Icon Agency has announced its collaboration with RMIT’s Behavioural Business Lab (BBL) on social marketing, large-scale web development and behaviour change campaigns.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed this month, RMIT’s BBL will partner with Icon on joint bids for projects with social impact across digital, marketing and advertising disciplines.

The MOU reflects the growing importance of behavioural business and economics in integrated marketing
and communication, where insights-led targeting, testing and measurement of behavioural change are key.

In an Australian first, Icon will also apply the BBL’s research and methodology to major website builds and
user-experience design, effectively extending behavioural business into the web development sphere.

Icon Agency founding director, Christopher Dodds, said the application of behavioural economics insights
and research had the potential to transform current web development approaches along with traditional
behaviour change marketing.

Dodds commented: “This partnership is particularly noteworthy as it allows Icon to tap into the extensive data analysis and testing capabilities of the BBL when planning and implementing large-scale digital engagement platforms for government and organisations.

“We’re honoured and excited to be partnering with a research institution of BBL’s calibre and experience.
With our combined skills, we are looking forward to continuing to innovate Australian marketing and digital
practice in pursuit of positive social change.”

RMIT BBL chair, Dr Janneke Blijlevens, said the partnership was born after Icon saw Sans Forgetica, the
font designed to help people remember more of what they read – a collaboration between the BBL and RMIT
typography lecturer Stephen Banham last year.

Dr Blijlevens said: “As researchers, we’re focused on translating our insights into real-world impact. We’re especially grateful to be partnering with Icon so we’ll see our research insights come to life and, hopefully, have a positive impact shaping the world.

“The partnership combines our complementary knowledge and expertise in behavioural business research,
UX, digital design and communication.

“This will help us provide evidence and insights towards interventions that influence positive behaviour change, and allow us to design and deliver more impactful products and campaigns.”