Abstract

This exploratory study investigated the viability of using the social media and mobile phone (GSM) as public relations social marketing tool in the campaign against open defecation in South-East Nigeria. It argues that the greater percentage of the public could be reached with the campaign if approached through the social media networks and GSM such as the Facebook, mobile telephone, etc., than the traditional media of newspapers, radio and television that have not yielded much in the envisaged awareness and attitudinal change results. From a survey sample of 385 respondents drawn from three sampled states of Enugu, Anambra and Abia, using the simple random, convenience and purposive sampling techniques, the results suggest, among others, that the social media and the GSM could be more efficacious in prosecuting the campaign against open defecation given the fast growing social media literacy and GSM use among the population especially the youths. It recommends that given the increasing number of the segment of the society especially the youths that use the Social Media and GSM the South-East governments could conduct basic or pilot study so as to leverage on this accessibility aspect of the media for a more effective campaign to end open defecation in South-East Nigeria.

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