6 Questions with Bilal Akbar: Bridging Behaviour Change Through Social Marketing

Bilal Akbar is a senior lecturer in marketing with a strong focus on social marketing, behaviour change, and embedding sustainability within marketing education. An active researcher and published author, Bilal contributes extensively to advancing marketing for social good and is deeply involved in ethical practices and impact within the field.

1) We always like to start by asking how you got into your field. Can you share what inspired your journey into conservation and human behaviour?

During my PhD days (2017–2021), I really got to know social marketing. My PhD focused on social marketing planning approaches, especially from the practitioner’s perspective. I was fascinated by whether there could be a one-size-fits-all formula for planning behaviour change interventions, but soon realised the field is complex and constantly evolving, particularly with societal shifts such as political unrest.

The second major theme of my PhD was sexual health among young people in the UK, particularly the rise of STDs and STIs in 18- to 25-year-olds. I interviewed thought leaders from social marketing and public health sectors about whether existing frameworks could work effectively in this area.

But even before my PhD, growing up in Pakistan and later moving to the UK, I was always a bit of an explorer, someone who questions why things happen the way they do. My early observations working in community shops made me notice awkward behaviours around the topic of sexual health among young people, which sparked my interest in how behaviour change and social marketing could really make a difference.

I also loved playing cricket growing up, which is a mentally tough game requiring strategy and patience. That mindset really parallels behaviour change work, where you try to understand and influence human thinking and action. So, for me, becoming a “behaviour change agent” (though I don’t claim to be an expert!) feels like a natural path rooted in both personal curiosity and professional passion.

2) Can you share a bit about your involvement with the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force and projects you’ve contributed to?

The IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force is extremely valuable because it brings together a diverse group—from social marketers to psychologists, public health experts, and sociologists. This mix enriches my understanding and practice by exposing me to different perspectives.

One of the conservation-related projects I’ve been involved with, now nearing publication, is with the Peak District National Park. It has been fascinating to explore how different visitor groups relate to environmental protection and how local values sometimes clash with visitor behaviours.

Besides conservation-focused research, I’ve also examined vaccine hesitancy among minority groups in the UK and domestic food waste, both human behaviours with broader social and environmental implications.

3) Could you tell us about any exciting projects or research you’re currently working on?

As I mentioned, I’m currently working on research linked to the Peak District National Park project, which explores how young travellers’ environmental attitudes and behaviours have shifted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the Values-Beliefs-Norms (VBN) theory to segment visitors based on their environmental motivations and actions, which revealed complex patterns of support, indifference, and social influence.

In addition to this, I’m developing papers that critically examine the role of social marketing practitioners themselves. These works encourage reflexivity, asking us to think deeply about our own assumptions and behaviours in the field. Since social marketing is about promoting social good rather than profit, understanding our personal and professional impact is crucial to improving outcomes.

4) In your opinion, what is one of the biggest challenges the world faces in driving meaningful behaviour change towards conservation?

One major challenge is how we critique each other in the field. We’re all on the same team, trying to advance conservation and behaviour change, but sometimes professional tensions and rigid beliefs about what’s “right” hold us back.

It’s important to start with self-reflection. How can we improve our own practices and be more open to diverse perspectives? I see social marketing as a field that borrows from many disciplines and aims to do good for individuals and society. But to truly advance, we need humility, empathy, and a willingness to critique ourselves before critiquing others.

5) Who is someone in the conservation world (or beyond) that you look up to or that has influenced your career?

I’ve been inspired by different people at different stages. One key figure is Professor Jeff French, a public health and social marketing expert in the UK. Early in my career, when I was exploring social marketing on my own, I met Jeff at a social marketing event hosted by the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London in September 2017. He was generous with his time and advice and has since been a mentor and collaborator, helping me navigate the field and co-author papers.

I also had great support from my supervisors during my PhD, especially Dr Alison Lawson, University of Derby, UK, who helped guide my research and teaching. Mentors like these make a huge difference.

6) As you look ahead, what are your goals or hopes for the future of conservation and behaviour change?

There’s always hope! I believe the future is bright because social marketing is interdisciplinary and focused on social well-being. My personal goal is to bring more reflexivity into social marketing practice and to encourage practitioners to think critically about their own role and impact.

I hope the field continues to evolve in ways that increase social impact and deepen understanding of sustainability, not just at surface level, but embedded in education and action.

For anyone interested in getting involved with the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force or social marketing more broadly, I’d say: it’s about empathy and connection. We all have different motivations, but what unites us is care for social well-being and the environment. The more diverse voices we include, the better we can change the world.

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