Behavioural economics seem to be creeping into more and more advertising campaigns as we see the shift from pure messaging to the creation of experiences. I love this example from Waternet (Amsterdam water supplier) who set out to stop guys peeing into the canals during Queen’s Day.
A simple idea – make a game out of peeing. Urinals were rigged up to measure the length and strength of each pee. The winner with the biggest bladder won back his water taxes.
Stickers were strategically placed to promote the game – and change behaviour.
For anyone interested in behavioural economics and advertising there is a great TED talk from Rory Sutherland here.
Amsterdam water supplier Waternet wanted to discourage people from urinating in the city’s canals during national holiday Queen’s Day in April. In order to discourage people from urinating in the canals, Waternet hired agency Achtung! to do a little campaign that people would be very eager to try.
They created several brightly colored urinals that would be very hard to miss. The urinal contained 4 stalls that were connected to a digital screen that turned peeing into a race. Each stall measured the amount of of urine and then displayed the amount on a digital screen to see who would get to the finish line first.
Not only did the campaign encourage people to use the urinal, but it also encouraged them to use it quickly! Other than beating your friends, there was an additional incentive; whoever had the most impressive pee would win their water taxes back.
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