Social Marketing Association of North America (SMANA)

The Social Marketing Association of North America (SMANA) is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States, placing it in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area—a region dense with nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and government agencies focused on social change. Founded in 2016, SMANA operates as a membership organization rather than a traditional PR agency, but its core function of advancing behavior change for social good places it squarely within the public relations and communications landscape. Arlington's proximity to national policymakers and international development organizations makes it a natural base for an association that serves professionals across Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and the United States.

What SMANA Does

Rather than providing direct client services, Social Marketing Association of North America (SMANA) serves as a professional home for individuals and organizations dedicated to behavior change marketing. Its primary activities include coalition building, formative research dissemination, and the sharing of social marketing case studies and models. The association curates and promotes evidence-based behavioral science frameworks, helping members apply theories such as the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Behavior Change Wheel to real-world campaigns. Through webinars, conferences, and publications, SMANA facilitates the exchange of knowledge on audience engagement strategies, systems change approaches, and social marketing evaluation techniques. This makes the association a hub for professionals seeking to move beyond traditional awareness campaigns toward measurable behavior change outcomes.

Who They Serve

SMANA's membership spans a diverse range of sectors, including nonprofit organization management, public health, environmental conservation, and education. Its members are change agents—social marketers, behavioral scientists, conservation psychologists, health communicators, and design thinkers—who work on issues like smoking cessation, recycling promotion, vaccination uptake, and energy conservation. The association is particularly relevant for organizations in the United States and North America that need to apply behavior change theories to their communications strategies. By connecting these professionals, SMANA helps bridge the gap between academic research and practical application, offering a platform for sharing social marketing models that have been tested in real-world settings. For nonprofits and government agencies in Arlington and beyond, the association provides access to a network of experts who specialize in moving audiences from awareness to action.

Expertise and Services

While SMANA itself does not offer client services, its members collectively provide a wide range of capabilities in behavior change marketing and public relations. Based on the association's focus areas, typical services offered by its members include:

• Behavior change campaign design and implementation
• Formative research and audience segmentation
• Social marketing strategy development using evidence-based models
• Coalition building and stakeholder engagement
• Behavioral science integration into communications plans
• Social marketing evaluation and impact measurement
• Systems thinking and systems change facilitation
• Training and capacity building in behavior change theories

These services are grounded in the principles of social marketing, which prioritizes voluntary behavior change for social good over commercial gain. SMANA members often apply concepts like the Diffusion of Innovations or the Theory of Planned Behavior to design interventions that are culturally sensitive and evidence-based. The association's emphasis on formative research ensures that campaigns are built on a deep understanding of target audiences, while its focus on evaluation helps organizations demonstrate the effectiveness of their public relations and communications efforts.

Who SMANA Is a Good Fit For

Social Marketing Association of North America (SMANA) is ideal for professionals and organizations that are serious about applying behavioral science to their communications work. It is particularly well-suited for nonprofit organization management teams, public health agencies, environmental advocacy groups, and social enterprises that want to move beyond simple awareness-raising to achieve measurable behavior change. The association's focus on coalition building and systems change makes it valuable for those working on complex social issues that require multi-stakeholder collaboration. For members based in the United States, especially those in the Washington, D.C. area, SMANA offers a local community of practice with national and international reach. Whether you are a seasoned social marketer or new to the field, SMANA provides the resources, networks, and professional development opportunities to enhance your work in behavior change for social good.