UNDP
Uruguay
With the understanding that greater awareness could favor behavioral changes that help contain the spread of the pandemic, the Accelerator Lab of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uruguay carried out two experiments to test the following hypothesis: the use of media and specific messages aimed at different population groups contributes to raising awareness about individual and collective responsibility to control the spread of the Coronavirus. The first experiment disseminated two audiovisual campaigns that gained popularity globally (one emphasising “staying at home” and “being a hero”, the other focusing on the negative impact of participating in parties. In the second experiment, a letter was sent by post, between December 30th and 31st, along with a face mask. The mailing addresses in Montevideo were selected randomly. The letter, called “Your future self”, used positive messaging appealing to people's actions during the new year celebrations. Follow-up calls were made between January 5 and 6, 2021, to the treatment and control households to ask a series of questions. Both experiments evidenced the need for messaging to not just be clear, but timely and relevant.