More diversity than celebrity: a typology of role model interaction

Purpose – An important concept for social marketing, role modelling has rarely been considered in detail. Instead the focus often lies with celebrity endorsement and has tended to be about product sales rather than behaviour change. The purpose of this paper is to suggest that the role model is complex and offers a typology to identify variations that need consideration by social marketers in selecting the most appropriate role model. Gen Y provides a context for this discussion because they are a significant target market for social marketers. Design/methodology/approach – The article evaluates four theoretical perspectives of role modelling. Following this, an assessment is made of the types of interaction that can be instigated by role modelling variations. Findings – Social marketers often use role models in behaviour change interventions. The typology of role model interactions offers a starting point for research and a more nuanced view of role modelling. Originality/value – The design of role modelling programs is under‐researched. Through the provision of a typology of role model interaction the article begins to address this gap.