More Space for Place in Social Marketing: A Conceptual Framework

Background The social marketing mix is an accepted tool for effective interventions. Definition and utilisation of place, the third P from the social marketing mix, have long challenged social marketers. Multi-disciplinary and systems thinking may help to strengthen the social marketing offering. Focus of the Article We introduce a sociospatial, systems-oriented framework for Place in social marketing—the PNST model (Place–Network–Scale–Territory), centred on the Place of behaviour as the core analytic lens. Importance to the Social Marketing Field In adapting sociospatial theory for social marketing, the framework clarifies what Place is, how it operates, and how it can be intentionally designed. It advances field-level theory and strengthens formative research. The importance of different Places alongside use of policy, rules and regulations, and micro-level tactics with meso-, exo- and macro-level system determinants relevant to behaviour change are highlighted. Methods A narrative scoping literature review was conducted across social marketing and sociospatial scholarship. Using theory synthesis and model adaptation, the TPSN/PTSN tradition was reframed for social marketing to propose PNST. The synthesis maps implications for formative research and strategy design. Results PNST specifies four interrelated dimensions: Place of the focal behaviour (location, setting and meaning), Network (behaviour-relevant linkages across Places), Scale (micro–meso–exo-macro levels), and Territory (policy, rules and regulations). Centring on the Place of behaviour, PNST distinguishes Place from promotion/distribution, structures formative diagnostics, aligns strategies with system levers, and yields testable propositions—including those for digital/virtual spaces, placelessness and non-place. Recommendations for Research or Practice Operationalise PNST with indicators and test propositions across behaviours and contexts; use place audits, network mapping, scalograms, and territorial scans to prioritise strategies.