Anglian Water spent more than £7 million each year tackling blockages caused by customers putting fats, oils, greases, sanitary towels and face wipes down sinks and toilets. It needed a behaviour change campaign to tackle the problem quickly and transform behaviours for the long-term. We started by harnessing deep insight to identify the big behavioural goals, like persuading restaurants to stop pouring fats into kitchen sinks, and convincing domestic customers to drop unflushables in the bin, not down the pan. We then defined the strategic priorities and activities that would help make it easier for audiences to act: from personalised direct mails and one-to-one chats, to a town-centre event with projection-mapped film.
We brought it all to life with the ‘Keep it Clear’ campaign and brand. Its warm and engaging illustrative style and friendly tone was delivered across a mix of broadcast, print and digital materials. The campaign really captured the hearts and minds of its audiences, cutting average sewer blockages by 59% across eight target areas. In contrast, towns without the campaign saw blockages actually increase by 6% in the same period. Keep it Clear also continues to reap financial dividends, with a year-on-year fall in sewer blockages and reduced clean-up bill saving Anglian Water nearly £4 million since 2015.