Navigating Public Behaviour: Social Marketing Strategies for Holistic Health and Well-Being

Dear Colleagues,

In an era marked by complex health challenges, shifting social norms, and widening inequalities, understanding and influencing public behaviour has never been more critical. Social marketing offers a powerful framework for promoting holistic health and well‑being by integrating evidence-based behavioural insights with community engagement and strategic communication.

This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of how social marketing strategies can effectively shape, influence, and sustain public behaviour that promotes holistic health and well-being. The scope encompasses theoretical, empirical, and applied work that demonstrates how audience centred insights, behavioural science principles, and strategic communication can be harnessed to address complex social and health challenges. While the existing literature has established social marketing as a powerful tool for influencing the behaviours related to public health, environmental sustainability, and social welfare, gaps remain in demonstrating the long-term impacts, integrating interdisciplinary frameworks, and applying innovative methods to contemporary health and well-being issues. This Special Issue seeks to situate new research within these areas by inviting contributions that refine conceptual approaches, test behaviour change mechanisms, and examine real-world interventions across diverse populations and contexts. In doing so, we aim to deepen the field’s evidence base and expand the current conversations around how social marketing can drive meaningful, equitable, and sustainable behaviour change.

We invite contributions that advance theoretical understanding, showcase innovative interventions, and critically examine the role of social marketing in shaping public behaviour. Topics may include the following:

• Design and evaluation of behaviour‑change interventions grounded in social marketing principles;
• The use of digital and community‑based campaigns to promote healthier lifestyle choices;
• Segmentation and audience insight approaches that tailor messages to diverse populations;
• Strategies for reducing health‑related stigma through socially informed communication;
• The role of co‑creation, partnerships, and policy‑level initiatives in shaping supportive environments for sustainable behaviour change.

We also welcome studies that examine how social marketing can influence public behaviour in areas such as physical activity, mental health, nutrition, environmental health, and responsible consumption—particularly those that integrate innovative tools, interdisciplinary frameworks, or culturally sensitive approaches.

By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives, this Special Issue aims to deepen our understanding of how social marketing can create meaningful, lasting impacts and support healthier societies.

We look forward to receiving contributions that pushes boundaries, challenges assumptions, and offers practical solutions for today’s interconnected health and social landscape.

Dr. Ioanna Yfantidou
Dr. Stefanos Balaskas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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