4 NOVEMBER (Afternoon)

MAIN CONFERENCE BEGINS

12.30 - 1.30 > LUNCH & NETWORKING

1.30 - 2.45 > OPENING PLENARY SESSION

WELCOME FROM ESMA

Dr. Nadina Luca, ESMA President and Senior Lecturer at University of York

OPENING ADDRESS FROM THE ESMC REVIEW CHAIRS

Prof. Thomas Boysen Anker, Chair, Social Marketing & Associate Dean of Research, University of Dundee School of Business

Prof. Tanja Kamin, Professor, Department of Communication Studies, Head of Research Centre for Social Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana

OPENING KEYNOTE

Social Marketing in Slovenia – Insights and Experiences

Prof. Tanja Kamin, a leading expert in social psychology and communication from the University of Ljubljana, will kick off the conference with an exploration of Slovenia’s social marketing landscape. Drawing from her extensive research and practical experience in health, nutrition, and clean energy, she will highlight key challenges and successes in driving behavioural and social change. Tanja will share valuable insights from past projects, providing an in-depth understanding of how social marketing principles have been applied to address pressing social issues in Slovenia and beyond.

Prof. Tanja Kamin, Professor, Department of Communication Studies, Head of Research Centre for Social Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana

2.45 - 3.15 > COFFEE & NETWORKING

3.15 - 4.45 > WORKSHOP SESSIONS

This secton of breakout sessions will host two of 90 minute interactive sessions. 

Social Marketing Ethical Checklist

This interactive session will present and discuss the Global Consensus Definition of Social Marketing, the Social Marketing Statement of Ethics, and the Six Ethical Principles, inviting community feedback to shape future ethical standards in social marketing.

Designing Responsive Public Health Solutions for Improved Preventive Care

4.45 - 5.15 > PLENARY

KEYNOTE

30,000 Signatures in 24 Hours: How to Get 3 Minutes of Someone's Time to Help Change the Future

My Voice, My Choice is a campaign advocating for safe and accessible abortion across Europe. In this session, we’ll reveal how we mobilized hundreds of volunteers across the continent, using WhatsApp groups, partner organizations, and social media to unite people for a shared goal. As Belle from Malta described it: “Our energy was electric—a powerful statement that people will no longer tolerate these barriers.”
We’ll take you behind the scenes of our journey, discussing the challenges we faced, the mistakes we made, and the valuable lessons we learned. Our focus will be on how social marketing isn’t just about being present online—it’s about building impactful collaborations that inspire real action.

Lucija Borak, Digital Graphic Design Lead, My Voice, My Choice

5.30 - 7.30 > DRINKS RECEPTION

Join us for an evening of drinks and snacks at the Networking Reception, hosted with Visit Ljubljana's tourism and events team. This is a great chance to meet other attendees, speakers, and industry leaders in a relaxed setting.

5 NOVEMBER

CONFERENCE DAY 2

9.00 - 10.30 > MORNING PLENARY

WELCOME FROM ISMA 

Prof. Jeff French, iSMA President, CEO of Strategic Social Marketing, Emeritus Professor at Kings College London, and Brighton University

KEYNOTE 

Heroes drive in Pyjamas: How we managed to change awareness and behaviour by involving disabled, youth and local communities

Heroes drive in Pyjamas is a youth awareness raising and behaviour changing campaign aimed at reducing drunk driving. The campaign has successfully engaged youth, and their parents and local communities to join forces to achieve change in the local environment and social norms. Youth and disabled youth are the main generators of change through various activities such as structural dialogue, workshops, party interventions, etc. Heroes drive in Pyjamas is a multi-award-winning initiative and a recipient of the European's Commission Best EU Road Safety initiative award as well as dozens of national and international awards on effective communication, community engagement, and behaviour change.

David Razboršek - Director, Zavod VOZIM, Slovenia

KEYNOTE

Listening, Connecting and Acting: The Power of Qualitative Research

In this keynote, we inspire you by showing how qualitative research offers deep insights into the world and needs of typically hard-to-reach target groups. We explain our fdc-method, demonstrating how genuine connections encourage people to share their stories. Through practical examples from research on the BES islands and with High Impact Crimes (home burglaries and armed robberies), we show how we gather valuable input to design positive behavior change. The core message is: if you truly listen and ask the right questions, you can develop interventions that make a real impact.

Tessa de Groot - Het Onderzoekshuis, Netherlands

10.30 - 11.00 > COFFEE & NETWORKING

11.00 - 12.00 > PARALLEL SESSIONS

Final session timings / placement of accepted abstract sessions can be downloaded at the link at the top of the page.

12.00 - 1.30 > LUNCH & NETWORKING

1.30 - 3.00 > PARALELL SESSIONS

Final session timings / placement of accepted abstract sessions can be downloaded at the link at the top of the page.

3.00 - 3.30 > COFFEE BREAK

3.30 - 5.15 > PLENARY SESSION

PANEL SESSION

Tackling Public and Self-Stigma Related to Mental Health Problems

This session will explore how social marketing can address stigma related to mental health issues. Prof. Tanja Kamin will provide a historical context on mental health promotion and suicide prevention in Slovenia, followed by a presentation from Saška Roškar on stigma reduction strategies. The session will conclude with an engaging conversation between the speakers and the session chair, discussing practical approaches to destigmatization, and include a Q&A with the audience.

Asst. Prof. Dr Saška Roškar, National Institute of Public Health Slovenia

Prof. Tanja Kamin, Professor, Department of Communication Studies, Head of Research Centre for Social Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana

KEYNOTE

Multi-Level Social Marketing Interventions in Slovenia: A Case Study of Public Health and Environmental Impact

In this session, participants will explore three impactful social marketing case studies from Slovenia focused on non-communicable disease prevention, air quality advocacy, and youth engagement through influencers. Attendees will learn how upstream, midstream, and downstream interventions shaped policies, influenced behaviors, and engaged communities. Through real-world examples and interactive campaign materials, the session offers valuable insights into multi-level social marketing strategies and their successful implementation, providing actionable ideas for attendees to apply in their own work.

Jan Peloza, Managing Director, Impact Hub Ljubljana

Tomaž Gorenc, Director, Institute for Health and Environment, Slovenia

5.15 - 6.30 > POSTER WALK & CASH BAR 

Wrap up the first day of the conference with a stroll through the poster display area! Chat with poster authors about their amazing work and enjoy some extra networking time. Plus, treat yourself to a drink from the cash bar – the perfect way to relax and recharge after a day dedicated to making positive social change!

6 NOVEMBER

CONFERENCE DAY 3

9.15 - 10.45 > MORNING PLENARY

WELCOME 

John Bromley - Founding Director, National Social Marketing Centre

KEYNOTE 

A behaviour change approach to reducing violence against health workers.

Discover how the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is tackling violence in healthcare through the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) Initiative. Maciej Polkowski (ICRC) and John Bromley (NSMC) will present a pilot project from Tripoli General Hospital, Lebanon, featuring an online tool to reduce weapons in healthcare facilities and a training course to de-escalate violence. Learn how their behavior change program has reduced violence in the Emergency Room and the critical role of social marketing in achieving these outcomes.

Maciej Polkowski - International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC, Country Manager - Central and Eastern Europe, Resource Mobilisation Division

John Bromley - Founding Director, National Social Marketing Centre

SPECIAL SESSION

After Ljubljana 2024, discover the vibrant city of Montpellier at ESMC 2026

Patricia Gurviez, Institute du Marketing Social, France

Dr. Jacqueline Boysselle, Head of the Teaching & Research Marketing Department, Montpellier Business School

10.45 - 11.15 > COFFEE & NETWORKING

11.15 - 12.30 > PARALELL SESSIONS

Final session timings can be download at the link at the top of the page.

12.30 - 1.30 > LUNCH 

1.30 - 2.30 > PARALELL SESSIONS

Final session timings can be download at the link at the top of the page.

2.30 - 3.00 > BREAK

3.00 - 4.15 > FINAL PLENARY

Enabling Change: Reflections and Pathways Forward
As we wrap up the 6th European Social Marketing Conference, this final plenary session provides an open mic space for attendees to share reflections, insights, and ideas inspired by the event. Moderated by Dr. Sinja Gerdina and Dr Nadina Luca, the session invites participants to voice their thoughts. This interactive session encourages attendees to exchange learnings and discuss how these insights might be transformed into concrete actions that drive meaningful change.

Moderators:

• Dr Sinja Gerdina, Researcher, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences
• Dr Nadina Luca, ESMA President, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, School for Business and Society, University of York