Word of Mouth Research

Welcome

We are a social research agency working on a wide range of public policy areas.

We are committed to using our skills and expertise in research for public good.

We look forward to hearing from you.
Citizen orientation

Citizen orientation means putting the citizen at the heart of decision making.

We conduct research that begins and ends with people.

We bring together our expertise from academic research, market research and social marketing to inform policy makers, service providers and campaigners about how to design and target programmes effectively.
Finding out what works

We provide a wide range of research services – including reviewing and synthesising research evidence, survey research and qualitative research – together with research commissioning support.

We conduct research with professionals and the public.

Underpinning all our research is a commitment to critical analysis and identifying solutions based on evidence.
Barriers and facilitators to behaviour change

Behaviour change interventions require an understanding of the factors that prevent or help people adopt ‘desired’ behaviours.

People often do not behave rationally. Simply telling them to adopt healthy behaviours – is unlikely to work.

We aim to identify the competition factors, like producers and retailers of unhealthy products and the psychological barriers – like the pleasure derived from unhealthy behaviours. We also target the ‘exchange‘ factors – what people will have to give up in order to gain a benefit.
Targeting interventions

Interventions and services need to be tailored and targeted to offer the best chance of success.

One size definitely does not fit all.

Segmentations identify clusters of groups that share key attitudinal and behavioural attributes – and means of reaching them. We have conducted several segmentations of the general public to target interventions on health for the Department of Health, and on messages for the BBC Digital Switchover scheme.
Evaluating impact

Evaluation is essential – both in the development of interventions, and in order to discover whether interventions have the intended impacts.

We conducted in depth formative evaluation with blind and partially sighted people to inform RNIB’s strategy on access to newspapers and magazines.

We have pioneered the use of experimental research designs to assess the impact of social interventions. We worked with the Prison Health Service to assess the impact of a Music4Messages CD aimed at preventing the spread of hepatitis C infection among young offenders.
Public engagement

We are experienced organisers of public consultations, and offer expertise in a range of engagement tools – from one off community events to patients panels, citizens juries and citizens councils.

We conducted a citizens enquiry into health inequalities for the National Social Marketing Centre that informed the Marmot Commission’s work on health inequalities.

We currently facilitate NICE’s Citizens Council, which debates and reports on a wide range of moral and ethical issues of relevance to NICE.

Word of Mouth Research specialises in social research, public health and social policy analysis. Our approach focuses on providing clients with high level research expertise to enable them to make evidence based decisions.

We aim to improve the health and well being of socially disadvantaged groups, and to ensure that the voices of these groups are heard by decision makers. Our work is informed by our collective knowledge and expertise built over twenty years in academic research, public health, market research and social marketing.

We have pioneered innovative approaches to social research – in areas as diverse as HIV prevention among gay men, to evaluations of national mass media campaigns to change behaviour and to ‘customer journey mapping’ to improve the transport and shopping experiences of blind and partially sighted people.

We offer a wide range of research services – including reviewing and synthesising research evidence, survey research and qualitative research – together with research commissioning support. Underpinning all our research is a commitment to critical analysis and identifying solutions based on evidence.

Our experience involves working with Government departments, national charities, the NHS and a wide range of organisations responsible for public health. Please contact Adam or Dominic to discuss how we may be able to assist you.

Links

Children's views on cigarette packaging..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_z-4S8iicc&feature=player_embedded#!

Word of Mouth Research Ltd – Company No. 6923023