This literature review is the first exploratory study of the evolution of social marketing in the Latin American region from 1960-2020. In this research article written by Latin American authors, Latin America is seen as region sharing a historical, cultural, linguistic, political, and socio-economic legacy beyond a territory.

The research methodology involved identifying studies detailing uses of social marketing in the region. Selection criteria included, for example, that the studies be written in Spanish, Portuguese and/or English. A total of 64 publications were reviewed. The results are presented chronologically as follows: The Precedents (1960-1979), The Beginnings (1980-1999), and The Millennium (2000-2020).

The findings highlight that in the Latin American region, social marketing approaches have been aimed more at influencing the behavior of people and communities (downstream and mid-stream) rather than structures and public policy (up-stream). Furthermore, the study finds that the use of social marketing has been highly demarcated by international funding, most notably between the 1970s and 1990s. Subsequently to this period the use of social marketing has diminished.

This study concludes with recommendations for future research, highlighting the need for further examination focused on how social marketing has been conceptualized in the region.