Campaigns that change what people do
Behaviour change marketing uses research into why people act the way they do to design campaigns that change behaviour, not just awareness. Gatecrasher has done this work from Perth since 2001, for road safety, public health, mental health, education and police recruitment.
What is behaviour change marketing?
Behaviour change marketing is marketing measured by what people do afterwards. Instead of asking an audience to remember a message, it asks them to quit, slow down, eat differently, get help or sign up.
It starts with the behaviour, not the ad: who needs to act, what they do now, what stops them changing, and the moment they decide. The creative is built to work on that barrier at that moment.
How we change behaviour
1. Name the behaviour
One specific, observable action for one audience. "Don't share school fight videos", not "reduce violence".
2. Find the barrier
We dig into data, research and the people involved. For WA Police we interviewed and surveyed more than one hundred officers before writing a word.
3. Find the moment
People decide in a place and a moment. For LiveLighter we put the message on the menu, the second people choose what to eat.
4. Make it land
Audiences tune out warnings. For Cancer Council WA we made anti-vaping videos that looked like the vape ads young people already watch, then turned them.
5. Produce, place and learn
Strategy, creative, digital and production sit in one team in Subiaco, with filmmakers, editors and animators in-house, so the idea reaches every channel intact.
Behaviours we've worked to change
Road safety
Smoking and vaping
Healthy eating and sun safety
Mental health, education and community
Who we work with
State government departments and agencies, health promotion charities and not-for-profits, and brands with a behaviour to shift. Our work runs in Western Australia and nationally, for clients including the Road Safety Commission, WA Police Force, Cancer Council WA, Cancer Council Victoria, Make Smoking History, LiveLighter, SunSmart, Think Mental Health, Asthma Australia and the Department of Education.
Frequently asked questions
What is behaviour change marketing?
Marketing designed and judged by a change in what people do, such as quitting smoking, slowing down or eating better, rather than by awareness alone. It starts with research into the barrier that stops the change, then builds creative to remove it.
What is the difference between behaviour change marketing and social marketing?
Social marketing applies marketing to a social good, such as health or safety. Behaviour change marketing is the method most social marketing now uses: name one behaviour, find what blocks it, and design the campaign around that barrier. Brands use the same method for commercial behaviours.
What are the stages of behaviour change?
The widely used stages of change model has five: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. A campaign usually targets one move, for example from contemplation to action, because each stage needs a different message.
How do you measure a behaviour change campaign?
By the behaviour itself where it can be measured, such as quit line calls, recruitment applications or observed speeds, backed by tracking research on attitudes and intentions. The measure is agreed before the creative is written.
Do you only work in Perth?
No. We are based in Subiaco, Perth, and work across Australia, including campaigns for Cancer Council Victoria and a national pilot for Asthma Australia.
Let's talk
We help organisations solve meaningful problems.
Whether you’ve got a brief or just an idea, we’d love to hear from you.