Challenge
Changing consumer behaviour is rarely an easy task. Behaviours are often learned in childhood and become habitual – and are therefore tricky to change. Even when the sustainability benefit is a proven one, in that pre-washing uses water unnecessarily and dishwashers will clean homeware effectively without this step, meaningful change can remain elusive.
Approach
We undertook qual research with consumers to uncover and identify the Fuels and Frictions behind pre-rinsing behaviours. Why do people pre-rinse? What do they believe this achieves? What is hindering them from stopping their pre-rinse?
These Fuels & Frictions were then validated and sized through quant research. The insights arising were consolidated into interventions and actionable jobs-to-be-done, both internally and with the client’s agencies. The findings were then leveraged to guide workshop sessions and shape creative briefs.
Insight
We identified the key influences of consumer dishwashing behaviour.
- Habits – washing up behaviours are highly habitual, often learned from other family members.
- Trust – people did not trust they would get the results they needed without pre-rinsing.
- Personal benefits – previous campaigns had focused too much on environmental benefits, rather than personal ones, such as the time and effort saved.
Impact
Our insights fed into the shaping of activations, product/pack developments and creative campaigns. Through these creative campaigns and comms we were able to help Finish to reduce the ‘pre-rinse’ before loading dishwashers. We also partnered with Ogilvy, to provide creative direction on landing the key insights with the target consumer audiences. This resulted in the dual objectives of water use reduction and a deepening brand affinity being achieved:
✓ 20% reduction in household water bills
✓ 11% increase in volume sales