A strengths-based approach to eliciting deep insights from social marketing customers experiencing vulnerability

The notion of vulnerability is relevant to much of social marketing as interventions often involve people seeking support or people experiencing disadvantage. However, the deficit-framing of people experiencing vulnerability is problematic. We propose that the alternate strengths-based approach will improve social marketing success and illustrate this with data from a project aimed at widening participation in tertiary education. Using data from interviews and co-design workshops with 87 school students and recent school leavers, we offer a new evidence-based definition of customer/consumer vulnerability that is strengths-based. We also present a five-step, evidence-based process for how social marketers can use a strengths-based approach (SA) to elicit deep insights (I) from the tacit knowledge of customers/consumers experiencing vulnerability (V). We term this process SAIV and demonstrate the value of tacit knowledge in intervention innovation and how a strengths-based approach can draw out tacit knowledge. We encourage social marketers to adopt a strengths-based approach, definition of vulnerability and process to enhance intervention efficacy.