Social causes such as "improved nutritional practices" could benefit from marketing-like thinking. The improvement of nutritional practices, like other social concerns such as pollution control, drug abuse, and physical fitness, needs innovative solutions and approaches for gaining public attention and support. Marketing persons, by their training, are finely attuned to market needs, product of package development, pricing or channel issues, and promotional techniques--all of which are critical in the social area. Much of this knowledge can be adapted by the planners and implementers of social causes. A social marketing approach does not guarantee that the social objectives will be achieved or that the costs will be acceptable. Yet, for programs like "improved nutritional practices," social marketing appears to offer a useful framework for effective social planning at a time when social issues have become more relevant and critical. (KC)