Using previous social marketing efforts to assess a new program

Purpose: This paper aims to report a research approach that explores how to use evaluations of previous social marketing efforts to assess and guide a new shelterbelt program called Working Tree. By targeting farmers, this new program aims to gain benefits from enhancing and expanding on-farm tree shelterbelts on the Canadian prairies. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a novel method that relies on secondary data from six completed social marketing cases as data for a comparative analysis with the new program. A conceptual framework is proposed and applied. This framework incorporates process and outcome indicators of evaluation, key dimensions of the rational choice theory and proven practices from experience. Findings: Analysis suggests key parameters of the Working Tree program to be appropriate, with some modifications. However, limitations in the data also point to avenues for future research to deepen the authors’ understanding of assessing a new social marketing program in the prelaunch phase. More research is needed on what works, where and why. Research limitations/implications: The seven indices are a modest set for comparatives and are not exhaustive. Six selected cases are small samples that are unable to fully reflect the environmental nature of the new program; yet, they contained critical data for the comparative analysis. Financial data are not in constant dollars, which would be needed when further analysis is undertaken. Practical implications: This paper illustrates the importance of the evaluation stage of the social marketing process. It demonstrates the practicality of being able to effectively draw upon previous evaluations to inform new program investors and social marketers at the prelaunch stage. Originality/value: The conceptual framework and method present a novel approach to use evaluation data to guide new program funding and initiatives. It is offered with the hope that others might draw upon the ideas presented here and advance them.