As experts in social behavioural change, Peach is constantly on the hunt for new, innovative ideas and theories. Changing people’s behaviour for the better is a challenge for governments and community organisations all around the world. How can people best be persuaded to be healthier, fitter, safer and more environmentally friendly?

If you ask Volkswagen, it’s all about fun.

According to The Fun Theory, ‘the easiest way to change behaviour for the better, is by making it fun to do’.

Launched in Sweden, this innovative approach engages with the community via a dedicated website www.thefuntheory.com. Here people can find creative and amusing ways to encourage recycling and exercise. A competition with a 2,500 euro purse calls for more fun ideas to help change behaviour for the better as well as inviting the community to judge the best entry.

Trying to change social behaviours is a complex and difficult task but Volkswagen has taken a different approach. Would you still use the elevator if you could make sweet music by using the stairs?

This question is exactly what Volkswagen set out to answer. Piano Stairs is an experiment where ‘piano keys’ were installed on each step in a busy subway station. When stepped on, each step played a different music note.  This one-off experiment was extremely successful with 66% more people choosing to use the stairs over the escalators so that they could make their own sweet music. The YouTube clip has also proven to be a success. It has achieved 9,183,065 views (noting that the video was added on October 7, 2009!!).

What a great campaign from Volkswagen and an interesting take on social behavioural change.

Tell us your thoughts on using fun to change behaviour.

No matter what your religious denomination, beliefs or faith may be; the latest campaign from Australia’s Bible Society is an impressive, integrated exercise in Social Marketing.

What started out in 2002, has travelled across Australia, through Adelaide, Canberra, Tasmania, and is currently underway in Western Australia and across New South Wales for a six week period from September 15, 2009.

According to the campaign website: “Jesus. All about life is about presenting the words of Jesus in a culturally appropriate way, the media is the marketplace of the 21st Century…The media is the catalyst for interest, but each local church involved is the delivery point of the program.”

It’s a different approach for ‘the Church’. Even the campaign website acknowledges that connecting with the community via mainstream media is a new direction, saying that to date “…the church has not used the media well.”

Perhaps we are the target audience, but everywhere we go, we see this campaign.

It has an impressive dissemination strategy, including mainstream TV ads, Billboards, bus shelters, and has a banner on almost every church you can see – talk about utilising prime real estate in a cost effective way… so cost effective that local churches pay to disseminate the campaign materials! According to the campaign website, “For just $100 registration fee, payable on-line at www.jesusallaboutlife.com.au your local church can be a part of this campaign.”

The television advertisement is certainly easy for anyone to engage with – there’s hardly even a mention of religion.

The microsite is clever – appealing to Gen Y, encouraging user-generated content, and looks a bit like a myspace page.

The campaign has certainly attracted all different types of attention, including editorial discussion by key outlets like the Australian and on ABC Radio, blogs, endorsements from well-known people, and even critical review and parody websites.

Who sums it up best? In an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail one of the campaign spokespeople said: ‘Christian or not, it’s a passionate topic. It’s a huge campaign in its own right and hard to ignore.”

We agree. Amen to good Social Marketing.

What does a pair of 12-foot long, bright yellow Y-fronts conjure for you?

Good answer!

Seriously;  although we don’t know what the impact has been to date, we give thumbs up for this “bold” campaign, devised by a Hospital in Southern China – the Changsha Bo Da Hospital in Changsha.

So, what was it all about?

Chlamydia? No.

Yellow underwear week? No.

The Annual Asia-Pacific Harry-High-Pants Festival?  We wish there was an event this cool…

No, China’s pressing Social issue addressed by this campaign, is in fact quite simple.  The stunt aims to encourage men to think about….. wait for it…. the effects of wearing pants that are too  tight.

According to campaign spokesperson, Xiang Xiong; “There are many urinary or reproductive problems caused by men’s underwear. This is intended to make men think.”

We like it.

It’s clever. It’s funny – and in line with what we think makes effective Social Marketing campaigns;

Easy - YES, nothing says ‘easy’ quite like a large pair of pants!

Emotionally Engaging – Making people laugh is one of the hardest, yet most enduring and genuine ways to connect with an audience.

Educational - Well… creating talkability and having the stunt literally attached to a hospital, not only informs the audience about the tie between underpants and health, but also provides a direct link to a place for further information, and if necessary, treatment!

Enduring - Weather permitting, it’s a clever stunt and an idea that really does stick in the mind!

So, anyone off to buy some new underwear?  Keen to hear what you think…..

This is the latest spot to come out of Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy in the UK [phew what a mouthful] and it’s an anti-tobacco campaign. A new take on the age old ‘anti-smoking’ this time from a child’s point of view. Take a look.

thecoolhunter.net

It’s just days away from one of the most anticipated US federal elections in history and both sides are plowing into spin overdrive. Which is why we love this amazing original advertisement that has succeeded in doing what most politicians don’t  – cut through the crap in a single succinct moment.

Created by creative director – Tor Myhren from Grey NYC, the posters slice through the race issue between candidates – acknowledging that much of this campaign has predictably but stupidly been re-cast as a battle between black and white. Myhren’s powerful imagery rightly implies that this is all just distraction, seeking to refocus our attention onto what really matters – the issues.

Even before the results are in, the posters have become collectors items, with New Yorkers unable to help themselves from swiping  them off the streets.  - Lisa Evans

Story taken from thecoolhunter.net