Societal marketing is a process that directs an economy's flow of products from producers to consumers in a way that effectively matches supply and demand and accomplished the objectives of society. However, the emphasis with societal marketing is not on the activities of individual organizations. Instead, the emphasis is on how the whole marketing system works. Thus includes looking at how marketing affects society and vice versa. The effectiveness and fairness of the societal marketing concept must be evaluated in the terms of that society's objectives. These are some questions refer to the societal marketing concept. Do we need so many brands of products? Does money spent on advertising really help consumers? Do middleman just add to the price consumers pay? In other words, does marketing cost too much? This is a fundamental question. Many critics of marketing think that advertising and promotion generally are socially undiserable and that marketing system causes improper allocation of resources, restrict income and employment, and leads to an unfair distribution of income. The fundamental principle of the societal marketing concept is the social responsibility. There are strong arguments on both sides of the debate about marketing social responsibility. Arguments for marketing social responsibility are: balances power with responsibility, promotes long-run profits, improves a company's public image, responds to changing public needs and expectations, corrects social problems caused by business, applies useful business resources to difficult problems, recognizes business' moral obligations. All these arguments in favor social responsibility add up to a very powerful new conception of marketing's role in society. On the other hand, there are also arguments against marketing social responsibility: lower profits, imposes hidden costs on society, creates internal confusion and unjustified public expectations, gives too much power to marketing, requires special social skills that business lacks, places responsibility on the corporation instead of on individuals. Together, these arguments claim that social responsibility places added burdens oil both marketing and society without producing the intended effect of social improvement. One good way to understand societal marketing concept is to identify and analyze the Fundamental challenges to marketing. These challenges, which also are business opportunities are: political, environmental, technological and economical challenges. The societal marketing means marketing activities that recognize social, ethical, and environmental stewardship as a business development responsibility and business growth opportunity. The present marketing concept calls upon marketers to balance three considerations in setting their marketing policies: company profits, consumer wants, and society's interests. Marketing activities that recognize environmental stewardship as a business development responsibility and business growth opportunity we call environmental marketing. Enviromnental marketing began in the early 1980s in Europe with the sale of enviromnentally friendly products (products that cause less damage to the environment). Marketers add the environment to standard marketing mix elements in marketing decision making. They consider enviromnental aspects in the processes of product and package development, labeling and communication strategy creation. There are two basic characteristics of the environmental marketing: perspective and commitment. Environmental perspective means an appreciation of the company activities effect on the environment. Perspective must be backed up by commitment. Environmental commitment can be characterized as the company decision to become all environmental responsible and to reflect that decision in all its activities. Alert companies view environmental problems as opportunities. The environmental marketing strategies offer solid long-term benefits in the form of goodwill and market positioning. Environmental marketing has also important function: consumer education. Today's consumers are much more environmentally aware than the typical consumer of three decades ago. They are willing to spend more and give tip convenience in order to buy enviromnentally safe products. These changing consumer attitudes help in the process of development and market environmentally friendly products. Although consumers' attitudes to the environment run the scale from very strong concerns to complete indifference, the consumers' concern about the environment is constantly raised. People tend to be more green in direct proportion to their income and educational levels. Another important factor to keep in mind about green consumerism is the important role of children in forming their parents' environmental behaviour. The societal marketing's goal is not only maximize company profits or total consumption or consumer choice, but rather to maximize life quality. That means that marketing system can help create and deliver a higher quality of life.
