Addressing sensitive topics through behaviour change marketing.
Some of society’s most important challenges are also the most difficult to talk about.
Domestic abuse. Suicide prevention. Mental health. Violence against women and girls. Substance misuse. Child exploitation. Hate crime. Grief. Loneliness.
These issues demand communication that is both compassionate and effective. Yet many organisations face the same dilemma:
How do you create a campaign powerful enough to change behaviour without causing harm?
We believe this is where behavioural science and responsible creativity work best together.
Meaningful behaviour change rarely happens through awareness alone. It requires messages that capture attention, resonate emotionally and motivate action. Achieving that, particularly when addressing sensitive topics, requires careful planning, evidence-based decision making and a deep understanding of the people the campaign is designed to support.
Why sensitive issues require a different approach.
Sensitive topics often involve trauma, lived experience, stigma or significant emotional impact.
Poorly designed campaigns can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes, create fear, retraumatise audiences or discourage people from seeking support.
Effective campaigns do the opposite.
They build trust, reduce barriers, increase understanding and empower people to take positive action.
That is why every behaviour change programme we design begins with understanding people before developing communications.
Behaviour change starts with understanding behaviour
Before developing creative concepts, we work to understand the behaviour we are seeking to influence.
Using recognised behavioural science frameworks, including COM-B, we explore three key questions:
- Do people have the Capability to make the desired change?
- Do they have the Opportunity within their environment?
- Do they have sufficient Motivation to act?
Understanding these drivers helps us identify where meaningful intervention is possible, ensuring campaigns address the real barriers to change rather than relying on assumptions.
Where appropriate, we also draw upon frameworks such as EAST, the Behaviour Change Wheel, the Transtheoretical Model, and evaluation approaches including RE-AIM to design interventions that are practical, ethical and measurable.
Principles that guide every campaign.
Empathy and respect
We approach the topic with genuine empathy and respect for the experiences and perspectives of those affected. We avoid sensationalism or exploitation and prioritise the well-being of the target audience.
Inclusivity and equality
We create messaging that is inclusive, respectful, and acknowledges diverse viewpoints. We ensure representation and diversity in campaign imagery and narratives to avoid inadvertently reinforcing stereotypes. Any information or resources we are making available as part of a campaign are accessible to all. For example, by utilising both digital and non-digital channels, and working with communities to distribute communications effectively.
Education and awareness
Our campaigns always create opportunities for education and awareness among the target audience, fostering a deeper understanding of the issue at hand and enhancing their capability to change. We provide plenty of resources and information to empower individuals to take positive actions, providing lots of opportunities for engagement.
Collaboration with experts
We frequently partner with subject matter experts, advocates, and community leaders who can provide valuable insights and specialist. We always ensure that our campaigns align with the priorities and values of the communities we’re aiming to support.
Creating communications that influence without causing harm
Powerful campaigns do not have to rely on shock tactics.
Instead, they balance emotional engagement with evidence, ensuring every creative decision supports the desired behavioural outcome.
Language precision
Using our research findings as guidance, we choose words with meticulous care, ensuring they resonate with the target audience without causing unnecessary distress. Legal requirements may come into play here, as guidelines may exist to discern whether specific language is acceptable or whether it could be deemed offensive.
Storytelling
We frame narratives that reflect authentic experiences, fostering a genuine connection with our audience. Real-life stories and testimonials are more likely to resonate with people and cause an emotional response, maximising the impact of our message.
Visual power
We leverage the visual elements of a campaign to evoke emotion and convey a powerful message without relying solely on explicit language, remaining mindful of intentions, context and meaning, for example:
how is this likely to be read and understood by the target audience based on the context and not the written word alone?
Managing risk responsibly.
Organisations are often understandably cautious when addressing sensitive issues.
Reputational concerns, stakeholder expectations and safeguarding responsibilities all need careful consideration.
Responsible behaviour change means balancing creativity with governance.
That includes:
- Behavioural diagnosis informed by research
- Risk and unintended consequence assessments
- Safeguarding and ethical review
- Stakeholder engagement
- Audience testing
- Continuous evaluation and learning
This approach enables organisations to be confident that campaigns are both impactful and responsible.
Measuring what matters.
Behaviour change should never be judged solely on reach or engagement.
The real measure of success is whether people think differently, feel differently and ultimately behave differently.
That is why evaluation is embedded throughout our work.
Using behavioural objectives and recognised evaluation approaches, we help organisations understand not only whether campaigns were delivered successfully, but whether they achieved meaningful outcomes.
For commissioners, this provides greater confidence in decision making, stronger accountability and clearer evidence of public value.
Courageous communication, grounded in evidence
The most important conversations are often the most challenging.
Avoiding difficult subjects rarely creates positive change.
Addressing them responsibly can.
At MacMartin, we combine behavioural science, academic evidence and creative communication to help organisations influence behaviour ethically and effectively.
Because responsible communication is not about saying less.
It is about saying the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, to help people make better decisions and create lasting social impact.
