Examples CHL

Application of Social Marketing

Communication for Healthy Living (CHL)

Study Description: a seven-year integrated health communication program in Egypt, started in 2002.


Focus on Behavior: contraceptive use is the primary behavioral goal

  • Contraceptive use is positioned within a larger array of family health behaviors â€" marriage is the entry point for the communication strategy.
  • CHL publicizes the availability of health services and promotes the purchase and use health products â€" oral contraceptives, hand soap, feminine hygiene products and disposable syringes.

Focus on Consumer Benefit: choosing to achieve and maintain one's own health and that of one's family: "Sahetak Sarwetak" (Your Health is Your Wealth).

  • Longer spacing between births = better maternal and child health
  • Immunization and breast feeding = improved mental and physical development of infants
  • Avoidance of second-hand smoke = reduced risk of cardiovascular disease

Maintain a Market Perspective:

  • Isaal Istashir (Ask-Consult) initiative, a national network of 16,000 private sector pharmacists
    • Consumers are invited to "ask and consult" for family health information and products (where Ask-Consult logo is shown).
    • Marketing through TV ads, public relations activities, point-of-sale promotions, direct mail and contests.
  • CHL has also leveraged support from Proctor & Gamble, Shering, Organon, Vodafone, and Durex to participate in and fund activities.

Focus on the Four Ps:

  • Product: life stage appropriate
  • Price
    • Increased access to quality health information and products at conveniently located local pharmacies.
    • A focus on the negative costs associated with inaction.
  • Place
    • Community events, home visits, contests, and birth preparedness and infant feeding classes at public health clinics.
    • Print materials and product sampling packs distributed nationally to 5,000+ public sector clinics, private sector pharmacies, NGOs, and birthing hospitals.
  • Promotion: extremely varied messaging tailored to different audience segments and different topics.
    • Channels include national and regional TV, radio, the press, telephone hotlines, Internet, performing arts, publicity events, community meetings, home visits, and clinic-based counseling.

Audience Segmentation:

  • Life Stage
  • Urban-rural differences
  • Gender

Use of Theory and Research:

  • Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey data, as well as commercially available pharmaceutical marketing and media data, was used during the design phase for in-depth audience segmentation and trend analysis.
  • Commissioned national surveys in 2005 and 2006 measured exposure and response to specific CHL messages among adult audience segments.
  • Media ratings and pharmaceutical sales data helped track the reach of CHL’s mass media offerings and the impact of the Ask-aConsult promotions.
  • NGOs collected monitoring data on maternal and child health (birth weighs, immunizations, malnutrition).
  • CHL TV spots reached an estimated 32 million adults between the ages of 15 and 49 in 2004.
  • Recognition and recall was 67% for Sahetak Sarwetak and 70% for Ask-Consult.
  • The use of contraception after the birth of the first child increased from 35% or married women in 2000 to 50% in 2005.
  • The percentage of malnourished infants in local villages had declined from 26% to 16% in 2005.