spf stalker
Target behavior change: Habitual sun protection application (SPF lip balm)
Design Description: In this intervention, college students are tagged in funny, personal Facebook images that remind them to wear SPF lip balm. At the least, Facebook tagging gets virtually 100% of those tagged to click through and view the image. Every additional time the user is tagged s/he sees the set of photos with SPF lip balm imagery. The passive visual reminder is a light-hearted and consistent reminder of what to do. This digital reminder is coupled with the instruction to physically tape the lip balm to gum or mints. During the day, after eating, is the optimal time for SPF lip balm application. Participants develop an association between gum/mints and SPF lip balm and eventually, they will naturally apply SPF lip balm after meals even though it is no longer physically attached to the gum/mints.
Results: Funny and tasteful online triggers (tagged Facebook images) that asked an easy question had a low barrier of entry and generated discussion on the topic of SPF (sun protection factor). Odd images had the possibility of losing participants (de-tagging or un-friending in Facebook) yet the unusual and comical images were memorable to the participants. Facebook photo tagging was hard for the participants to overlook and its redundancy (you see the image every time you click on your profile) served as a frequent reminder to apply the SPF lip balm. A timely trigger that served as a physical reminder was also needed because participants didn’t always get Facebook notifications at appropriate times to apply SPF. The solution was to instruct the participants to physically tape the SPF lip balm to gum or mints. Six out of ten individuals said they would continue wearing SPF lip balm after the prototype study.
Collaboration with Yin Yin Wu. We presented this at the “Future of Persuasion” Conference, held by the Institute of the Future, June 2010. The project was featured on the Consumer eHealth Engagement Blog. A draft of the spf stalker presentation has also been viewed more than 1,000 times on Slideshare.
