I read an interesting article recently on why people think/act the way they do. Specifically, the article reported on the efforts of a group of researchers who wanted to see if they could get a bunch of college students to eat healthier lunches. The researchers divided the students into two groups and tested different messages.
The first message was big and audacious, with posters designed to put up all over campus explaining to the students how healthy decisions today would lead to a better quality of life.
The second message was simpler, with the researchers proposing to write: “Make better lunch decisions,” on students’ lunch trays.
Prior to the research actually being carried out, the messages were shown to a range of people. Everyone interviewed declared the first message to be the winner. It was bigger, smarter and spoke to the human desire to achieve. Meanwhile everyone who saw the new and ‘improved’ trays thought they were crass and ineffective.
Then the researchers put it to the test. The ‘big’ message was rolled out on one campus, the tray message on another. Guess what? Those who had the message on their trays ate 25 per cent fewer calories, and when they went home to eat dinner, they continued to make smarter eating decisions.
What does this have to do with our industry? My theory is that we’re positioning ourselves incorrectly. We have more clubs that are more affordable and more convenient than ever. Yet the total number of people who exercise, as a percentage of the population, hasn’t really changed.
I’d argue that it’s our message. Let’s get real for a second. When I read that exercise will make me healthier and happier, I have no idea what that actually means. It’s too big. There’s no immediacy.
However, if I saw something that said: “Work out today so you can eat a bigger dinner without having to buy larger clothes” – that speaks to me. What I’m saying is, it’s okay to think globally (big), but you should act locally (small).
The full article is available to read at http://lei.sr?a=A5w1m
