“Advertise in the Chippy”: The Importance of “Scoping” Within Social Marketing for the Promotion of Positive Mental Health: A Case Study

Background. To maximize often limited resources for health promotion interventions, it is critical to identify and consult with the target population to inform program design and implementation. Objective. To highlight the value of scoping (identifying any barriers or limitations within a target population group) in the initial social marketing phase of targeting physical activity interventions for positive mental health. Method. Semistructured focus groups were undertaken in 2 segmented population groups: Study 1—adults (aged between 20 and 50 years) from a deprived community; Study 2—older adults (50+ years of age) attending physical activity groups. Discussions centered on health, mental health, physical activity, and methods of promotion. Results. Five focus groups were conducted, 2 in study 1 (n = 17; age 38.1 ± 10.8 years) and 3 in study 2 (n = 25; age 68.1 ± 5.6 years). Themes and perspectives were consistent within each case study, but differed between them, indicating that basic segmentation during recruitment (by age, area of residence, and physical activity participation) had identified 2 distinct audience segments. Differences between groups in perceived benefits of physical activity, preferred intervention type, and appropriate terminology provided valuable insight to inform physical activity promotion. Conclusion. Focus groups offer a simple and feasible means of scoping to begin to identify and understand population segments for targeting of health promotion efforts.