3 Things you might not know about working with celebrities on social issues

Nicholas Goodwin1 Comment

When Fu Yuanhui, the Chinese swimmer at the Rio Olympic Games, talked about her menstruation as a performance factor, she was the latest in a long line of celebrities playing a role in social and behavior change. In contrast to product promotion, involving celebrities in social campaigns can be even more complicated. But the good news is celebrities can also be very effective. Not only do they attract attention to an issue, e.g. climate change, but the involvement of a celebrity can provide a model for change that enables us to learn a new behavior, like recycling. So how does this work?Continue reading 3 Things you might not know about working with celebrities on social issues

Happy 17 August! Is Indonesia’s Mental Revolution under control?

Nicholas GoodwinLeave a comment

Tomorrow Indonesia celebrates 71 years of independence, during which time its citizens have enjoyed many freedoms. Every year, as the nation prepares to celebrate its birth, many question the health of its political, social and community life. There are those who lament the changing social and cultural norms that appear to undermine traditional community values, citing everything from Pokemon Go obsession to the rise in teenage pregnancies as proof of a deterioration in the national spirit. To address this, the government has responded with a ‘Mental Revolution’ campaign, urging change not just in attitude or behavior, but in the values that underpin society. But can it work?Continue reading Happy 17 August! Is Indonesia’s Mental Revolution under control?

Amnesti Pajak: Kamu bangga atau takut?

Nicholas GoodwinLeave a comment

Banyak orang yang tidak tertarik membahas pajak, namun ini penting karena tanpa uang pajak, negara tidak bisa melaksanakan program pembangunan. Setiap hari kita temukan pembahasan mengenai program amnesti pajak (tax amnesty), entah itu dalam berita televisi, kolom ekonomi atau melalui status media sosial. Namun belum jelas seberapa efektif peran pemerintah untuk menyukseskan program amnesti pajak ini, khususnya jika kita lihat alasan seseorang mau mengubah perilakunya.Continue reading Amnesti Pajak: Kamu bangga atau takut?

Fasting and its impact on Indonesian eating habits: myth and reality

Nicholas GoodwinLeave a comment

The change in behavior during Ramadhan not only affects the way people spend their money. In Indonesia, as the country with the largest number of Muslims, Ramadhan is the time for families, friends and relatives to gather to break the fast together (in Indonesian it is called ‘Buka Bersama’ or ’BukBer’). So, of course, Ramadhan also changes eating habits. Nielsen conducted research in Indonesia in 2011 and found that during Ramadhan, Indonesians behave the same way as people in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. They spend more on food.Continue reading Fasting and its impact on Indonesian eating habits: myth and reality