Academy for Educational Development

Washington, D.C., June 21, 2004 — Bill Smith, Ed. D., one of the country’s most experienced social marketers, has received the Andreasen Scholar Award for excellence in social marketing.

Smith’s lifetime achievement in reducing infant mortality in developing countries, combating HIV/AIDS in the United States and around the world, and his work on dozens of other programs—ranging from traffic safety to consumer saving—are the basis for the award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a career of excellence, innovation and contribution to the field of social marketing.

The award was presented by the University of South Florida College of Public Health on June 19 during the Social Marketing in Public Health Conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

In praising Smith’s selection, Georgetown University Professor Alan Andreasen, for whom the award is named, said “Bill is not only is a great practitioner but also someone whose writings are moving the whole field forward.”

“Social marketing is a powerful tool to improve our lives as well as sell consumer products,” said Smith. “It fuses the power of marketing, advertising, PR, advocacy and community organizing in a seamless approach to positive social change.”

Smith is the executive vice president of the Academy for Educational Development (AED). He has spent the last 30 years at AED, one of the largest integrated social marketing organizations in the world. In the late 70s, Smith led AED’s first applications of social marketing to the prevention of diarrheal dehydration in infants and the promotion of childhood immunization. From 1987 to 1993, he directed AIDSCOM, the first global HIV social marketing campaign. He now provides social marketing services to numerous government, corporate and foundation clients.

Smith is also a columnist and editorial board member of the Social Marketing Quarterly and has published dozens of articles on how social marketing can be used to support social change on subjects ranging from condoms to air pollution and from policy reform to fundraising for nonprofits. He recently co-authored a book titled Fostering Community-Based Social Marketing and is a co-founder of the Social Marketing Institute.

“The decline in smoking among teens achieved in the late 1990s shows the power of a comprehensive social marketing effort,” said Smith. “Today, obesity in the United States poses our greatest social marketing challenge. The number of consumer actions needed to influence the epidemic--exercise decisions, food choices, and structural changes in our communities, shopping malls, restaurants and homes--will take all of our skill and experience.”

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