Abstract
M.Phil. (Energy Studies)
Social marketing has been widely applied (for more than three decades) in the fields of public health
and the environment with significant success. Examples include: the use of contraceptives, oral
rehydration therapy and malaria prevention. The continued large-scale use of inefficient flame-based
cookstoves directly influences human development levels globally, including in South Africa. It has
been demonstrated that the adoption and sustained use of safe, inexpensive and improved stove
designs by domestic households could lead to a significant reduction of household air pollution
(HAP). From examination of descriptions of previous improved cookstove dissemination programmes,
it becomes apparent that social marketing principles were absent in many of the unsuccessful projects.
The common misconception is that all that is required by the project team is to provide information or
change beliefs (equating marketing with advertising) without asking whether the information or
changes are likely to lead to the desired behavioural change.
This dissertation investigates the applicability of aspects of social marketing in the uptake of improved
flame-based stove technologies, specifically with respect to domestic household use in South Africa.
The researcher will evaluate the extent to which elements of social marketing strategies were used in
previous improved stove distribution programmes. The current research will distinguish between the
practice of commercial marketing, whose goal is profit, and the practice of social marketing, whose
goal is societal benefit.
A pilot social marketing strategy for improved flame-based cookstoves in South Africa will be
developed. The pilot social marketing strategy will consist of a ‘market segmentation’ analysis of the
potential South African customer base for improved cookstoves. A deeper understanding of cookstove
behaviour will be provided in the observational market research study. The main behavioural goal will
be determined. This goal will provide the basis for the blending process in the marketing-mix
framework. The outcome of the marketing-mix framework will form a pilot implementation plan.
The pilot implementation plan will be evaluated using a willingness-to-pay survey methodology. A
triangulation of the results will be used to increase the reliability and validity of the pilot social
marketing strategy.
The dissertation will suggest which aspects of social marketing represent a necessary companion to
other strategies in the dissemination of improved flame-based stoves in the South African market
place.