Global Handwashing Day lends good lessons for marketers.

October 15 was Global Handwashing Day. And a study of handwashers in a UK service station provides an insightful look into consumer behavior (or, rather, behaviour) as well as some important lessons for marketers. Three points of interest:

You can’t count on the truth. The study used sensors to record whether soap was being dispensed. According to Val Curtis, a hygiene specialist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the research team couldn’t ask people to report on their own behavior. “It’s a waste of time, they just say yes.” In reality, without any signs to remind them, 65% of women and just 32% of men washed their hands. Gross.

Contextual messaging matters. By adding a simple, text-only sign at the bathroom’s entrance, researchers were able to change those handwashing numbers by about 10% points. Shaming messages were more effective than subtle ones. The *most* effective message? “Is the person next to you washing with soap?” It seems the prospect of being watched yourself is quite the motivator. Peer pressure wins again.

Customized messages matter. But beyond the suggestion that others may be watching and judging, men and women responded to different messages. As Sarah Van Elzen reported yesterday, customized messages matter. They can make campaigns more effective. In this case, researchers found that men were more likely to change their behavior if they were grossed out (“Soap it off, or eat it later”). Women washed more with a more rational message (“Water doesn’t kill germs, soap does.”) The power of segmentation strikes again.

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