Use of mobile technology in social marketing

Abstract

India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world. And it is an irony that each year approximately 8 to 9 Lakhs Indians die due to tobacco use. In 1999-2001 it was estimated that everyday 5,500 adolescents start using tobacco India, thus joining the 4 million, under the age of 15, young people who already use tobacco regularly. Like most other developing countries, in India, the most susceptible time for initiating tobacco use is during adolescence and early adulthood, ages 15- 24 years. Most tobacco users start using tobacco before the age of 18 years. Thus, India is in need of strong and powerful cessation programs to help curb this growing concern. This research report is an attempt to help develop a cessation program with the use of mobile technology. Mobile has reached every corner of our nation and has very high engagement with youth. Therefore, it acts a strong influential platform for encouraging quitting. The first phase of the research looked at secondary findings through various journal and literature reviews to illustrate the key success factors of successful cessation campaigns around the world. In the present scenario, Social marketing has played a very crucial role in such programs. Moreover, many countries have also devised successful mobile applications to help their citizens. Taking inspiration from these studies, the second phase of the research involved conducting primary research through the usage of projective techniques. The study uses projective techniques such as Choice ordering, Association and Construction to uncover feelings, attitudes and motivation regarding young adults triggers to smoking and barriers to quit smoking. The research helped find the triggers to smoking, barriers to help quitting, motivating factors for quitting, awareness about services and products that help in cessation and mobile as a mean to encourage quitting. The main conclusion of the research comes from the underlying truth that despite mobiles taking over the world and acting as an inevitable instrument, human intervention is an extremely critical factor to help quit smoking. Often it is fear or care for loved ones that triggers elf motivation to quit. Once this realization sinks in, people can leverage technology to accomplish the process of quitting. Based on these findings, proposition for mobile application, that uses inputs from users about their smoking habits and details of their near and dear loved ones, is designed. The If People don’t love themselves enough to cut down on their smoking, they may love someone else enough to do it.