Aligning Ads With Consumer Values Lift Engagement And Results.

A new study from WARC and Aletheia Marketing and Media shows that campaigns built around deeply held consumer values deliver stronger results across every key advertising metric. The research, “Unlocking the Value of Values-Driven Marketing” — published in partnership with LIONS Advisory — introduces a new model and playbook showing how aligning creative and targeting with audience values can significantly boost ad performance.

Values-Driven Marketing (VDM) refers to campaigns grounded in fundamental human motivations, often unspoken, that shape how people think, feel and act. These deep-rooted drivers predict how individuals respond to marketing stimuli. According to the study, VDM can lift ad preference by as much as 123 points compared to a 100-point average, with ads aligned to a person’s dominant values consistently outperforming generic messaging.

“Understanding the motivation behind audience behavior and finding ways to inspire action is critical,” Imaad Ahmed, Principal Strategist, LIONS Advisory and Head of Advisory, WARC, said in the report. “We now have evidence showing what a values-driven approach can offer and how to apply it across audiences, media, messaging and measurement.”

The findings are based on controlled testing conducted in July 2025 with 5,016 U.S. adults. Participants were classified into three primary “ValuesTypes,” achievement, purpose, and tradition, and shown 27 unique, unbranded AI-generated ads designed with strong values signals. The ads spanned three product categories: consumer packaged goods (toothpaste), quick-service restaurants (pizza), and financial services (brokerage/advisory).

Across all categories, ads that matched an individual’s dominant values were consistently preferred. For example, participants classified as “Achievement” types were 17 percentage points more likely to choose achievement-aligned ads over other executions. Purpose-based ads in QSR and CPG scored 27 points above average, while achievement-aligned financial services ads performed 28 points above average.

The research also found that the strength of someone’s values predicts response levels. Consumers strongly oriented toward achievement and purpose gravitated toward matching messages, while those guided by tradition were most likely to reject ads that conflicted with their beliefs. Aligning messaging with audience values increased ad likability and perceived relevance across all three value groups, with achievement-aligned ads rated 12–18 points above average and purpose-aligned ads rated 8–11 points above average.

Beyond creative resonance, the study shows that incorporating values into targeting dramatically improves media effectiveness. When combined with demographic data, values targeting increased predictability by 75% for Achievement types, 83% for Tradition types, and a striking 193% for Purpose types.

“The most effective marketing is built on deep human understanding,” Alisa Miller, Chief AI Officer at Aletheia, remarked. “This research proves that when audiences are defined by their values and messaging is precisely aligned, ads perform significantly better.”

A new model introduced in the report blends behavioral science and artificial intelligence to help marketers overcome attention scarcity, sharpen targeting, and deepen emotional resonance. By anchoring campaigns in what truly matters to people, brands can build trust, strengthen engagement, and drive conversions.

“We’ve seen it repeatedly with clients,” said Chris Schembri, Founder and CEO of Aletheia. “When brands connect with people around what truly matters to them, engagement deepens and conversions follow.”

The findings position Values-Driven Marketing as a scalable, repeatable and performance-proven discipline for modern marketers. As brands grapple with declining attention and rising skepticism, aligning creative and targeting with human values offers a powerful path to making advertising more relevant, resonant and effective.