Saying the same things differently: fighting health crises through social marketing pandemic communication strategies

What is it about?

This study introduced the SMPC framework, comprising four interconnected strategies, and explained how authorities can use them individually and collectively during pandemics. It contributes to pandemic communication research in several ways. First, the introduction of the SMPC framework is a novel contribution. While research on pandemic communication from both social marketing (Choi and Powers, 2023; Okigbo et al., 2000) and health communication (Mokhtar et al., 2024) perspectives is extensive, an integrated framework bridging these disciplines has been lacking. This study establishes a strong academic foundation for further exploration in both fields. Second, differentiating the four SMPC strategies is a fresh contribution. Despite extensive research on pandemic communication (e.g., Afifi, Bakti, Yaman, and Sumaedi, 2023; Albar-racin, Oyserman and Schwarz, 2024) and numerous reviews on the COVID-19 pandemic (Alcendor, 2020; Lindström, 2020; Ojeka-John et al., 2023), a structured categorization of pandemic communication strategies was previously lacking. This study closes this gap, providing a basis for a more systematic approach to developing and implementing pandemic communication strategies. Third, this study fills a critical gap by explaining the interconnectedness of strategies. While combining strategies is known to enhance pandemic communication (Yang, 2023), a clear framework for their interchangeable use has been lacking. It offers valuable insights for policymakers, advancing SMPC strategy frameworks and paving the way for future research on pandemic preparedness and response.

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