As recognition for his advancements in turning the idea of what’s considered “cool” on its head, the U.S. Small Business Association has named “social branding” expert Jeff Jordan San Diego’s 2007 Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
The 23-year-old president of Rescue Social Change Group, an organization dedicated to developing better ways to help youth gain healthier lifestyles, moved his company’s headquarters to Downtown San Diego a year and a half ago.
In that time, Rescue’s staff has grown from four to 14 and has clients in more than 18 states.
The company plans events and offers marketing and communications services to help government and not-for-profit organizations across the nation in tackling their community’s issues, such as underage drinking prevention, after-school programs and smoking prevention, among others.
Coined by Jordan, the idea of “social branding” “combines theories and strategies from psychology, sociology and commercial marketing to create a powerful approach to social change,” according to Rescue’s Web site, www.rescuescg.org.
“It translates the intuition-based world of commercial marketing and branding into a clear, measurable and scientific process to change behavior,” it stated.
A graduate of Johnson and Wales University of Rhode Island with a marketing degree, Jordan started Rescue at age 17.
These days, he utilizes his experiences and education to develop new and innovative ways for changing the social consciousness to help promote more healthful lifestyles.
“We started to see the void in terms of public health and changing behavior,” he explained. “The concept is that you foster controlled experiences to associate certain identities with certain behaviors.”
In doing so, Rescue’s mission, according to its Web site, is “to cause positive, populationwide social change in diverse populations with innovative and scientifically proven approaches.”
Jordan explained that he became interested in the idea of social branding through the rave music and nightlife scene, remarking that he enjoyed the music but disliked the drug connotations that at times outshone the positive aspects of the culture.
“I saw those parties as an opportunity to reach a lot of people who needed a positive social role model,” he explained.
“They needed someone to show them how to enjoy that social part of their lives without using drugs.”
In response to why he believes conventional public health awareness advertising campaigns fall awkwardly and unreceptively short, Jordan explained that most choose to appeal on the platform of changing preferences by restricting behaviors like consuming drugs and alcohol.
Instead, Jordan said he chose to appeal on the deeper, more successfully proven level “” changing the whole landscape, in essence creating a space where healthy social choices are the norm, not the exception.
“You want culture change, you don’t want preference change,” he said. “As a community, we haven’t put into place ways for our kids to learn how to live a healthy social life.”
Currently a graduate student at the University of California San Diego pursuing a doctorate degree in experimental psychology, Jordan said he plans to use Rescue’s platform for his academic thesis.
Jordan’s accomplishments will be recognized at the Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon on June 28th at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina in Downtown San Diego.
The award is presented to an entrepreneur under the age of 30 with a company in business for at least three years, according to a press release.
In the future, Jordan said he hopes to install a new social movement that kids can be involved in and live a more healthful lifestyle.
“What we’re trying to establish in the city and governments that work with us is provide them a long-term strategy to guide and influence youth culture,” Jordan said. “There should be a day where every community has a youth culture management strategy.”
For more information on Rescue Social Change Group, go to www.rescuescg.com.