Critically analyzing a campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Critically analyzing a campaign - Essay Example The main points discussed will be summarised at the end of the paper. The problem of driving under the influence of alcohol is a cause for concern especially in the UK since it contributes to unprecedented deaths and injuries annually among the people involved in accidents while driving under the influence of alcohol. For instance, â€Å"in 2011, 280 people died in the UK in drink driving incidents. Although the number of casualties caused by drink driving has dropped dramatically in the last 30 years, it is still the cause of 15 per cent of all road deaths,† (Taylor, 2013). Strict penalties are also imposed to address this problem and it can be seen that drink drivers risk a fine of up to ?5,000, a minimum 12-month driving ban and a criminal record (Taylor, 2013). However, since this is an issue of high social interest, people need to be persuaded in order for them to positively change their behaviour in as much as drink driving is concerned. Persuasive communication through the use of social campaigns is one effective way of dealing with such kind of problem since it is designed to reinforce the message so that the desired goal can be achieved among the targeted people. In carrying out such a campaign, the media is strongly used and marketing principles are also utilized. The concept of social marketing was popularized by Philip Kotler. According to Kotler and Armstrong (2004), social marketing is mainly concerned with behaviour change among a targeted audience. This type of communication uses marketing concepts though it is not meant to generate revenue but to influence behaviour change among the targeted group of audiences. Basically, a public or social campaign is a described as a purposive attempt to motivate behaviour change among a well defined and large audience (Rice & Atkin 1989 as cited in McQuail, 2000). This particular campaign is usually carried for non commercial benefit over a certain period of time by means of organized communication wh ich involves the use of mass media as well as interpersonal communication. The targeted audience is clearly defined and the expected goal of the communication campaign is properly laid out. In carrying out such a campaign, it can be noted that people need to be persuaded so that they can also share the same ideas with the people running the campaign. Mutual understanding among the targeted audience is likely to be promoted if all parties involved share the same vision towards a particular goal. This can be achieved through the use of social contract theory which is based on the â€Å"the view that persons’ moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live,† (Friend, 2004). In case of the above mentioned campaign, the people in the UK are bound by a social contract that compels them to create a desirable society that is characterised by good behaviour with regards to the aspect of alcohol and driving. The problem of driving under the influence of alcohol affects all people and a holistic approach has to be taken in order to ensure that a good society is formed. This involves all people who are affected by this particular problem. This concept posits to the effect that people in a certain society are the masters of their own destiny since they can put rules and regulations that can guide their behaviour in order to