Analysis

The overall Prudence condom campaign has proven to be one of the most successful social marketing campaigns in Côte d'Ivoire. The campaign for SDLC has also proven to be as successfull and is a great way to promote the use of condoms to the general public. By using the social marketing criteria, as submitted by Weinreich as well as Meekers and Rahaim.

Product

Weinreich defines the product as a physical item, practice, service, or an intangible idea or theory. The product requires first the perception and then the definition of the actual problem that exists, the product is the solution to the dilemma. Research has to go into what the audiences' attitudes toward the problem and the product are. In this case the problem is the level of HIV/AIDS in Cote d'Ivoire. The report cites conducted research that claims a high percentage of HIV infection within the country. By Weinreich's definition, the product in this case study is the intangible education and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Côte d'Ivoire. The idea is to educate the viewers and encourage their active participation in this fight against the virus. The use of condoms is essential in educating Ivoirians about how to protect against HIV/AIDS.

Price

Weinreich's definition of price is what the audience must do to get the product. This definition does not necessarily mean money but could also include time, effort, disapproval, embarassment or a range of other things. The tricky thing with prices is determining how the consumer will perceive it; if it is too low consumers may consider the quality low but if the benefits are greater than the cost, use of the product is greater. In this case study, the price of the product requires little to no money but more effort and time. The soap opera would require consumers to have available time to watch the show as well as to make the effort to turn the television on. Money would only come into play if the consumer should feel the need to purchase condoms as a result of the lessons learned from the show. The price of condoms is relatively cheap so that any who would want to have safe sexual relations could do so. Part of the case study did research the percentage of condom usage if the audience viewed ten or more episodes, women were 1.4 times more likely and men were 2.7 times more likely to use a condom.

Placement

The placement of the product is the venue in which the consumer receives the product. As Weinreich discusses, this could be done through the distribution of tangible items or through a channeling of information. it is important in this category to understand the target audience well enough to know their habits and activities; this will give insight into the best placement choosing. In this case the placement is through the television and the station that carries it. Relatively inexpensive for the target audience and run during a time when consumers will be at home. It can also be viewed by other groups that are not just high risk, which helps broaden the scope of the target audience. In fact the soap opera was run after the nightly news at 8 PM, when more people could be found at home.

Promotion

The promotion of the prodcut is the way in which the product gets visibility. It usually consists of advertising, public relations, promotion, media advocacy, personal selling, and entertainment vehicles. This is the area that is meant to create and sustain product demand, as Weinreich states. In this instance the promotion is through the use of entertainment of a dramatic soap opera. While the characters and plot evolve, the effects of HIV/AIDS are shown as well as how this affects families and friends. It is also a great way to talk about prevention and the use of condoms. In fact the first eleven episodes won for Best Fiction Film at the 1996 FASPACO film festival in Burkina Faso. Since this program coincides with the condom social marketing program when the television program is over that other marketing program will continue. The television show would seem to be a short term promotion for the overall condom campaign. The cancellation by the television company or the lack of funding could always mean the end of the program.

Social Marketing Models- Meekers and Rahaim

The authors breakdown social marketing into two different models: the NGO and manufacturer model. The NGO model relies heavily on the promotion of products while the manufacturer's model aims to promote while maintaining the campaign's financial stability. The latter model was designed to specifically promote health practices. It is meant to be temporary and works in conjunction with a private company that will eventually take over the program, allowing for a smooth transition for the social marketing campaign. The NGO model focuses on making the highest impact on the target audience. Meekers and Rahaim found that 70% of the countries that were involved in the study used the NGO model. 76% of the programs that were developed in countries with a population smaller than 10 million primarily used the NGO model.

The PSI program used the NGO model of social marketing to promote the Prudence condoms in the PSI Prudence campaign. By branding and promoting an actual product to the public, the campaign is doing everything but buying the condoms for people. The management of the program was also conducted by the a local organization, ECODEV, which is consistent with the NGO model that Meekers and Rahaim proposed.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of the overall Prudence campaign is strengthened by the SDLC. The show is extremely effective because it discusses the effects of HIV/AIDS on both an emotional and physical level. If people can identify with the reality of the disease, it is easy to plug the use of Prudence condoms through this show and showing the importance of their use. The study conducted by Shapiro, Meekers and Tambashe shows that the television audience is receptive to the ideas in the show and to using condoms. The PSI Prudence condom consumer profile showed that of the number of condom users, 90% of them watch television. By combining the information from both studies, SDLC is the perfect outlet to reach the targeted audience. It is an effective social marketing campaign, that has been valuable in promoting the use of condoms, and in particular the Prudence condoms.