Citizens Forum Extension Wave 1 – Drought Message Testing

Earlier this year, we published the results of our first Citizens’ Forum research projects.

We wanted to involve citizens in further research to shape our future communications, and this research specifically focuses on drought awareness. We gathered insights from a group of individuals who had already participated in research between 2022-23.

The aim was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our draft drought communications, including messaging, imagery, messengers and channels, and to provide additional feedback to support the development of our communications – such as on specific target audiences.

Key findings from our research

• Half of the participants believe that the UK doesn’t have enough water to meet daily demands, with only 1 in 4 thinking there is enough to match demand.
• Over two thirds of respondents anticipated a hosepipe ban in their area during the summer.
• The success of drought messaging relies on instilling a sense of urgency and belief in the need to take action. Participants expressed a preference for a serious, urgent tone of voice, emphasising the ‘why’ factor.
• Consumers welcome messages that include water-saving tips or activities to enable people to act or remind them to be water conscious.

We have already used the findings from our Citizens’ Forum to make changes to CCW’s drought campaign, including improving the accompanying imagery, making the language more urgent and impactful, and making it clearer where consumers can go to find more information online.