When Marketing Messages Crash and Burn
More than 1.35 million lives are claimed by road traffic accidents worldwide every year. In response, local councils and authorities implement strategies to remind drivers of the dangers of driving. Recently, Wales became the first country in the UK to reduce speed limits in built-up areas from 30mph to 20mph, a move supported by the United Nations and environmental and road safety groups. Safety initiatives are often spelt out in road signs cautioning against driving tired or drunk, and even listing the number of fatalities on a given road.
But what happens when drivers come face to face with a stark message like "1669 deaths this year on these roads"? The signs are designed to shock people into driving safely. However, there is compelling evidence to suggest that these messages actually contribute to accidents. In the Science journal, research has found that signs displaying the number of fatalities are associated with a slight increase in accidents on the stretches of road that follow these signs. Researchers found that showcasing a fatality message on a roadside in Texas increased the number of crashes in the next 10 kilometres after the sign by 4.5%. That's an estimated additional 2600 crashes and 16 deaths per year across the state, showing that these signs are creating the complete opposite response to the one intended.
What is causing this unexpected outcome? Although we cannot be fully sure, as more research would be needed, psychology can provide insights into potential contributors. One main factor could be distraction and an increase in the driver's cognitive load (the amount of working memory resources used). Our working memory can only hold a small amount of information at any one time (Sweller, 1988) - the effort needed to process the sign may divert a driver's attention away from crucial split-second decisions required while driving.
Messages that produce the complete opposite of the intended response happen all too often. In climate change communications, a tendency to adopt a "doomsday" approach to incite public urgency and subsequent action has come under scrutiny. The research suggests that overly pessimistic messaging has an adverse effect, creating a kind of 'apocalypse fatigue'.
In a 2021 study published in Nature Climate Change, Wang et al (2021) analysed over 100,000 articles and found that overly dramatic language decreased readers' sense of hope and belief in their ability to address climate change effectively. Negative messaging has been found to reduce people's willingness to lower their carbon footprints, increase fatalism, contribute to psychological distancing from the issue, and enable detachment behaviours. Exposing people to climate news centred around fear makes people more pessimistic, less motivated to act, and more likely to shrug off climate risks. The absence of positive solutions can lead to feelings of helplessness, where individuals believe their efforts will not make a difference.
It's important for marketers, especially those in the public sector, to look at the potential negative effects of their purpose-driven messaging. Let's take Drinkaware's multimillion-pound responsible drinking campaign (Why Let Good Times Go Bad?). The campaign was designed to reduce binge drinking by warning of its consequences and giving tips on how to drink responsibly. Initially, it seemed to land well with the target audience; however, further evaluation revealed that the campaign actually contributed to increased alcohol consumption and, as a result, was pulled a year early.
So what's going wrong? The problem is in the volume of messages in our environment and how we're unable to pay active attention to all of them, but they do leave an impression on us, and it's different to the one we get when we are properly engaged. Without giving these messages our full attention, these campaigns designed to address societal issues may unwittingly end up normalising those very problems. This shift in perception changes our behaviour in the direct opposite way. Princeton identified a similar risk in public awareness campaigns targeting sexual violence; if people believe that many others are engaging in such behaviour, they may be more inclined to do the same.
The same fundamental principles apply, whether it's road signs, environmental messaging, or marketing campaigns. Understanding the deeper implications behind particular messages is crucial, as not doing so can lead to the opposite and even disastrous effects.
