Diffusion of Innovations Theory & Social Marketing

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the Diffusion of Innovations theory and Social Marketing, including definitions and examples.

Diffusion of Innovations

A theory developed by Everett Rogers that explains how an idea or product gains momentum and spreads through a population over time.

Adoption

The process by which an individual begins to do something differently than before, such as using a new product or performing a new behavior.

Innovator

The first individuals to adopt an innovation, characterized by venturesomeness and a willingness to take risks.

Early Adopter

An individual who represents opinion leaders and is comfortable adopting new ideas when they recognize the need for change.

Early Majority

Individuals who adopt new ideas before the average person, typically requiring evidence of success before committing.

Late Majority

Individuals skeptical of change, adopting innovations only after the majority has tried them.

Laggards

Individuals bound by tradition and very conservative, often the hardest to adopt new innovations.

Relative Advantage

The degree to which an innovation is perceived as better than the idea, program, or product it replaces.

Compatibility

The degree to which the innovation is consistent with the values and needs of potential adopters.

Complexity

The difficulty of understanding or using an innovation; a factor that influences its adoption.

Triability

The extent to which an innovation can be tested or experimented with before commitment to adoption.

Observability

The degree to which the benefits of an innovation are visible and can be perceived by others.

Social Marketing

The application of marketing principles to promote social good, aiming to influence behavior change among consumers.

Marketing Mix

A strategy that incorporates four elements: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion in social marketing campaigns.

Branding in Social Marketing

The use of symbols, logos, or personas to represent characteristics of a product or intervention for easier adoption.

Dumb Ways to Die

A public service announcement launched in 2012 promoting rail safety, which became the most shared PSA globally.

Best Bones Forever!

A campaign launched to improve girls' bone health through engaging activities and community involvement.

truth® Campaign

A national youth smoking prevention campaign that aims to change social norms and reduce youth smoking.

Market segmentation

Refers to the segmentation of a target
population into meaningful subgroups so that messages and
campaigns can be appropriately channeled

Targeting

The process of developing campaigns closely tailored to the needs, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of specific market segments (e.g., age, region, occupation, gender, and so on)

Communication channel

a process in which participants create and share information with one another in order to reach a mutual understanding

Innovation

an idea, practice, or project that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption

The social system

a set of interrelated units engaged in joint problem solving to accomplish a common goal”

Diffusion is influenced by the social structure of the social system

Rogers claimed that the nature of the social system affects individuals’ innovativeness, which is the main criterion for categorizing adopters