Evidence indicates behavior change is more likely when more social marketing benchmark principles are applied. Yet, transparent and clear reporting of the application of benchmarks to change behavior is rare. The aims of this study were (1) to verify the efficacy of social marketing in reducing food waste and (2) to enumerate and critique the practicality of applying social marketing benchmark criteria. To address the research aims, two research questions were proposed: (1) Can a social marketing program designed with consumers reduce household food waste behavior? and (2) How are social marketing benchmarks applied to reduce food waste? A consumer-insight driven social marketing program Waste Not Want Not (WNWN) was designed following the social marketing process and delivered to local Redland City Council residents located within the pilot area. This article reports a process and outcome evaluation for the pilot study and a critical evaluation of benchmark criteria application. This article demonstrates social marketing’s efficacy to reduce food waste behavior in households, and it critically evaluates application of benchmark criteria to assist future research and practice. In total, 314 local council area residents were randomly allocated into either a program (n = 110) or control group (n = 204). The program group received intervention materials and invitations to attend the 2-week program activities held in a local shopping center. Control group participants received nothing. The extent of social marketing benchmark application was examined for the WNWN program. Outcome evaluation indicated that the pilot study reduced self-reported household food waste and increased perceived level of self-efficacy in cooking for the program group, but not the control group. WNWN successfully applied five of the eight social marketing benchmark criteria, namely, consumer orientation, insight, competition, marketing mix, and behavior change. Given that use of more benchmarks increases the likelihood of behavior change, future research must advocate for complete application of the eight major social marketing benchmark criteria in program design. Clear operational definitions are required to improve practice and behavioral change outcomes. Study 1 focused on individual feedback and self-reported data minimizing the possibility of generalization. Future research could employ observational methods and involve a wider array of stakeholders to increase generalizability.

Purpose: Females are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), both in the workforce and in universities. Low self-efficacy and limited access to role models are key factors preventing retention of female STEM students enrolled in university degrees. This paper aims to report on one social marketing pilot programme that was co-designed to increase self-efficacy in females currently enrolled in STEM programmes. Design/methodology/approach: The Co-create, Build and Engage (C-B-E) framework was applied. Process and outcome evaluations were conducted using a repeated measure design to assess pilot programme effectiveness. Findings: A significant increase in self-efficacy and high satisfaction rates were observed for STEM students that attended the bias literacy workshop. Social advertisements raised awareness for available STEM specific university services. Originality/value: This paper outlines the application of the C-B-E framework. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study delivers the first scientific paper reporting an outcome evaluation for a social marketing programme seeking to retain women enrolled in university STEM degrees.

Food waste is a significant environmental, economic, and social issue contributing to global warming. The benefits of theoretically informed programs have been verified in psychology, social science, and education, yet our understanding of theory application in food waste behaviour change is scarce. To understand how food waste can be reduced, we need to understand what works, when, where and why. Assessing the extent of theory use in the context of food waste behaviour is needed to advance progress. Following the approach employed in Willmott et al. (2019) this study sought to assess the extent of theory application in studies aiming to reduce household food waste. A systematic search and review of published studies concerning household food waste behaviour was conducted. Of 3,532 studies, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight studies mentioned a theory, however, the association between program strategies implemented and the theory base reported was lacking. This review concludes there is considerable room for improvement in theory reporting to indicate clearly how theory is applied to reduce household food waste behaviour.

A growing body of research is extending our knowledge of how marketing delivers a positive impact on our society by changing people’s behaviour to benefit themselves and the environment. While the benefits of applying social marketing benchmark criteria (SMBC) are verified, how and when to apply what benchmarks remain unanswered. Extending from the existing seven-step co-design process, this paper outlines a first attempt explaining the formative research study that employed six SMBC to co-create a sustainable marketing program. Three studies were conducted, namely 1) Expert panel review (N = 24), 2) Segmentation study (N = 707), and 3) Co-design workshops (N = 77). As a result, a framework for Marketing Co-creation is proposed to assist practitioners to build programs for behaviour (ex)change. This research proposed a step-by-step process that can be applied by researchers/practitioners ensuring that marketing programs are built with consumers.