AUTHOR
Nilimaa, Emma; Nixon, Kim

DEPARTMENT
Business Administration and Social Sciences / Industrial marketing and e-commerce

SUMMARY
Social marketing is a core tool when aiming for change in social behavior. Contrary to business marketers, social marketers strive to serve the target market without personal profit. During the past decade, there has been a rapid increase in the number of nonprofit organizations – a group which frequently utilize social marketing in their mission to assist in the general betterment of society. HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest threats against public health and development in Africa, and the virus is advancing into becoming a larger catastrophe than drought, war, famine and malaria. Since there is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, the only weapons available in the battle against the pandemic are preventative information and education.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how nonprofit organizations utilize social marketing to promote HIV/AIDS prevention programs. A case study of the Swedish nonprofit organization Afrikagrupperna has been conducted. The findings suggest that cultural sensitivity is vital in order to successfully adapt a preventative message. Peer education is the most effective way of transcending preventative HIV/AIDS messages and partnerships are fundamental in order to establish efficient social marketing programs. Ignorance regarding sex education and unequal sex roles permeates all preventative activities in Southern Africa.

ISSN 1404-5508 / ISRN LTU-SHU-EX--04/142--SE / NR 2004:142