Objectives
The aim of this research was to use a participatory approach allowing community members to inform a social marketing strategy with consideration of product packaging, placement, and promotion for optimal MNP uptake
Methods
The study was conducted across 6 local government areas of Adamawa and Kebbi States in northern Nigeria. Participatory community workshops (n = 24), in which 12 – 20 community members per workshop brainstormed and voted on preferred social marketing strategies to promote MNP, were carried out. Workshop findings informed surveys (n = 73) and in-depth interviews (n = 28) that triangulated inputs for creating a tailored MNP name, slogan, and packaging design, as well as choosing preferred communication channels and MNP distribution strategies. Findings were incorporated by a graphic designer in an iterative process.
Results
Dark green and white colors reminded community members of “colors of Nigeria” and was the preferred color scheme for MNP packaging. “Yara manyan gobe” (children, the leaders of tomorrow) was a top-voted MNP slogan. And for logo development, salient themes of “a chubby child looking healthy”, “playing or eating independently”, and “smiling”, were translated into finalized MNP logo and packaging. Finally, preferred channels of communication were identified at interpersonal and mass media levels.
Conclusions
Concerted efforts to elicit community inputs during formative research was important for designing a tailored MNP social marketing strategy during the formative phase of this nutrition intervention in northern Nigeria. The participatory nature of this research work may serve as a model for other programs planning to introduce MNP.
