KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Human values are the foundation of effective communications campaigns.
- Las Vegas’ “Not Invited” campaign used emotional energy to reframe business travel and drive ROI.
- The CFP Board’s “It’s Gotta Be a CFP®” campaign balanced humor and trust to boost awareness and preference.
- Paper & Packaging’s “How Life Unfolds” campaign used storytelling and character-driven creative to elevate product relevance.
- Heart+Mind’s research guided each campaign’s messaging strategy, uncovering emotional drivers and values.
- All three campaigns achieved measurable impact, including double-digit lifts in awareness, preference, and engagement.
- Las Vegas and CFP Board campaigns are finalists for the 2025 ARF David Ogilvy Award.
- Values-based messaging leads to emotional resonance, brand differentiation, and industry recognition.
- Research isn’t just a checkpoint—it’s the launchpad for campaigns that connect and convert.
Why Human Values Are the Missing Link in Messaging Strategy
When it comes to communications campaigns, most marketers start with the obvious: audience demographics, media channels, and creative assets. But what if the real power lies deeper—in the values that drive human behavior?
At Heart+Mind Strategies, we believe that persuasion begins with reason and is powered by emotion. That’s why our approach to messaging strategy starts with understanding the human values that shape decisions. In our recent roundtable, “Communications Campaigns That Connect: The Power of Human Values,” three standout campaigns showed how this approach leads to breakthrough results.
Let’s explore how Las Vegas, CFP Board, and the Paper and Packaging Board used values-based research to transform their messaging—and what you can learn from their success.
WATCH ON DEMAND: Communications Campaigns that Connect: The Power of Human Values
Las Vegas “Not Invited” Campaign: Turning Energy into ROI
Post-pandemic, Las Vegas faced a steep decline in business travel. With over 150,000 hotel rooms to fill, leisure tourism alone wasn’t enough. The meetings and conventions (M&C) segment—30% of overall visitation—needed a bold new strategy.
The competitive landscape was saturated with rational messaging: square footage, accessibility, logistics. Las Vegas needed to stand out. But how do you sell a city known for entertainment as a serious business destination?
Heart+Mind’s research revealed a powerful insight: Las Vegas energizes attendees, sparking creativity and engagement. Meeting planners and C-suite executives said their teams “think differently” in Vegas. That emotional benefit became the foundation for the “Not Invited” campaign.
Kate Wik, CMO of LVCVA, explained how this insight from the research helped them pivot from rational messaging to emotional storytelling, “We leaned into the brand benefit, the emotional benefit, the energy, the excitement… That actually proved to be the accelerator this segment needed.”
The campaign flipped the industry narrative. Instead of playing it safe, Las Vegas went bold: “Average is not invited.” The creative positioned mediocrity as the enemy and innovation as the guest of honor.
The campaign’s success was undeniable: double-digit perception lifts, reduced concerns about distraction, and finalist status for the ARF David Ogilvy Award.
- 27-point lift in perception that “more business gets done in Vegas” among executives
- 43-point drop in concern about distraction among meeting planners
- Substantial increase in RFP submissions
- Finalist for the 2025 ARF David Ogilvy Award
From podcasts and endemic media to a high-profile launch at IMEX, the campaign reached planners where they live. Custom creative units and site takeovers amplified the message.
“We are a bold, confident brand, and so we went completely provocative, turned the entire industry, sort of flipped it.” —Kate Wik
CFP Board “It’s Gotta Be a CFP®” Campaign: Humor Meets Trust
Financial planning is serious business. But with a sea of designations, consumers struggled to understand what made a CFP® professional different.
The challenge was emotional. People felt uncertain, even anxious, about who to trust with their finances. The campaign needed to cut through that tension and build confidence.
Heart+Mind helped the CFP Board develop a brand promise: “Confidence today for a more secure tomorrow.” The creative team used humor to highlight high-risk situations—like surgery or electrical work—where credentials matter. The punchline? “It’s gotta be a CFP®.”
James Katsaounis of the CFP Board shared how qualitative research shaped their humorous yet trust-driven campaign, “We met with focus groups across the country… and we learned quickly that people take their finances seriously. So we had to find the right balance of humor and trust.”
The campaign struck a balance between levity and trust. It didn’t mock finances—it made the case for professional standards with a memorable rhythm and relatable scenarios. The campaign’s creative tension—uncertainty followed by relief—mirrored real-life financial decision-making. And it worked. Unaided brand awareness more than doubled, preference quadrupled, and intent to use a CFP® tripled.
- Unaided awareness doubled since 2011
- Preference for a CFP® quadrupled
- Intent to use a CFP® tripled
- Finalist for the 2025 ARF David Ogilvy Award
From Wall Street Journal and NYT placements to grassroots ambassador efforts and social media, the campaign extended its reach across paid and earned media.
“We’re a drop in the bucket compared to other financial services firms, but we’ve moved the needle.” — James Katsaounis
Paper and Packaging “How Life Unfolds” Campaign: Making Products the Hero
Paper and packaging were losing relevance in a digital world. The initial campaign was well-loved but lacked brand clarity and triggered concerns about wastefulness.
Consumers didn’t know who was behind the ads. Worse, the messaging overwhelmed them with product visuals, unintentionally suggesting excess.
Heart+Mind conducted a rigorous values-based study. The result? Two distinct benefit pathways:
- Paper connects to accomplishment and achievement
- Packaging connects to safety and peace of mind
Donna Grove from the Paper & Packaging Board described how values-based research helped them overcome early messaging challenges, “We had to get down to the nitty-gritty around what were those key use scenarios for paper and the for paper-based packaging. And ultimately, we did have to separate our communications.”
The creative team introduced characters—Casey and Page—who brought these values to life. A box and a ream of paper became storytellers, visually communicating purpose and emotional benefit.
The campaign shifted from feel-good to values-driven. It elevated the product as the hero and made the consumer the protagonist. The Casey and Page characters helped shift the narrative from commodity to emotional utility, driving significant lifts in awareness, trust, and preference.
- 21% increase in unaided awareness
- 34% increase in aided awareness
- 13.5% lift in perception of the industry as innovative
- 12% increase in preference for paper over plastic packaging
- Core segment of “Expressives” grew from 28% to 36% of target audience
TV, digital, social, and ongoing tracking ensured the campaign stayed relevant and measurable.
“We had an emotionally compelling feel-good ad campaign that wasn’t moving the needle… then we moved to a values-based payoff with Casey and Page and had this bigger type of impact.” — Dee Allsop
RELATED: Why Communications Campaigns that Connect are Built on Human Values
The Power of Research: From Insight to Impact
Across all three campaigns, one theme stood out: research is the foundation of effective messaging strategy.
Heart+Mind’s human values research helped each organization:
- Understand their audience’s emotional drivers
- Identify the values that matter most
- Craft messaging that resonates and motivates
- Measure impact through perceptual shifts and KPIs
“For us, research is everything. You have to apply research in order to make sure that we’re going down a valid path, and we can’t just rely on hunches.” — Donna Grove
If you’re building a campaign, start with values, but don’t stop there. Use research to uncover what your audience truly believes, feels, and needs. Then build your strategy around those insights.
As the roundtable showed, research isn’t just a checkpoint, it’s the launchpad. And when paired with bold creative, it leads to campaigns that connect, convert, and inspire.
Like we say at Heart+Mind Strategies: persuade with reason, motivate through emotion. It’s not just about data—it’s about storytelling that connects.
And these these campaigns didn’t just connect—they converted. By aligning messaging with human values, they achieved:
- Emotional resonance
- Brand differentiation
- Measurable ROI
- Industry recognition
Whether you’re marketing a city, a certification, or a commodity, the lesson is clear: communications campaigns that connect are grounded in values.
Want to Build a Campaign That Connects?
If you’re ready to elevate your messaging strategy, Heart+Mind Strategies can help. Our research-driven approach uncovers the values that matter most to your audience and turns them into powerful communications campaigns.
Let’s create something that connects.