Beyond information and incentives intended for the “rational actor” making location decisions, programs are also needed to address negative perceptions and myths about MetroFuture-consistent locations and increase their attractiveness.

Ongoing dialogue among people, organizations, and businesses from different parts of the region and different backgrounds, was used to demonstrable effect through the development of MetroFuture.  As with those events, implementation-oriented regional dialogue would recruit and intentionally mix a cross-section of people in discussion that fosters a greater understanding of each other, unexpected commonalities, and shared challenges and opportunities.  Doing so while focusing on questions and needs related to MetroFuture implementation would provide a meaningful reason to participate while advancing MetroFuture’s goals and objectives.

Conceptualized by Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman in the 1970s, social marketing differs from other areas of marketing only with respect to the objectives of the marketer and his or her organization. Social marketing seeks to influence social behaviors not to benefit the marketer, but to benefit the target audience and the general society.  A social marketing campaign would build a sense that smart growth and sustainability are “hip,” and that a MetroFuture-consistent location is “the place to be.”

26.a    MAPC should develop a program of implementation-oriented regional dialogue

26.b    MAPC and allied organizations should create a social marketing campaign to promote MetroFuture-consistent decisions by individuals

Add Comment