University College London - Changing Minds

University College London

Changing Minds

 
 

Behavioural science has a lot to offer, but has also been used by some to promote dubious ideas. UCL Changing Minds want to help organisations avoid these pitfalls and harness the full power of behavioural science, transforming the way they work. We worked with UCL Changing Minds to help share what they do with the world.

The Brief

UCL Changing Minds have an expert team of behavioural science experts, ready to help businesses and organisations improve how they work.

It’s a crowded field however and includes pop science that doesn’t always provide the full story. UCL Changing Minds asked us to create an explainer video that promoted their services and highlighted the importance of evidence-based expertise.

Our team ran with this brief, creating a script and story-map that balanced sharing the skillset and credentials of UCL Changing Minds with raising awareness about the issues caused by less rigorously researched or evidence based behavioural science.

The Explainer Video

Bringing the brief to life, our creative team used visual thinking that transformed the messages of UCL Changing Minds into relatable and engaging storytelling, illustrations and metaphors.

We only had one minute to explain who UCL Changing Minds are, what they do and to establish their expertise, and highlight issues with some widely known popular behavioural science. Fortunately, sharing a lot of information quickly is one of whiteboard animation’s strengths. By working in partnership, the voiceover, visual thinking and animation rose to this challenge.

Visual metaphors like mazes filled with dead ends highlighted the way less well researched behavioural science often promised a lot but didn’t deliver while visual language like keys and locks highlighted how UCL Changing Minds can unlock the potential offered by behavioural science.

Humour, characters and cultural references play an important role in any whiteboard animation, and UCL’s whiteboard video was no exception. The characters reflected the experience of UCL’s target audience, while references like ‘fudge’ nodded to aspects of the behavioural science field viewers might recognise.

As the animation unfolded, it explained who UCL Changing Minds are and established their expertise, and its value, compared with other well-known but less researched sources. With these essential facts in place, the time was right to share the services UCL Changing Minds and the ways they can benefit an organisation.

This was all tied together with a call to action, transferring the engagement and energy of this whiteboard animation into enquiries and further action.

The Client  

By working UCL Changing Minds, you get insights from academics and experts at the cutting edge of behavioural science. They offer workshops in-person and remotely that tackle the challenges organisations face - from insights into how to create high-performing teams and influencing others to changing workplace cultures and understanding clients. Every workplace is different, and these can be tailored to the challenges you face.

The Context

Find out more about UCL Changing Minds and the courses on their website.

To turn your complex idea into a whiteboard animation, contact us or book a creative consultation today.

We Are Cognitive are award-winning pioneers of whiteboard animation, and the creators behind the RSA Animates series. We help corporate, academic and charitable organisations like the BBC, TED, Coca Cola and Sanofi to tell their stories more powerfully.