What underlies our desires for certain products? What is the key for shifting behaviors at scale? Can we go beyond “nudging”? The field of behavior change has been rapidly evolving over recent years. As insights from neuroscience, psychosocial research and behavioral studies are being leveraged, there is a pressing need to incorporate new, empathy-centered approaches. But what does this mean in practice, and how do we go about applying this in our own campaigns, brand strategy and engagement? Is it scalable? How do we get the right kinds of insights? This session presents how psychosocial insights are driving innovative approaches to behavior change. Drawing on the internationally recognized work of engagement strategist and researcher Dr. Renee Lertzman, this session looks at how organizations are starting to work with desire, anxieties, ambivalence and aspiration as keys for unlocking behavior changes at scale. We will feature our World Wildlife Fund collaboration, “Redirecting Desire: Beyond Behavior Change,” an approach for targeting demand for ivory. We will also feature highlights and results from Dr. Lertzman’s research with a Republican messaging strategist, demonstrating how this approach can lead to highly successful climate change communications and messaging. Attendees will leave with an understanding of new behavior change insights, specific frameworks, and how they might be applied in a variety of industries and settings.
