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This unit is available to students on the BSc Management (all specialisms) and BSc International Management programmes. It provides an opportunity for students to broaden their perspectives on marketing by developing knowledge and skills beyond the traditional commercial domain. The unit explores the wider social impacts of marketing practice, as well as how marketing can be used to benefit society, with particular emphasis on the responsibilities of marketers and the relationship between marketing and society. 

Pre-requisite course units have to be passed by 40% or above at the first attempt unless a higher percentage is indicated below.

• BMAN10101 Principles of Marketing 
• BMAN24281 Marketing Management in a Digital Age or BMAN24352 Marketing Communications in the Digital Age 

The course aims to introduce students to contemporary issues within consumption, social marketing and not-for-profit marketing. A particular focus will be the growing sense of responsibility within the marketing discipline to address issues at the interface between marketing and society.

The course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the broader function and impact of marketing.  It will encourage students to consider the role of marketing in shaping society and the role of society in shaping marketing.

Consumer vulnerabilities and associated consumption contexts  

‘Problematic’ consumption and antisocial behaviours

Application of marketing principles to non-commercial marketing contexts

Purpose, scope and design of social marketing

Key theories of behaviour change  

Anti-consumption and consumer activism

Consumption ethics 

Methods of delivery:

Lecture hours: 20 (2 hours per week in week in 1, 2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10, 11
Seminar hours: 10 (1 hour per weeks in weeks 1, 2, 3,4,5,7,8, 9, 10, 11 

Critically explain contemporary issues in consumption, including consumer vulnerability, problematic consumption, antisocial behaviours, and ethical challenges at the interface between marketing and society

Explain and critically evaluate key social marketing concepts and behaviour change theories relevant to non-commercial and not-for-profit contexts. 

Critically analyse and synthesise academic literature to evaluate marketing’s role and responsibilities in shaping social outcomes

Critically justify the selection and use of theoretical frameworks informing a proposed behaviour change intervention, recognising limitations and alternative approaches.

Apply social marketing principles and behaviour change theories to the design of a coherent, evidence-informed intervention addressing a specified social or consumption-related issue.

Design an academic poster that presents a behaviour change intervention using appropriate academic and visual conventions. 

Communicate complex ideas effectively through an academic poster, demonstrating effective selection, evaluation, and integration of relevant academic sources.

Work collaboratively in a group to plan, develop, and present a social marketing intervention, demonstrating effective teamwork and shared responsibility.

Group poster (50%)

Individual assignment (50%)

Written feedback for the individual assignment

Daskalopoulou, A. and Yannopoulou, N. (2025), Marketing Ethics and Consumer Society, Routledge.  

Lee, K, Kotler, P. and Colehour, J. (2023), Social Marketing: Behaviour Change for Good, 7th Edition, Sage