BrainFuel

"Must Listen for Everyone Working in or On Individual Change projects or Campaigns" Is blaming “individual willpower”  one of the industry’s most successful PR tactics.Why do our environments make the healthy choice so hard? And who profits when they do? In this powerful episode of the Behaviour Change Marketing Bootcamp Podcast, Ruth Dale sits down with Louis Bird, Principal in Public Health and national obstacle-course racer, to unpack the commercial determinants of health and what they mean for the everyday choices we think we’re making freely. Louis explains how industries like food, alcohol, tobacco, and fossil fuels shape our behaviour, our environments, and ultimately our health; often without us realising. And what you can do it about it at Local Authority level. This conversation shines a light on how power, profit and public health collide. But all is not lost. Louis shares his work in Swindon with tips on what you can do too. If you work in public health, health marketing, or behavioural science, this episode will change how you see your town, your life and the choices you make.    Quote from Lewis “When profit depends on harm, it’s not personal choice -  it’s structural design.”   Useful Links Transport for London - Food Advertising Regulations - NIHR Impact Study  - Easy Read  

Welcome to another episode of Brain Fuel! I’m so excited to share my conversation with Dr. Heather McKee, one of Europe’s leading lifestyle behaviour change specialists. Heather brings a wealth of experience in health psychology and digital health, and her insights are both practical and inspiring. In this episode, we explore the science of sustainable behaviour change, the promise and pitfalls of digital health, and how to make real, lasting improvements in our lives and organisations. Top 3 Takeaways: Intrinsic Motivation is Key: Real, lasting behaviour change comes from understanding and tapping into our intrinsic motivations—not just relying on external rewards or pressure. Implementation Over Information: Most of us know what we “should” do for our health; the real challenge is turning that knowledge into action. It’s not an information gap, it’s an implementation gap. Find Joy in Healthy Habits: Sustainable change is easier when we focus on the healthy habits we actually enjoy, rather than punishing ourselves or chasing short-term goals. Quote from Heather:“What we feed the mind is ultimately what becomes our behaviours. Be careful of what your media diet is, because what you consume, consumes you.” Book Recommendation:Heather recommends “Good Habits, Bad Habits” by Wendy Wood for a deep dive into the science of habits, and also gives a shoutout to “Atomic Habits” by James Clear for accessible, actionable advice. If you’re interested in behaviour change, digital health, or just want some inspiration for making positive changes in your own life, this episode is packed with insights and practical tips. As always, if you enjoyed the show, please like, share, or leave a review. And if you have a project or story to share, get in touch at brainfuel@hiddenvoicesheard.com I’d love to hear from you!

A very different episode with Sabine De-Ville Instead of talking about health Let's embody it. In all our behavioural insights work, there is one common theme - despite the subject. It also appeared again and again in our training. Your tired brain. Breathwork can be a game-changer.  Especially if you live meeting to meeting - Zoom call to Zoom call. The air is free, you can do it anytime, anywhere. Sabine has over 20 years of experience delivering breath work, mindfulness, and cognitive resets for tired brains.   Enjoy x

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Eleanor Stanley, a coach and communication specialist, about her inspiring work with Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS and the British Association of Retinal Screeners. Eleanor shared a powerful case study on using co-production and storytelling to increase attendance for diabetic eye screenings, especially among groups that are often harder to reach. We discussed the importance of authentic communication, the value of patient voices, and how even small-scale projects can drive real behavior change. Top 3 Takeaways: Co-production with clear roles is key: Involving patients directly in the creation of communication materials leads to more authentic and effective messaging, but it’s crucial to define everyone’s role and manage expectations, especially with limited resources. Storytelling drives behaviour change: Crafting a compelling narrative, rather than just sharing facts creates emotional engagement and helps audiences connect with the message on a deeper level. Measurable impact matters: Adding a patient story video to appointment reminders led to a 25% higher rebooking rate for diabetic eye screenings, demonstrating the real-world value of thoughtful communication interventions. Eleanor's Quote “You need to be very clear on your outcomes. You need to be measuring for results and all of that, but it’s so much nicer for you if you are doing it from a place of authenticity and also it’s so much more effective in what you can produce. It’s just people, and it can sound scary…but actually just one really good conversation with someone can just completely change everything.” Book Recommendation Eleanor recommends “The Advice Trap” by Michael Bungay Stanier. She highlights its focus on humility, curiosity, and changing the way you lead through better listening. Resonance Programme Resonance Programme is a bespoke journey for leaders and communicators ready to rethink how they show up at work and beyond. It is professional development - led by Eleanor - for mid-career senior leaders and communicators working in health social impact. Click here for more info.  Come on the show If you enjoyed this episode or have a case study to share, reach out at brainfuel@hiddenvoicesheard.com!

We explore the real reason why many health campaigns fail: a lack of clarity rooted in assumptions about the audience. Over the past few episodes, Ruth has walked us through how brains get overwhelmed, how decision fatigue kicks in, and how even well-meaning messages can backfire. This week’s episode brings it all together with a simple but powerful test: 👉 Do you really know your audience? 💡 Key Takeaways: Empathy fades under pressure: Deadlines and noise can push teams to default to generic messaging. The Clarity Test is your reminder to re-centre on people. Campaigns fail when insight is missing: If your work isn’t grounded in real understanding, you’ll see low engagement, low action, and lots of frustration. Assumptions ≠ empathy: Thinking you know your audience isn’t the same as truly understanding their world. Clarity is behavioural power: Clear minds craft better messages. Clarity isn’t a luxury — it’s a strategic asset.

In this episode, Ruth explores what happens when our brain’s decision-making battery runs flat — and why that matters deeply for health communication. Drawing on behavioural science concepts like ego depletion and bounded rationality, she shares how cognitive overload derails even the best campaigns. If your work relies on a calm, rational audience... it might be time to rethink. This one’s short, sharp, and designed to make you pause. Quote from the Episode: “Are we adding pressure to a depleted brain — or clearing the way for action?” What You'll Learn: What ego depletion actually is, and how it affects behaviour Why people don’t make ‘perfect’ decisions — and that’s okay The hidden mental cost of too many messages or choices How to design for clarity when your audience is distracted and overwhelmed Why It Matters: Health communication often assumes people are logical, focused, and ready to listen. But real-life decision-making doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it happens in a fog. Understanding the limits of mental energy can help you write, design, and plan with more compassion and impact. Takeaway: Clarity is a kindness. When you reduce the mental load for your audience, you reduce it for yourself too. 💌 Want the BrainFuel Breather ? Join us on Substack

Do Health Messages Nag or Nudge? In this episode of BrainFuel: The Clarity Series, Ruth dives into psychological reactance — the powerful force behind why people reject health advice (even the good kind). You'll learn: Why audiences push back (and how to stop pushing them) How clarity, tone, and choice impact trust Simple tweaks to make your message land better 🌬️ Want the BrainFuel Breather audio? → Join us on Substack 🎟️ Plus: Join our Social Norms Summer School on Aug 19 — only £49. Includes your Social Norms Starter Kit. → Grab your ticket

  Ever poured your heart into a health campaign only to see… crickets? You’re not alone. In this episode, Ruth dives into why clarity is the key to behaviour change — and why it’s so hard to find in a world of noise, deadlines, and overloaded brains (yes, yours too). We’re talking cognitive fatigue, irrational audiences, and the myth of "more info = better choices". 🎧 Plus, you'll hear: Why clarity starts with you — the communicator, strategist, planner How social norms quietly shape everything (and how to wield them with care) The secret sauce of choice architecture (used in canteens, emails & even inbox design!) An unfiltered behind-the-scenes peek into AI experiments gone wrong – including made-up research studies 😱 The BrainFuel Breathers: guided reset sessions just for you (yes, really) 🧠 Key Takeaways Audiences are overwhelmed. According to studies, we consume over 34GB of info a day — the equivalent of a million photos or 16 films daily. Design for this reality. Rational choice is a myth. If your strategy is built on “if they only knew,” you’re missing the behavioural science. You’re already nudging. Every piece of content you create shapes choices. Learn how to do it with intention (see: choice architecture). You need inner clarity too. Your ability to influence others is directly tied to how clear you are in your own thinking, purpose, and planning. 🛠️ Tools, Resources & Offers 🎟️ Mini Bootcamp: Social Norms Summer School → A 2-hour online masterclass on August 19th → Tools, case studies, evidence-based strategies → Only £49 | Free for Substack Yearly Subscribers 👉 Sign up now — doors close August 8th! 🧘 BrainFuel Breathers → Weekly audio reset sessions created with Sabine (breathwork facilitator & yoga teacher) → Exclusive to Substack subscribers → Subscribe here 📚 Mentioned Study: Click & Crunch Canteen Study – Australian high school experiment on menu design & healthy eating (via choice architecture) 🧪 Experiments, Mistakes & AI Misfires Ruth shares the truth about using AI in podcast production: Tried a chatbot co-host: fun but too chaotic Used AI for research: it made up studies (!) Takeaway? AI is powerful — but always, always fact-check 🗣️ Quote of the Episode “You’re already nudging — whether you mean to or not. Every message, every menu, every layout is shaping choice.” 🧭 Final Thought You’re not just delivering messages. You’re shaping behaviour, influencing decisions, and holding the power to make real change. But you can’t do that without clarity — for yourself and your audience. Stay kind. Stay curious. And give your brain a breather 💛 💌 Stay Connected → Subscribe: BrainFuel on Substack → Join the Mini Bootcamp: BehaviourChange.Marketing/Social → Connect on LinkedIn: Ruth Dale   These show notes were developed using Otter AI.

This episode was sparked by a newsletter. When Elina’s Artificial Thought landed in my inbox, it immediately lit a fire under a question I’d been sitting with: Where does AI fit in behaviour change work? I invited Elina onto BrainFuel — and this episode is where the conversation began. Together, we dive into the emerging relationship between behavioural science and artificial intelligence — not as hype, but as a thoughtful, grounded exploration of where we go from here. One of the biggest themes? Bias. And Spaniels. We explore how: AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and others inherit human bias, baked into training data and system design Behavioural science has its own blind spots, often shaped by the same cultural assumptions and power dynamics And why it’s not enough to be evidence-based — we have to stay curious, critical, and open to new ways of thinking Elina said something that stayed with me: "Behavioural science is all about looking for a problem to solve—even if that search sometimes leads us to frame challenges in ways that mirror our own biases." We also discuss how we’re using AI in our day-to-day work: ChatGPT and Claude as brainstorming buddies and thinking partners AI for creative workflows (like these show notes!) But never in analysis or insight work, where data sensitivity and confidentiality come first  In this episode: The risks and responsibilities of integrating AI into behaviour change How bias shows up in both datasets and frameworks The practical limits of AI in public health work Why we need more human judgment, not less 👉 If you do one thing - check Elina's newsletter Artificial Thought 

Today's episode continues exploring Social Marketing with Communications Strategy Consultant Neil Hopkins. Neil is also he founder of the Secret Social Marketers Club on LinkedIn. He has extensive experience in public service, particularly in road safety and local government communications.  Listen to the episode to as we explore what social marketing is (hint - not social media) where it sits in behaviour change. why it is the solution if you want to move beyond awareness raising campaigns Because Social Marketing: Empowers target audiences Shifts power dynamics from deficit-based to skills-boosting approaches Fcuses on understanding lived experiences We tackle industry challenges head on including  Disconnect between marketing, communications, and academic research Pressure on professionals to perform multiple roles Limited resources in public sector communications Quote from Neil: "Social marketing is the application of commercial marketing principles for those social good outcomes that result in behaviour change. It's using that understanding, based in understanding of people and rooted in empathy for those people as well, and what will work for them."   If you enjoyed this episode (and Nedra's last week) you could:- Join the Secret Social Marketers LinkedIn group- Attend World Social Marketing Conference (5-7 November in Alicante, Spain)- Attend the CIPR Ethics Webinar delivered through a social marketing lens Special Offer:Get 10% off the World Social Marketing Conference using discount code BRAINFUEL10 at www.wsmconference.com   p.s. for more on Social Marketing check out: E22 - The TITE Process - 4 steps to applying theory in social marketing E10. Don't engage too late! How to use social marketing concepts reward & exchange E8. Segmenting Your Audience Don't overcook then undercook your audience: Social marketing & segmentation