Social marketing & public policy
Marketing is a set of persuasive, useful tools for moving people. The tools are amoral. That means we can use these powerful tools for bad (to sell alcohol) or for good (anti-drink driving campaigns). But fortunately, many people in industry and academia work to ensure these tools are deployed for social good. I am just one of them.
Research
Kapitan, Sommer, Joya A. Kemper, Jessica Vredenburg & Amanda Spry (2022). “Strategic B2B brand activism: Building conscientious purpose for social impact.” Industrial Marketing Management, 107, 14-28.
Vredenburg, Jessica, Sommer Kapitan, Amanda Spry and Joya Kemper (2020), “ Brands taking a stand: Authentic activism or woke washing?” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39 (4).
Kennedy, Ann-Marie, Sommer Kapitan, Neha Bejaj, Angelina Bakonyi and Sean Sands (2017). “Uncovering wicked problems’ system structure: Seeing the forest for the trees,” Journal of Social Marketing, 7 (1).
Kapitan, Sommer (2019), “Macro social marketing as a tool to increase the share of renewable energy in developing island nations.” Chapter 3 in Macro-Social Marketing Insights: Systems Thinking for Wicked Problems, Ed. Kennedy A.M., Taylor & Francis.
Kennedy, A., Kapitan, S., Bajaj, N., Bakonyi, A. and Sands, S. (2017), “Fast Fashion, a Wicked Problem for Macro-Social Marketing” in Hastings, G. and Domegan, C. (Eds) Social Marketing, Rebels with a Cause, 3rd edition, Routledge, UK.
Print media
April 26, 2024, Radio New Zealand, Loopholes will be exploited in new vape rules — experts
Oct 29, 2021, stuff.co.nz, “Vaccine 'apartheid' post could damage business reputation, expert says”
July 30, 2021, stuff.co.nz, “Time to rein in supermarket chains”
July 29, 2021, stuff.co.nz, “Government responds to damning supermarket report on high costs”
March 17, 2021, North & South magazine, “Lost in the Clouds: As a new generation gets hooked on nicotine, New Zealand’s approach to vaping has been bafflingly lax”
Aug 9, 2020, Newshub, “Vaping laws too late for entire generation - expert”
Aug 8, 2020, 1News, “Vaping law came too late to stop youth uptake - researcher”
Aug 8, 2020, Radio New Zealand, “Vaping law a ‘tepid win’ in halting youth increase”
March 10, 2020, Te Waha Nui, Vape companies target festival-goers
Oct 10, 2019, newsroom, Is vaping NZ’s last gasp for a smokefree 2025?
March 29, 2019, scoop.co.nz, “Universities call for effective regulation of social media”
Dec 3, 2015, Daily Mail, “‘Disgusting and sexist': Fashion label slammed for using naked women's bodies as 'props' in new jewellery campaign - but its rings still sell out in less than a DAY”
Dec 3, 2015, stuff.co.nz, “Fashion label I Love Ugly’s ‘sexist’ ads won’t change men’s attitudes – expert"
Expert statements
The Conversation, research analyses with co-author Megan Phillips: “Dollars and scents: how the right smells can encourage shoppers to buy healthier foods,” June 25, 2024
Statement with Science Media Centre: “Supermarket competition ‘not working well’ for Kiwis – Expert Reaction,” July 29, 2021
The Conversation, research analyses with co-author Spencer M. Ross: “No spare change: How charities, buskers and beggars aren’t feeling so festive in our cashless society,” December 18, 2020
The Conversation, research analyses with co-authors Joya Kemper, Jessica Vredenburg & Amanda Spry: “Brand activism is moving up the supply chain — corporate accountability or commercial censorship?” December 11, 2020
The Conversation, research analyses with co-authors Jessica Vredenburg, Amanda Spry & Joya Kemper: “Athlete activism or corporate woke washing? Getting it right in the age of Black Lives Matter is a tough game,” September 21, 2020
Sciblog with co-author Patrick van Esch: “Marketing a vaping lifestyle to nonsmokers is working: Vaping is seen as trendy and viewed positively by consumers,” August 9, 2020
Statement with Science Media Centre: “Vaping bill passes - Expert reaction,” August 6, 2020
Statement with Science Media Centre: “Should we be worried about vaping? - Expert Q&A,” October 3, 2019
Oped with co-author Patrick Van Esch: “The promotion of vapes as a lifestyle choice is dangerous,” stuff.co.nz, Sept 12, 2019
The Conversation, research analysis with co-authors Jessica Vredenburg, Amanda Spry, and Joya Kemper: “Post Gillette: Other brands are better at matching practice with talk, but don’t get the publicity,” February 1, 2019.
The Conversation, research analysis with co-authors Jessica Vredenburg, Amanda Spry, and Joya Kemper: “Woke-washing: What happens when marketing communications don’t match corporate practice,” December 5, 2018.
Invited talks
The Warehouse Group, Auckland: “Brand activism or woke washing,” Oct 25th, 2019 (research project with killer mates for life and co-authors Jessica Vredenburg, Joya Kemper, and Amanda Spry)
Neighbourly, Auckland: “Elevating the brand with social impact,” Dec 11, 2019 (research project with killer mates for life and co-authors Jessica Vredenburg, Joya Kemper, and Amanda Spry)