Social Marketing in Latin America: A Historical Overview

Background: Although research about the trajectory of social marketing in the Global South has recently emerged, there is still limited scientific evidence exploring the past and current state of social marketing in Latin America. Understanding how social marketing has been used broadly in Latin America can help identify areas to prioritize and further advance social marketing research in the region. Focus of the Article: This article provides evidence of the evolution of social marketing in Latin America from the 1960s. It offers a better understanding of the application of social marketing in this region, and focuses on identifying challenges and applications illustrative of its evolution. Importance to the Social Marketing Field: This study provides a historical overview of the evolution of social marketing in Latin America. It explores how social marketing has been applied across time to drive positive social change in this region. Relevant studies identified during this study serve as valuable information for researchers and practitioners interested in studying and applying social marketing in Latin America and similar contexts. Methods: This exploratory study presents a broad overview of the body of literature with a focus on illustrative examples that depict the trajectory of social marketing in Latin America across time. Evidence in English, Spanish, and Portuguese languages were collected through diverse sources including search engines, academic databases, social marketing journals, and consultation with researchers and practitioners from the region. This search was complemented with evidence from a selection of classic social marketing books. Results: The evidence collected shows that social marketing has been used in Latin America for four decades but still has not achieved its full potential. Findings show a predominant use of downstream social marketing approaches as opposed to midstream or upstream approaches. Results also show that international funding was a key element for grounding the use of social marketing in Latin America between the 1970s and 1990s but it appears to be less predominant after these decades. Recommendations for Research or Practice: Further research is required to provide a more nuanced understanding of the Latin American social marketing landscape. Scholars and practitioners are invited to share experiences and further investigate conceptualizations of social marketing from their unique contexts, realities, and native languages. Limitations: This study was delimited to provide a historical overview of the use of social marketing in Latin America based on a synthesis of the existing literature. A systematic approach to evidence synthesis is recommended for future studies on this topic.