Social Marketing Plan on Cyberbullying in Higher Education
Table of Contents
Cyberbullying Supporting literature and Knowledge Gap.. 2
Situation Analysis, Stakeholders and Upstream Policy Issues. 3
The marketing mix (4Ps) and People and Partnerships. 5
Implementation and Evaluation. 5
Cyberbullying Supporting literature and Knowledge Gap
Cyberbullying has become a very common and taboo topic for society after the expansion of the Internet. According to the office of the e-safety commissioner, cyberbullying can be defined as, use of technology to bully a person to hurt them physically, emotionally and socially. Several research studies have published much literature on the concept of cyberbullying. It has been identified that mostly such a nuisance has occurred in higher education i.e. colleges and universities. Authors Watts et al. (2017, pp. 270) in their research discuss how a lack of reporting to the teachers has become a trend in cyberbullying. Furthermore, the victim does not report to authorities present at college premises. Another key issue is that not even faculty or supporting staff are aware of such things going on. These victims do not want to acknowledge bullying due to embracement and public shaming. The literature explored problems associated with victims like depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, social anxiety, emotional and physiological damage smoking, and low commitment to academics (Peled, 2019, pp.3). Additionally, research study establishes that in cyberbullying it is difficult to identify bullies as they are anonymous as per Srivastava, Gamble, and Boey (2013, pp. 28). Besides, technology such as mobile phone gives them the option to remain unknown by switching off. Furthermore, some of the ways through which cyberbullying are done such as online gossiping, making fun and calling people names on Facebook, Twitter, as well as cell phone texting and making calls based on sexual orientation and race (Wahsington, 2015, pp. 24). However, there is a research gap being found with no legal actions, policies or measures for addressing cyberbullying in higher education. Authors Minor, Smith and Brashen (2013, pp. 16) state that legislation laws against cyberbullying are still pending like Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act. Another focus of cyberbullying in higher education in Australia is strategies that must be used for prevention. The evidence has a large scope and focuses on strategies like blocking, avoiding messages, restricting the use of technologies, support service delivery and legislative program funding level (Price & Dalgleish 2010, pp.52). Still, the research gap can be seen in how students and college authorities both can use these strategies. Hence, the purpose of this study is to gather two research question gaps. [1] Are victims reporting to bullying? [2] How can they implement strategies against cyberbullying?
Social Media Problem
According to the literature review, cyberbullying in higher education has not been properly addressed. The issue is increasing every day as students in Australian universities are going through worse conditions. The research gap concludes that victims who deal with such issues do not speak loudly. Besides, authorities present at college are unaware of the victim’s problem. Secondly, there is no awareness among students on what strategies can be used to avoid cyberbullying. Students should face issues by accepting the problem of cyberbullying in their lives. Therefore, the purpose of this plan is to establish an effective social marketing strategy to make students aware of cyberbullying dealing.
Situation Analysis, Stakeholders and Upstream Policy Issues
The situation analysis is performed for a social marketing plan like a social campaign. Further, cyberbullying still exists through Australian higher education due to various factors like political, economic, social, technological, environmental and Legislative collectively known as PESTLE.
| Political | Economic | Social | Technological | Environmental | Legislative |
| Political factors such as policies presented by the government against cyberbullying. However, cyberbullying is still active due to a lack of policies or support from political parties.
| Sponsors such as colleges and universities do not support or agree with the social media platforms as a campaign for cyberbullying. Further, they think it is a complete waste of time.
| Negative comments from haters and cyberbulliess can stop this campaign frequently. Other social factors include lack of presence of social media profiles | Technology is not available with victims of being cyberbullying, as well as cyber threats which could hack social campaign. | Our social campaign exists for a long period or are they sustainable for victims, parents, and educators in higher education.
| Some Legislations for cyberbullying are still pending and does not support by government policies.
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Stakeholders involved in these social media campaigns are universities, colleges, the Australian federal government, and Australian anti-cyber volunteer groups. Besides, an online platform such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be addressed as vendor groups. Furthermore, external stakeholders will be considered as students as victims and bystanders, parents of victims who are almost unaware as well as educators from various higher education domain. Lastly, physiological experts and technical experts will demonstrate strategies to deal with cyberbullying through technology and a personal perspective. The upstream policy issues faced for change behaviour is seeking approval from education authorities.
The social marketing theory applied for social media plans for cyberbullying awareness is social cognitive theory. This theory states that individuals gain knowledge by observing others through social interaction, personal experience, and media influence. Social cognitive theory is quite effective to change behaviour for neglecting or not having awareness (Wymer 2011, pp. 20). Similarly, through the social marketing plan, we can create awareness against cyberbullying and countermeasures. The victims who are bullied as well as parents and college authorities can become aware of it. For example, the social media campaign against cyberbullying is one of the strategies which will make students aware. Henceforth, they can come forward and share bullying experience with parents and authorities openly.
Segmentation is defined as a process involving what type of consumers with different types of need exists for the marketing process (Perner n.d.). The segment selected for the social campaigns is based on demographic variables and physiographic variables. Former variables include age, gender, education, and income of a particular audience. While, latter variables include attitudes, opinions, interests, and values (Perner n.d.). Targeting the audience will do based on the two segments through demographic and physiographic variables. Therefore, for the social campaign, we will segment the audience based on the above variables. For instance, the audience includes students, college and university educators, parents, and bystanders. Furthermore, the opinion and interest of each demand on how they can tackle cyberbullying issues with various strategies. Additionally following objectives will be accomplished through segmentation and targeting elements.
- Social Campaign will make students aware of cyberbullying.
- Make them confident to report cyberbullying through online social media awareness and support.
- Parents will be more aware that their children are going through online bullying.
- There will increase in the report for cyberbullying to college and university authorities.
- Bystanders can contribute by supporting social campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.
- Social campaign will teach students on how to apply strategies like blocking, avoiding messages, restricting the use of technologies, support service delivery and legislative programs.
The marketing mix (4Ps) and People and Partnerships (300 words)
A marketing mix is a group of four factors which will influential for participants to support social media campaign. The four marketing mix elements for a social media campaign against cyberbullying in higher education are the product, price, place and promotion (Gordon 2012, pp. 122). Each activity concerning cyberbullying addressing issues is explored below one by one.
- Product: Social media campaign is the main product to deliver a platform where the victim will be safe on online platforms. The final product will be conduction of forty-five minutes online lecture on how social media strategies can be used against cyberbullying. Further, how victim, parents and bystander report these incidents to authority.
- Price: The price of such a social media campaign will be losing the fear of being a bystander. Additionally, victims will shed inhibitions of being publically humiliated by sharing their issues over social media platform.
- Place: The social media campaign, as well as the lecture, will be posted on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
- Promotion: The promotion of the campaign will be done through posters across university campuses. Further, writing messages on anti-bullying on online platforms like Twitter, and Facebook. Additionally, the promotion will also involve university and college websites and demand victims to join these campaigns.
- People: The people involved in this campaign will be students, volunteer groups, educators as well as physiological experts.
- Partnerships: The partnerships will be involved with several institutions like universities, colleges, Australian Government and non-profit organisation against cyberbullying.
Social Marketing plan will be implemented under a social campaign for Australian Universities and Colleges. It will be included in social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages of universities. Furthermore, their website, as well as the YouTube page, will also post the video for strategy awareness. Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that is quite widely captured in universities and colleges. Several volunteer groups and government organization has implemented social programs for bringing awareness. The relevant law in Australia which prohibit the cyberbullying as well as Australian Universities Anti-bullying Research Alliance. Similarly, social platforms like websites, tip sheets, and social media campaigns are also used. Further, websites address how strategies can be implemented against cyberbullying successfully. This plan will be evaluated by government authorities, universities and colleges in Australia. The behaviour will be observed through reading comments on the platform. Additionally, their experiences of being victim, bystander or educator will be recorded. The social media plan will work because of social connectivity with the audience. Victims who are ashamed to spoke and have lower self-esteem issues can face their fear of the social platform easily. Henceforth, a social marketing plan such as the campaign will try to address cyber issues.
Reference List
Gordon, R 2012, “Re-thinking and re-tooling the social marketing mix”, Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 122-126.
Minor, M, Smith, G & Brashen, H 2013, ‘Cyberbullying in Higher Education’, Journal of Educational Research and Practice, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 15-29, viewed 8 October 2019, <http://Eric.ed.gov>.
Peled, Y 2019, Cyberbullying and its influence on academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students, Heliyon, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 1-22.
Perner, L n.d., Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning–Consumer Behaviour, Consumerpsychologist.com, viewed 8 October 2019, <https://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Segmentation.html>.
Price, M & Dalgleish, J 2010, ‘Cyberbullying Experiences, impacts and coping strategies as described by Australian young people’, Youth Studies Australia, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 51–59
Srivastava, A, Gamble, R & Boey, J 2013, ‘Cyberbullying in Australia: Clarifying the Problem, Considering the Solutions’, International Journal of Children’s Rights, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 25–45
Washington, ET 2015, ‘An Overview of Cyberbullying in Higher Education’, Adult Learning, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 21–27,
Watts, LK, Wagner, J, Velasquez, B & Behrens, PI 2017, ‘Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review’, Computers in Human Behaviour, vol. 69, pp. 268–274
Wymer, W 2011, ‘Developing more effective social marketing strategies’, Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 17-31.