]
Du, S., Bhattacharya, C.B., & Sen, S. (2010). Maximizing business returns to corporate social responsibility (CSR): The role of CSR communication. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(1), 8–19. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00276.x]
Duan, Z., Hou, T., Liang, X., Kavussanu, M., & Chen, S. (2026). The use of sport for social integration amongst disadvantaged populations: a systematic review. Sport Management Review, 29(3), 498-521. [https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2025.2603799]
Dula, C.S., Dwyer, W.O., & LeVerne, G. (2007). Policing the drunk driver: Measuring law enforcement involvement in reducing alcohol-impaired driving. Journal of Safety Research, 38(3), 267-272. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2006.10.007]
Egger, G., Fitzgerald, W., Frape, G., Monaem, A., Rubinstein, P., Tyler, C., & McKay, B. (1983). Results of large scale media antismoking campaign in Australia: North Coast "Quit for Life" programme. British Medical Journal (Clin Res Ed), 287(6399), 1125-1128. [https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.287.6399.1125]
Eime, R.M., Young, J.A., Harvey, J.T., Charity, M.J., & Payne, W.R. (2013). A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for adults: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 10(1), 135. [https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-135]
Evans, W.D. (2006). How social marketing works in health care. British Medical Journal, 332(7551), 1207-1210. [https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.332.7551.1207-a]
Evans, W.D., Blitstein, J., Hersey, J.C., Renaud, J., & Yaroch, A.L. (2008). Systematic review of public health branding. Journal of Health Communication, 13(8), 721-741. [https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730802487364]
Fadam, A., Afroozeh, M.S., Mohammadzadeh, Y., & Dastbarhagh, H. (2025). The Role of Sport in Sustainable Environmental Development. Journal of Sport Management and Development, 14(1), 169-190. [https://doi.org/10.22124/JSMD.2022.21038.2632] [In Persian]
Francis, S.L., & Taylor, M. (2009). A Social Marketing Theory− based diet-education program for women ages 54 to 83 years improved dietary status, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(12), 2052-2056. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.09.002]
French, J., & Blair-Stevens, C. (2007). Big pocket guide to social marketing. Retrieved from National Social Marketing Centre. [Link]
Fujihira, H., Kubacki, K., Ronto, R., Pang, B., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2015). Social marketing physical activity interventions among adults 60 years and older: a systematic review. Social Marketing Quarterly, 21(4), 214-229. [https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500415606671]
Gallopel-Morvan, K. (2014). Social Marketing and Critical Social Marketing: What Benefits for Public Health?. Les Trib. Sante, 45, 37–43. [Link]
Grier, S., & Bryant, C.A. (2005). Social marketing in public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 26(1), 319-339. [https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144610]
Hastings, G. (2017). Rebels with a cause: The spiritual dimension of social marketing. Journal of Social Marketing, 7(2), 223-232. [https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-02-2017-0010]
Hoeffler, S., & 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]
Jones, S.C. (2014). Using social marketing to create communities for our children and adolescents that do not model and encourage drinking. Health & Place, 30, 260-269. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.10.004]
Kotler, P. & Keller, K.L (2014). Marketing management (15th ed.). Pearson. [Link]
Kotler, P., & Zaltman, G. (1997). Social marketing: An approach to planned social change. Social Marketing Quarterly, 3(3-4), 7-20. [https://doi.org/10.1177/152450049700300301]
Kubacki, K., Hurley, E., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2018). A systematic review of sports sponsorship for public health and social marketing. Journal of Social Marketing, 8(1), 24-39. [https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-01-2017-0001]
Kubacki, K., Rundle-Thiele, S., Lahtinen, V., & Parkinson, J. (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]
LaBrie, J.W., Thompson, A.D., Huchting, K., Lac, A., & Buckley, K. (2007). A group motivational interviewing intervention reduces drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences in adjudicated college women. Addictive Behaviors, 32(11), 2549-2562. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.05.014]
Lai, P.H., Sorice, M.G., Nepal, S.K., & Cheng, C.K. (2009). Integrating social marketing into sustainable resource management at Padre Island National Seashore: an attitude-based segmentation approach. Environmental Management, 43, 985-998. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-009-9293-9]
Leathar, D.S., & Hastings, G.B.J. (1987). Social marketing and health education. Journal of Services Marketing, 1(2), 49-52. [https://doi.org/10.1108/eb024708]
Lee, D., Rundle-Thiele, S., Wut, T. & Health, P. (2022). Increasing seasonal influenza vaccination among university students: a systematic review of programs using a social marketing perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7138. [https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127138]
Lee, N.R., & Kotler, P. (2015). Social marketing: Changing behaviors for good (5rd ed.). Sage Publications. [Link]
Lefebvre, R.C. (1997). 25 years of Social Marketing: looking back to the future. Social Marketing Quarterly, 3(3-4), 51-58. [https://doi.org/10.1177/152450049700300305]
Llauradó, E., Aceves-Martins, M., Tarro, L., Papell-Garcia, I., Puiggròs, F., Arola, L. & Giralt, M. (2015). A youth-led social marketing intervention to encourage healthy lifestyles, the EYTO (European Youth Tackling Obesity) project: a cluster randomised controlled0 trial in Catalonia, Spain. BMC Public Health, 15, 1-12. [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1920-1]
Marchioli, A. (2006). Social marketing and efficacy of public health prevention campaigns: Contributions and implications of recent models of persuasive communication. Marketing & Communication, 6, 17-36. [https://doi.org/10.3917/mama.031.0017]
Martin, N.T., Ross, S.R., & Irwin, R. (2015). Utilizing community-based social marketing in a recycling intervention with tailgaters. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 8(1), 57-81. [https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.2014-0128]
McKenzie-Mohr, D. (2011). Fostering sustainable behavior: An introduction to community-based social marketing (3rd ed.). New Society Publishers. [Link]
Moyo, T., Duffett, R., & Knott, B. (2022). An analysis of cause-related and social marketing strategies in the South African sport management industry. Sage Open, 12(2), 21582440221108181. [https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221108181]
Munroe, A.S. (2012). Peace education through sport: Critical pedagogy for conflict literacy. Georgetown University. [Link]
Peattie, K., & Peattie, S. (2009). Social marketing: a pathway to consumption reduction?. Journal of Business Research, 62(2), 260-268. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.01.033]
Pourkiani, M., Afrouzeh, A., Boroumand, M., & Soheili, S. (2022). The impact of the Global "imPOSSIBLE" Program on the Iranian Students’ Change of Attitude Toward Inclusive Sport. Jounral of Research on Educational Sport, 10(26), 172-147. [https://doi.org/10.22089/res.2020.9169.1918] [In Persian]
Roger, A., Dourgoudian, M., Mergey, V., Laplanche, D., Ecarnot, F., & Sanchez, S. (2023). Effectiveness of prevention interventions using social marketing methods on behavioural change in the general population: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4576. [https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054576]
Rundle-Thiele, S.R. (2009). Social gain: Is corporate social responsibility enough?. Australasian Marketing Journal, 17(4), 204-210. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2009.06.006]
Ryan, S.T., Kariippanon, K.E., Okely, A.D., Stanley, R.M., Waqa, G., & Randle, M. (2022). Social marketing benchmark criteria use in health behaviour change interventions in pacific islands populations: a systematic review. Journal of Social Marketing, 12(2), 124-153. [https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-05-2021-0114]
Schmidtke, D.J., Kubacki, K., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2021). A review of social marketing interventions in low- and middle-income countries (2010–2019). Journal of Social Marketing, 11(3), 240–258. [https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-10-2020-0210]
Soleymani Nejad, M., Harooni, J., Charkazi, A., Shams, M., & Latifi, M. (2021). Using social marketing to promote preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(2), 52. [https://doi.org/10.15280/jlm.2021.11.2.52]
Stead, M., & Hastings, G. (2018). Advertising in the social marketing mix: getting the balance right. In Social Marketing (pp. 29-43). Psychology Press. [Link]
Stead, M., Hastings, G., & McDermott, L. (2007). The meaning, effectiveness and future of social marketing. Obesity Reviews, 8. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2007.00340.x]
Tatari, E., Ehsani, M., Noruozi Seyed Hoseini, R., & Kuzechian, H. (2019). Designing a model of participation in recreational sports with a social marketing approach. Applied Research of Sport Management, 7(4 (28)) , 87-98. [https://doi.org/10.30473/arsm.2019.37234.2582] [In Persian]
Tatari, E., Khatibzade, M., Pakzad Hasanloo, F., & Norouzi Seyed Hoseini, R. (2026). The Impact of Social Marketing Campaigns on Promoting Sport Activities Among Students. Journal of Sport Management and Development, 15(3), 129-152. [https://doi.org/10.22124/JSMD.2025.30583.2985] [In Persian]
Truong, V. D. (2014). Social marketing: A systematic review of research 1998–2012. Social Marketing Quarterly, 20(1), 15-34. [https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500413517666]
Williams, B. C., & Plouffe, C.R. (2007). Assessing the evolution of sales knowledge: A 20-year content analysis. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(4), 408-419. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2005.11.003]
Wilson, D. K., Sweeney, A. M., Wippold, G. M., Garcia, K. A., White, T., Wong, D., Fuller, A., & Kitzman, H. (2024). The use of social marketing in community-wide physical activity programs: A scoping review. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 58(11), 717–728. [https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaae050]
Woodforde, J., Thomas, G., Harrison, Z., Mulcahy, S., Townsend, S., & Cairney, J. (2026). Changing organizational culture in community sport: a systematic review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 8, 1852179. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1852179]
World Health Organization (2024). Retrieved from Ageing and health. [Link]
)