INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN BY ANALYZING THE BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES OF SMOKING PERSONS & UTILIZING 4PS OF MARKETING: A STUDY ON SYLHET CITY, BANGLADESH

Abstract

Different anti-smoking campaigns are not proved as expectedly effective in reducing smoking habit among citizen of Sylhet as well as other districts of Bangladesh. This paper is designed to search out the ways to increase the effectiveness of such campaign by analyzing the behaviour and attitudes of smoking people of Sylhet city. Primary data are collected from 268 respondents selected by stratified sampling design by a semi-structured questionnaire and secondary from different published materials for this empirical research.  It is inferred that lack of awareness and seriousness about warning is the cause of smoking habit that is prevailed mostly among lower and medium income people who are struggling for their livelihood. It started from their student life when emotion and curiosity dominates over other elements in human life cycle. But at the matured stage they cannot give up the addiction habit easily till the suffering from disease started or the strong obstruction from closest family members faced. It is also inferred that strong will power to give up that habit at a time make the intended people successful in that most necessary abandoning event to save himself from active effect of smoking and others from passive effect of smoking. Social Marketing through the strong hand of Social Advertising along with other 3P’s (Product, Place & Price) can play the most significant role by creating mass awareness and guiding self control in anti-smoking campaign by bringing change in social attitude.