How Social Marketing Differs from Commercial Marketing – Civilian
Jan 7, 2020| by Lauren Hunt | Social Marketing
Civilian opened its doors in 1999. Back then, we called ourselves AdEase. We promoted local restaurant chains, residential developments, and insurance firms.
But soon our focus shifted. We began to use our marketing, advertising, and community outreach tools to promote public health, conservation, transportation equity and economic development. With the shift came a renewed passion for the work and a shared commitment to positive change. In 2015 we made the change official with a new brand and a strategic focus on prioritizing social change work for the common good.
We often get asked how were different from commercial marketing agencies and their in-house counterparts. Its tough to tell sometimes because social marketers use many of the same tools as commercial marketers. But social marketing is an inherently different discipline and must be approached in a unique way.
Commercial marketing and social marketing differ fundamentally in their purpose. Commercial marketers seek to influence purchasing decisions most often for financial gain. Social marketers seek to influence behavior usually for the good of community or society. (And yes we realize commercial marketing can have positive social effects, too, and Civilian helps businesses invest in corporate social marketing.)
Commercial and social marketing also differ in the way they approach their audiences. Commercial marketers target consumers while social marketers focus on people likely to make, influence, or encourage behavior change. Often the people who most need to change are the least likely to want to do it, as in the case of an anti-smoking campaigns. For this reason, social marketings intended audiences are typically broader, more diverse, and harder to reach.
Commercial and social marketers also have different priorities. Commercial marketers prioritize efficiency and time-to-impact measured by leads, sales or cost per acquisition. Social marketers must account for the often slower pace of behavior change and plan for social equity. A socially just campaign must work equally well for multiethnic, multilingual, low-income, or otherwise underserved audiences and success is often measured months or years later using metrics such as mortality rates, increased transit access and family-level economic impact to understand whether actual and sustainable change has occurred.
Another important difference relates to funding and the sharing of information. Commercial marketing campaigns are privately funded. Their strategies and results are proprietary. Most social marketing campaigns, however, are publicly funded, which leads to sharing of best practices and published results. Social marketers can benefit from this access to in-depth research but are also compelled to publicly share results of both their successes and failures.
Finally, although social marketing targets specific individuals, its highest aim is to effect a level of social change that transcends any single contribution. Achieving this goal often requires patience and the application of more marketing tools including community education, public advocacy, influencer engagement, and partnership building. Their success is often highly dependent upon cultural and political circumstances making it crucial for social marketing campaigns to have a realistic timeline, a multifaceted approach, political momentum, and the right partners to make lasting change.
These distinctions may seem subtle or abstract and we are in no way suggesting one is more valuable than the other. Social marketing is the work that gets us the most fired up and our specific focus continues to attract like-minded people. As social marketers who are equally fluent in commercial marketing, the Civilian team truly thrives tackling the most complex issues affecting our communities, determined to make a difference by doing work that matters.
See the original post here:
How Social Marketing Differs from Commercial Marketing - Civilian
- Digital marketing statistics of 2025: H1 by the numbers - Marketing Dive - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Social Panga wins the marketing mandate for Neo by Nippon Paint - Adgully.com - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Labubu Marketing Masterclass: How POP MARTs Designer Toy Conquered the World - Brand Vision Marketing - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- New AI tools for mental health research and treatment - Google Blog - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- AI, Irreality and the Liberal Educational Project (opinion) - Inside Higher Ed - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- AI is changing our world. At what point will it change our reality? | Opinion - USA Today - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Sam Altmans AI Empire Relies on Brutal Labor Exploitation - Jacobin - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Protecting U.S. Tech: China Committee and Bipartisan, Bicameral Leaders Unite to Stop CCP AI Chip Smuggling - Select Committee on the CCP | (.gov) - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- The worst thing about AI? That stupid Samsung ad where the guy adds way too much sugar to his pasta sauce - The Guardian - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- She Wanted to Save the World From A.I. Then the Killings Started. - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- BRICS leaders to call for data protections against unauthorized AI use - Reuters - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Opinion | Are We Really Willing to Become Dumber? - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- The Coder Village at the Heart of Chinas A.I. Frenzy - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- How agencies are pricing AIand what it means for industry compensation - Ad Age - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Ukrainian Troops Struggle to Hold the Line on the Eastern Front - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 7, 2025 - Institute for the Study of War - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Ukraines Drone Revolution: And What America Should Learn From It - Foreign Affairs - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Russia welcomes Trumps cut to Ukraines military aid but it could be deadly for Kyiv - CNN - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Russias Child Soldiers: How the Kremlin Trains Ukrainian Kids and Sends Them to the Frontlines - UNITED24 Media - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Farmers turned soldiers, fields full of mines and a rural exodus: how Russia is punishing Ukraines countryside - The Guardian - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Zelenskyy says coalition of the willing should meet in a few days, after call with Starmer as it happened - The Guardian - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- YouTube Enables Creators to Share More Data with Brands to Secure Partnership Opportunities - Social Media Today - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- How Brands Are Taking Back Social Media From Influencers - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Explained: Why Greenwashing is the newest social media marketing red flag - Storyboard18 - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- KFC appoints We Are Social as social agency of record - Marketing-Interactive - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Behind Amtraks social-first marketingthe viral Train-tacular post and whats next - Ad Age - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Olipops UGC Strategy: 5 Drops and Hotel Experiences That Drove Social Buzz - Influencer Marketing Hub - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Im a social media scientist with 3.5 million followers. Heres what Ive learned about public health communication - STAT - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Currys CEO: New generation of customers discovering the brand thanks to social strategy - Marketing Week - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- TikTok Provides an Overview of Its New Brand Consideration Ads [Infographic] - Social Media Today - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Outdated AI Drains Marketing Budgets and Wastes Team Time - MarTech Cube - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Championing Growth and Enabling Teams to Thrive: Social Elements CEOs Approach to Leadership - Little Black Book | LBBOnline - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- TikTok Launches Bulletin Boards for Broadcast Messaging From Creator and Brand Profiles - Social Media Today - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Ayrshire mentor named Social Media Marketing Specialist of the Year - The Scotsman - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- The harms of social media are largely blamed on individuals instead of tech companies - USC Annenberg - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Instacart Gains Momentum With AI and Social Media Partnerships, Says Citizens JMP - Yahoo Finance - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Tunisian girl set to be repatriated after social media love marriage ends in divorce - Geo.tv - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Snapchat Shares Trend Insights for Marketers to Tap Into This Summer [Infographic] - Social Media Today - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The next performance marketing frontier: beyond search and social - Campaign - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- 24Social Expands Southeast Asia Reach with Over 8 Years of Proven Social Media Expertise - Yahoo Finance - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- How cheap SMM panels are revolutionizing social media marketing for small businesses - London Daily News - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Risks and Rewards: A Guide to Understanding Social Media Influencer Income for Valuation Professionals - CBIZ - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Technology to enforce teen social media ban is effective, trial says. But this is at odds with other evidence - The Conversation - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Own, a new social media app, aims to tokenize the creator economy - TechCrunch - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- I've Worked With 1,000 Brands 11 Social Media Secrets Every Business Should Be Using in 2025 - Entrepreneur - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Meta to Start Including Ads in WhatsApp - Adweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Gambling and social media abuse of athletes - what is going on? - BBC - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- YouTube Updates Shopping Buttons for Shorts, Expands Access to Communities - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Reddit Announces New Conversation Research Tools and Updated Ad Options - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Dove Wins Cannes Lions Media Grand Prix for Championing 'Real Beauty' in the Age of AI - Adweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- TikTok Launches New AI-Powered Ad Creation Tools, Integrations With Adobe and WPP - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Creator content outperforms industry norms for brand impact, study finds - Marketing Week - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- How P.F. Changs turned a 5-second video into a viral brand moment - Marketing Brew - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Cupcake Giant Baked by Melissa on Supercharging DTC Sales and Social Media Reach to Drive Business - U.S. Chamber of Commerce - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- What to watch for during ESPNs UFC 316 coverage the Marketing & Social edition - ESPN Front Row - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Top Crypto Picks as Normalcy Returns Following the Trump and Musk Social Media War - Crypto Daily - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Meet Marketings Most Dynamic Duo: Connected TV and Social - Adweek - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Heineken uses hard numbers to foster better representation in social media ads - Digiday - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Orange 142 Releases Social Media Marketing Best Practices For Brands to Drive Stronger Social Media Campaigns and ROI - PR Newswire - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Snapchat Shares Notes on the Effectiveness of Skippable Versus Non-Skippable Ads - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- The Top 5 Social Media Automation Tools to Save Time and Boost Engagement in 2025 - DesignRush - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- TikTok Shares a Range of Ad Updates at Its World Event - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Get More from Your Social Strategy with YouTube - Adweek - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- LinkedIn Adds More Video Ad Options, Including First Impression Ads - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Instagram Announces Latest Updates for Edits App, Including More Transition Effects - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Metas Reportedly Planning to Enable Fully Automated Ad Campaigns by Next Year - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Viral Nation is known for being one of the biggest digital talent agencies in the world. But it does a lot more than representation. - Tubefilter - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Musks ingratitude tweet might be the most costly social media post of all time - Sherwood News - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Social medias push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating and young men are most at risk - The Conversation - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Social Advertising Social Media Market Size Trends and Forecast by Application, Type, and Geography - openPR.com - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- RXBar scrubs corporate jargon from social feeds in battle against B.S. - Marketing Dive - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- Junk food ads are flooding your teenager's social media feeds and it's influencing what they choose to eat - RNZ - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- What it takes to win in social: Be a pinball wizard, storyteller, experimenter - webintravel.com - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Bungie's Marathon fans convinced game will be cancelled after paid marketing reportedly pulled - Indy100 - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- A social marketing guru shares the keys to successful campaigns - Fast Company - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- SMBs rely heavily on social media for marketing and growth, study says - Marketing Dive - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Brands could start shunning AI for social media marketing and advertising, instead using their feeds to show off 'proof of reality,' consultant says -... - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Reddit Expands Dynamic Ads to All Advertisers - Social Media Today - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Junk food ads are flooding your teenager's social media feeds and it's influencing what they choose to eat - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Study shows importance of autonomy in social media recruitment for clinical trials - University of NebraskaLincoln - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]