Key Takeaways
- Communications campaigns grounded in human values are more effective at engaging stakeholders and driving action.
- Associations face unique messaging challenges, but the same principles that drive successful consumer campaigns apply: clarity, empathy, and trust.
- Heart+Mind Strategies’ POV — persuade with reason, motivate through emotion — is a proven framework for campaign success.
- The American Gaming Association’s “Play Smart from the Start” campaign unified the gaming industry around responsible gaming through strategic messaging and a new brand platform.
- AARP’s “Pause. Reflect. Protect.” campaign empowered consumers to fight fraud with a memorable behavioral tool, supported by a comprehensive strategy brief.
- Both campaigns were built using values-based research to uncover emotional and rational drivers of behavior.
- Heart+Mind’s proprietary tools help clients test messaging, develop strategy, and activate positioning that resonates.
- Values-driven communications campaigns consistently deliver measurable impact, award-winning results, and lasting audience connection.
In an age of misinformation, AI-generated content, and fractured attention spans, associations face a growing challenge: how to communicate effectively with their stakeholders. The answer isn’t louder messaging or flashier visuals. It’s human values.
From fraud prevention to responsible gaming, today’s most impactful communications campaigns are those that persuade with reason and motivate through emotion. And they’re built on a foundation of values-based research — the kind Heart+Mind Strategies has pioneered for decades.
Let’s explore how two recent campaigns — from the American Gaming Association and AARP — prove that values-driven messaging isn’t just effective. It’s essential.
Associations Aren’t Selling Products — They’re Selling Trust
Associations operate in a different communications landscape than consumer brands. Their audiences are often highly involved in an industry, an issue, or shared professional interest. They’re not buying a product — they’re buying into a cause, a community, or a shared belief system.
That’s why associations must communicate with clarity, empathy, and credibility. Whether it’s public education, advocacy, or behavior change, the stakes are high — and the margin for error is slim.
But here’s the twist: the principles that make a consumer ad effective — emotional resonance, values alignment, and simplicity — are exactly the same ones that make association communications campaigns powerful.
Heart+Mind’s POV: Persuade with Reason, Motivate Through Emotion
At Heart+Mind Strategies, we believe that the most impactful communications campaigns are built on a simple but powerful maxim:
Persuade by reason. Motivate with emotion.
This isn’t just philosophy — it’s a proven framework. Our values-based research approach uncovers the emotional and rational drivers behind human decision-making. When communications campaigns tap into these drivers, they connect deeply and drive real-world action.
Let’s look at two recent examples that prove the point.
Case Study 1: American Gaming Association – “Play Smart from the Start”
Responsible gaming (RG) is a critical issue for the gaming industry. But messaging around RG was fragmented, confusing, and often ignored. Some AGA members had launched their own initiatives, creating further dissonance. People didn’t understand RG — and many didn’t trust it.
Heart+Mind conducted one-on-one interviews with RG experts and focus groups with bettors to understand how they think and feel about responsible gaming. We discovered that most consumers saw RG as self-restriction — not betting more than they could afford. Few understood it as being informed, playing legally, or recognizing industry safeguards. Worse, many believed the industry was trying to create problem gamblers.
The solution? Reframe RG as a proactive, empowering choice — not a limitation. Our consulting and strategist team developed a new brand platform, including a new tagline, messaging and pillars to support effective activation. The winning tagline — “Play Smart from the Start” — became the industry standard. It was rapidly adopted by AGA members and now leads all RG communications.
Visit: playsmartfromthestart.org
This communications campaign didn’t just raise awareness. It unified an industry around a shared, human-centered message — one that speaks to both the heart and mind.
Case Study 2: AARP Fraud Watch Network – “Pause. Reflect. Protect.”
Americans lost a record-breaking $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 — a 25% increase from the previous year. AI-driven scams are becoming harder to detect, and over 95 million Americans were vulnerable simply by responding to unknown contacts.
AARP needed a universal, actionable way to help consumers recognize and respond to fraud — something as memorable and effective as “Stop, Drop and Roll.”
Heart+Mind gathered input from global experts, law enforcement, educators, and linguists. We identified three universal fraud triggers: unexpected contact, emotional manipulation, and urgency.
Then we tested messaging across generations to find what would stick. The result was an impactful Strategy Brief, designed for AARP marketing-communications use. This Strategy Brief resulted in a simple, powerful mnemonic: Pause. Reflect. Protect.
The central idea of an “active pause” encourages consumers to step back, think critically, and regain control before acting. The campaign gave consumers a behavioral tool — not just information. It transformed a moment of vulnerability into a moment of strength.
Visit: Pause. Reflect. Protect.
This wasn’t just a PSA. It was a values-driven intervention that’s helping millions protect themselves and their loved ones.
Why These Communications Campaigns Work
Both campaigns succeeded because they were built on human values:
- Empathy: Understanding the emotional context of the audience.
- Clarity: Delivering a simple, memorable message.
- Trust: Positioning the organization as a credible, values-driven leader.
These values were uncovered through rigorous research — not guesswork. And they were translated into strategic frameworks and messaging that speaks to both the heart and the mind.
The Role of Values-Based Research
At Heart+Mind Strategies, we use our suite of proprietary research solutions focused on human values to uncover what truly matters to people. We don’t just ask what they think — we explore why they think it.
This approach helps us:
- Identify emotional and rational drivers of behavior
- Test messaging for resonance and memorability
- Develop the strategy and set of tools to activate the optimal positioning and messaging
- Build campaigns that feel personal, relevant, and actionable
It’s why our clients — from AGA to AARP — consistently launch campaigns that win awards, shift perceptions, and drive measurable impact.
Join Us: Communications Campaigns That Connect
Want to learn how to build campaigns like these? Join us for Heart+Mind’s upcoming Connections Roundtable:
Communications Campaigns that Connect: The Power of Human Values
September 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET
Hosted by Mike Dabadie, CEO of Heart+Mind Strategies
Featuring:
- Kate Wik, CMO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority – “Not Invited”
- James Katsounis, Marketing Executive, CFP Board – “It’s Gotta Be a CFP®”
- Donna Grove, Executive Director, Paper and Packaging Board – “How Life Unfolds”
Discover how values-based research drives award-winning campaigns — and how you can apply these insights to your own work.
Register here: JOIN US!
