Family planning services project (FPSP) : social marketing project (SMP) component

ES covers the period 1981-1985 and is based on two attached CSM evaluations (XD-AAW-658-A/B) and an overall project evaluation by D. Oot (not attached). The evaluations" methodologies included site visits, and interviews with project personnel and local stockists, retailers, and pharmacists involved in the project. The project has made great progress toward meeting its objectives of increasing the awareness, availablity, and use of condoms and oral contraceptives. In 1983, project-supported brands accounted for 64% of all condom use and 19% of all pill use. The project has been cost-effective, in comparison with government and PVO efforts, in delivering temporary modern methods of family planning. An effort should be made, however, to increase the project"s cost-effectiveness by consolidating its marketing and distribution system to target those sub-groups where acceptance is most likely. This should be reflected in a new comprehensive marketing, promotional, and sales distribution strategy based on high quality, professional marketing research. Promotional and marketing efforts should be both method- and brand-specific. In addition, the project should seek to determine the extent to which its products (especially the condom) serve as a means of introducing clients to modern contraception, and whether or not clients subsequently move on to more effective methods. The project has shown that: (1) as a social marketing project matures, it seems necessary to reassess the existing marketing, promotional, and/or the sales/distribution strategies, and make appropriate changes in order to avoid a decline in sales; (2) recent budget cuts make it necessary to find a means of making CSM projects more efficient and cost-effective; (3) as the retail market becomes saturated, it becomes important to conduct research to find ways to more effectively target and sell project commodities; and (4) it has become very apparent that, as the project grows, a solid management information system is needed. Major recommendations are made in three areas: research, internal management, and marketing strategy.