Behavioral Insights Lab

We develop behavioral frameworks and theories of change and synthesize academic and gray literature to inform policy, communication, and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) design.  For example, in collaboration with the University of North Carolina, we developed a conceptual model that explains how front-of-package nutrient warnings influence consumer decision-making and can improve diets.

We conduct population-representative surveys (online, telephone, intercept, household, mixed mode) to assess attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that guide policy and communication decisions.

One example is a multi-country study conducted in 2024 across Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Kenya, and the Philippines using nationally representative telephone and household surveys. The study assessed perceptions of alcohol harms, government responsibility, industry interference, and support for alcohol taxation.

This study demonstrated that public concern about alcohol harms was high across all countries and that majorities supported alcohol taxation and expected government action, providing a strong mandate for advancing alcohol policy reforms.

We test and refine messages and creative concepts using a structured protocol and experimental methods to identify content that educates, motivates action, and encourages positive behavior change. Our research on smokers’ responses to television advertisements in ten low- and middle-income countries demonstrated how evidence can shape more impactful tobacco communication.

We also analyzed anti-speeding advertisements in seven cities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, finding that instructional messages—those that explain the risks of speeding and how to reduce them—were consistently rated as the most effective.

We analyze online news and social media to track narratives, identify risks and provide timely insights for advocacy and communication strategies. Our flagship Canary! Program is an AI-powered, expert-verified digital surveillance service that monitors online marketing of harmful products, uncovers hidden and deceptive campaigns, and provides stakeholders with dashboards of powerful, actionable data.

Our content analysis of Colombian media coverage on road safety demonstrated the value of media engagement in strengthening road safety strategies. The findings highlighted opportunities for future efforts, including emphasizing human stories and reducing reliance on terms like “accident” that suggest inevitability.

We evaluate communication campaigns using pre-post surveys, exposure analysis, mixed-methods and cost-effectiveness assessments to determine what works and why Our work helps partners design smarter, more impactful interventions and ensure resources are used efficiently. We share findings through accessible reports, case studies and publications.

For example, our cost-effectiveness evaluation of a smokeless tobacco mass-media campaign in India demonstrated how rigorous assessment can quantify real-world impact. The study found that the campaign drove large-scale behavior change—resulting in millions of additional quit attempts, hundreds of thousands of permanent quits, and more than 120,000 deaths prevented—all at exceptionally low cost. Even under conservative assumptions, the campaign remained highly cost-effective.

In South Africa, we evaluated the “Are You Drinking Yourself Sick?” campaign using pre- and post-campaign household surveys with 2,000 adults. The campaign achieved high recall and significantly improved knowledge of the health harms of sugary drinks while increasing public support for government action, including a proposed tax on sugary drinks—demonstrating the role of media campaigns in obesity-prevention strategies.

We produce clear, evidence-based papers, reports, briefs and communication materials that translate complex behavioral insights into accessible, high-quality written products for policy and public audiences.  This includes nearly 60 peer-reviewed papers to data that have contributed to the science and practice of health promotion. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified the psychosocial determinants of adherence to public health and social measures (PHSMs) in 18 African Union Member States. The findings highlighted for policymakers the importance of factoring psychosocial factors—especially trust in authorities and institutions—into effective public health responses.

We also produce accessible technical briefs, including a recent analysis of industry interference in public health. That study examined alcohol industry–sponsored drink-driving campaigns and found that they often glamorized drinking, downplayed risks, and failed to follow evidence-based best practices—highlighting the need for independent, research-driven public health advertising.

We design and deliver tailored training programs, workshops and materials. Our offerings include detailed explainers and “How-to” guides, equipping stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to effectively leverage behavioral insights. In both Brazil and Colombia in 2025, we convened multisectoral roundtables bringing together government officials, academic experts, enforcement agencies, and communication professionals to build shared understanding of how behavioral research can inform road safety strategies.

In São Paulo, more than 30 high-level officials engaged with message-testing insights from motorcyclists and explored opportunities to better understand vulnerable road users. A similar roundtable in Colombia brought together local agencies and researchers to examine social and behavioral drivers of road safety and identify ways to integrate these insights into policy and communication planning.

These engagements strengthened cross-sector collaboration among state agencies, local researchers, BIGRS embedded staff, and Vital Strategies teams—enhancing partners’ ability to design and implement evidence-based interventions that save lives on the roads.