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WARC research shows campaigns that embed Values-Driven Marketing unlock ad preference, likeability, relevance and performance

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5 months ago

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WARC
  • VDM can uplift ad preference up to 123 points vs. a 100-point average
  • Ads aligned with an individual’s dominant Values consistently win preference
  • Stronger Values drive stronger responses
  • Values-aligned messaging boosts ad likability and relevance
  • Including Values in the targeting mix increases media effectiveness

5,000 US adults surveyed on Values-aligned adsNew WARC x Aletheia research by LIONS Advisory: Unlocking the value of Values-Driven Marketing introduces a new model and playbook for marketers on how VDM can improve advertising effectiveness

October 16, 2025 – The ‘Values’ in Values-Driven Marketing (VDM), as defined by Behavorial Science, refer to desirable – although often unarticulated – motivations that shape how people think and act. They are deep-rooted drivers of consumer behavior and are predictive of how individuals will respond to marketing stimuli.

‘Unlocking the value of Values-Driven Marketing’ is landmark research published today by WARC x Aletheia Marketing and Media brought to you by LIONS Advisory, highlighting the potential of VDM. It validates that VDM leads to meaningful lifts in ad preference, likability, perceived relevance and performance. It shows how VDM enables brands to drive higher ad performance through optimized targeting, media and messaging decisions.

Imaad Ahmed, Principal Strategist, LIONS Advisory and Head of Advisory WARC, says: “Understanding the motivation behind audience behavior and finding ways to inspire action is critical. Alongside our partners at Aletheia, we have the evidence to show what a Values-driven approach can offer and how to apply it in the real world across audiences, media, messaging and measurement. The opportunity is compelling.”

Alisa Miller, Chief AI Officer, Aletheia, Co-Founder, Pluralytics and Lead Inventor, AI VDM Patent, says: “The most effective marketing is built on deep human understanding. This research proves that when audiences are defined by their values and messaging is precisely aligned, ads perform significantly better. Values-Driven Marketing is emerging as a scalable, repeatable and performance-proven discipline for modern marketers in an era of Agentic AI.”

Chris Schembri, Founder and CEO, Aletheia, says: “We’ve spent years exploring how values shape marketing performance, and this research confirms what we’ve seen with our clients time and again: when brands connect with people around what truly matters to them, engagement deepens and conversions follow. Consistently delivering the right message to the right audience—grounded in authenticity and shared values—is what transforms marketing into a force for meaningful connection and growth.”

New research: The dynamics of Values-Driven Marketing

Using controlled testing, the research takes a deep-dive into how audiences perceive and react to VDM.

Research objectives
(1) do people respond to VDM in similar ways regardless of category, (2) is the degree to which someone holds a particular Value predictive of response levels, (3) can the different creative factors contributing to the effectiveness of VDM be isolated, (4) does VDM drive both short- and long-term brand demand.

Methodology
The six Values that most directly influence brand affinity, purchasing decisions and loyalty, and therefore are of greatest relevance to marketers, are: achievement, freedom, pleasure, purpose, security and tradition.A total of 27 unique unbranded AI-generated ads with strong Values Signals were created for three categories covering consumers’ needs and wants: CPG (represented by toothpaste); QSR (a pizza restaurant); and Financial Services (investment brokerage / advisory).

In July 2025, 5,016 US adults across demographics were assigned to one of three ValuesTypes – achievement, purpose and tradition – and surveyed on ad preference and effectiveness.

Headline findings

#1 Ads that align with an individual’s dominant Values are consistently preferred:

Achievement ValuesTypes were 17pp more likely to prefer an Achievement-aligned ad than other executions they were exposed to.

#2 Values-Driven Marketing is effective across categories:

Purpose within QSR and CPG categories were both +27pp above average; in financial services, achievement ads were +28pp and tradition ads +8pp above average.

#3 The strength of Values held by someone predicts the level of response:

Strong Achievement and Purpose consumers gravitated towards ads with matching values. While Tradition-oriented respondents were the most likely to avoid ads that conflict with those Values.

#4 Values-aligned messaging increases ad likability and perceived relevance:

Using ad resonance rating, AchievementTypes rated achievement ads +12pp to +18pp above average, PurposeTypes rated purpose ads +8pp to +11pp; and TraditionTypes rated tradition ads +2pp to +4pp.

#5 Including Values in the targeting mix increases media effectiveness:

Analysis of the research shows that demographics have some predictive power: AchievementTypes had a 75% uplift in predictability once Values were combined with demographic targeting; TraditionTypes had an 83% uplift, and PurposeTypes a 193% uplift in predictability.

A new model of how Values-Driven Marketing improves advertising effectiveness

Following the research, a new model combining behavioral science and artificial intelligence, shows how VDM can improve advertising effectiveness to help brands overcome attention scarcity, establish relevance, spark emotional resonance and target with precision to drive higher results.Operationalizing Values-Driven Marketing: A new playbook for brands

There are four areas of focus for marketers wanting to put VDM into practice:

Audience intelligence
Use Values-based research to identify priority segments and incremental opportunities, underlying consumer needs and wants, and competitor mapping.

Media intelligence
Use Values-driven targeting to maximize reach and optimize frequency, analyse placement and partnership opportunities, and include performance modeling capabilities.

Messaging intelligence
For a significant competitive edge, align Values-driven messaging with key audience motivations and brand business KPIs, and implement real-time testing capabilities for content optimization.

Impact intelligence
Values-driven marketing can help create and refine short- and longer-term benchmarks, evaluate actual versus predicted performance, and establishes continuous feedback loops to maximize campaign effectiveness.About Values-Driven Marketing

VDM drives performance uplifts of 1.8X to 2X on average

Brands strongly aligned with the Values that matter most to their audience build trust and foster deeper, lasting connections – especially when supported by ownable, memorable brand assets that consistently show up coherently across all touchpoints.

The research found that by transmitting the right signals to the right ValuesType drives performance uplifts of 1.8X to 2X on average.

Jennifer Posnikoff, SVP, Global Brand Growth and Experience, Virgin, says: “If you get Values right, you build long-term brand equity while still delivering short-term performance.”

Values-Driven Marketing responds to changes in the consumer, shopper and media landscapes

Heightened competition, growing ROI pressures and the constant requirement to do more with less mean marketers need to make more accurate media choices and better-informed messaging decisions.

Brands that apply VDM can better respond to shifts in:

Consumer’s decision-making criteria
Brand trust is now a critical competitive advantage. VDM creates the emotional resonance that builds this trust. Ipsos research shows people that buy brands that reflect their personal values has risen from 53% in 2023 to 69% in 2024.

Shopper behaviors
Brands on social platforms and retail media networks are intent on reducing the path-to-purchase time. VDM works across impulse and considered purchases by delivering clear, compelling signals tailored to consumer motivations by triggering emotional responses, stimulating interest and de-risking purchase decisions.

Media environments
In recent years there has been a shift towards ‘performance’ channels. WARC research outlined in ‘The Multiplier Effect’ shows switching from a performance-only to combined brand-building strategies boosts total revenue by a median of 90%. VDM provides additional unifying force by focusing on audience motivations.

Values-Driven Marketing delivers strategic and executional benefits

VDM in marketing, and the insights from Behavioral Science that underpin it, is an emerging practice with clear advantages: it provides unified answers to the fundamental questions of “who are we targeting?”, “what do we want to stand for?” and “how will we achieve our goals?”These strategic benefits can be translated into day-to-day execution. AI-powered advances in audience profiling, media targeting, messaging analysis and impact measurement, enable brands to operationalize VDM at scale.

The full report is available to read here. A relatively new discipline, the study outlines why VDM is a valuable addition to the marketing toolbox, features case studies of brands that are successfully applying VDM, and how to apply VDM to maximise effectiveness. A WARC podcast with Aletheia will follow with a deep-dive into the research findings.

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Sierra Leone’s PDSL to Host Strategic Investor Roundtable at Paris Energy Forum

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1 day ago

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March 24, 2026

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Energy Capital

The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone will lead a targeted roundtable at Invest in African Energy 2026, spotlighting upstream potential and cross-regional partnerships

PARIS, France, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) is set to convene an investor roundtable at Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2026 in Paris, underscoring growing interest in West and North African energy markets and the need for deeper capital engagement across exploration, renewable and offshore services. The session reflects a strategic effort by Sierra Leone to connect its emerging upstream prospects with established operators and project developers as the country moves to unlock the full potential of its emerging oil and gas industry.

 

Sierra Leone is increasingly positioning itself as a frontier oil and gas market with significant offshore potential, and part of the PDSL’s mandate is to catalyze investment interest in its offshore acreage through direct engagement with global capital. Recent data suggest the country holds estimated recoverable resources in the tens of billions of barrels, backed by discoveries and extensive multi‑client seismic datasets that prospective investors are evaluating. The PDSL is actively promoting licensing opportunities and drilling plans, emphasizing fiscal terms and exploration readiness to attract strategic partners.

 

A cornerstone of this strategy is the anticipated launch of the country’s sixth licensing round. Offering a rare early-entry opportunity into a largely untapped deepwater terrain with considerable upside, the upcoming bid round is backed by fresh 3D datasets which de-risk exploration and support new drilling campaigns. Just this month, GeoPartners announced that the final Pre-Stack Time Migration data for its recently acquired 3D multi-client seismic survey in the country was complete and is now available for licensing. The dataset provides a 3D window into the hydrocarbon potential of the underexplored northern Sierra Leone region.

 

Sierra Leone’s licensing drive comes as major operators advance exploration activities. In 2025, Eni signed a Reconnaissance Permit Agreement with the PDSL, securing rights to conduct reconnaissance and technical evaluation activities across offshore blocks G113, G129, G130, G131 and G132. The acreage covers 6,790 square kilometers within Sierra Leone’s territorial waters. Nigeria’s F.A. Oil Limited is pursuing drilling following its award of six offshore blocks through the country’s fifth licensing round in 2023. The company is currently seeking a farm-in partner to advance the project from exploration to production, offering a 40% stake in each of the G Blocks 53, 54, 55, 71, 72 and 73.

 

As these development unfold, the upcoming roundtable at IAE 2026 offers a unique opportunity for operators and policymakers to engage potential investors. The IAE 2026 Forum has become a strategic bridge between African upstream opportunities and global investors, with sessions like the PDSL roundtable designed to foster deeper dialogue and provide clarity on project pipelines and investment prerequisites. Discussions are expected to cover mechanisms for de‑risking exploration activity, optimizing fiscal and contractual frameworks and identifying synergies between hydrocarbon investment and renewable energy commitments.

 

For investors seeking differentiated exposure to African energy markets, the Sierra Leone roundtable represents both a focused exploration of frontier oil potential and a broader conversation about regional infrastructure, partnerships and the evolving demands of energy capital in the years ahead.

 

IAE 2026 (www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com) is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Cape Town Prepares for African Mining Week 2026 as Draft Program Reveals Continent’s Mineral Drive

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1 day ago

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March 24, 2026

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Energy Capital

African Mining Week returns for its 2026 edition with an expanded three-day program, bringing together African mining leaders and global partners to shape the future of the continent’s mining sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Global economic trends – from record-breaking commodity prices to intensifying geopolitical competition for resources – are reshaping the strategic importance of Africa’s mineral wealth. As global countries race to secure supply chains for energy transition metals – which are expected to triple by 2030 – Africa is positioning its 30% share of the world’s critical minerals as a key pillar of economic growth. African governments are modernizing mining codes, developing industrial corridors and investing in mineral processing facilities to support local beneficiation, job creation, workforce development and regional mineral markets.

 

Against this backdrop, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) Conference & Exhibition – Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders – has launched the draft program for its 2026 edition {https://apo-opa.co/3NneKLj}. Scheduled to take place October 14–16 in Cape Town, the event provides a platform where policymakers, global investors, project operators, technology providers, academia and mining service companies examine Africa’s mining opportunities, challenges and long-term strategic direction.

Under the theme ‘Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value’, the three-day, multi-track agenda reflects the growing urgency among African markets to strengthen value addition across the mining value chain.

Regional Cooperation and Policy Alignment in Focus

A key feature of the agenda is the Ministerial Forum, where African mining ministers will provide updates on regulatory reforms and policy alignment initiatives aimed at unlocking greater value from the continent’s mineral resources. Discussions will examine how harmonized regulatory frameworks and regional cooperation can accelerate investment flows and strengthen Africa’s position in global mineral supply chains.

The inclusion of regional policy integration reflects a growing continental push to leverage frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance cross-border mineral cooperation and trade.

We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group

“Africa’s integration is not only a political objective but a strategic economic vision,” stated Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in remarks reported by Energy Capital & Power – organizers of AMW – in February 2026. “Our natural resources require coordinated policies. Isolated legal frameworks cannot fully unlock their value. Through integration and initiatives such as the ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] Mining Code and the African Mining Vision, we can build a stronger and more competitive mineral economy.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Alake, echoed this emphasis on regional cooperation and beneficiation.

“We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group,” he stated. “We must develop mineral corridors that connect resources, infrastructure and markets across the continent. Our goal is not to simply export raw materials, but to develop industrial hubs that create jobs and value across borders.”

Connecting Global Investors with African Opportunities

Strategic roundtables and Country Focus sessions form a key part of the AMW 2026 program, connecting African mining jurisdictions with international partners from the U.S, Europe, the Middle East and China. These sessions will provide African stakeholders with a platform to showcase exploration opportunities and project pipelines across the mining value chain.

Meanwhile, technical workshops and the exhibition floor at AMW 2026 will provide a platform for equipment manufacturers, technology providers and engineering firms to showcase innovations designed to enhance operational performance across mining operations.

By combining high-level policy dialogue with technical expertise and investment matchmaking, AMW 2026 positions itself as a critical marketplace where Africa’s mineral potential converges with global capital, technology and strategic partnerships – helping shape the next phase of growth for the continent’s mining sector.

AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2026 conference from October 12-16 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Tony Elumelu Foundation Selects Seven North African Entrepreneurs in 2026 Cohort

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1 day ago

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March 24, 2026

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entrepreneurs

Seven North African entrepreneurs in technology, education, professional services and agriculture selected from 265,000 applications at historic Abuja ceremony

Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build

ABUJA, Nigeria, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • 7 North African entrepreneurs selected from Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt
  • 51% of the 2026 cohort are women, all selected purely on merit, without any quota in place
  • 3,200 total entrepreneurs selected from 265,000+ applications across 54 African countries
  • USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital for each selected entrepreneur
  • Selection conducted independently by Ernst & Young

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) (www.TonyElumeluFoundation.org), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs, announced on Sunday, 22 March 2026 the 12th cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme at a ceremony held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The announcement was made by Founder Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R.

 

Among the 3,200 entrepreneurs selected from 265,000 applications received from all 54 African countries: seven from North Africa. Three from Tunisia, two from Morocco, two from Egypt. Spanning technology, education, professional services and agribusiness, they represent a generation of North African founders building businesses that address the urgent needs of their communities. Their selection, which was conducted independently by Ernst & Young, places them among the most rigorously assessed young entrepreneurs on the continent.

 

This year’s cohort carries a historic signal: 51 percent of the 2026 entrepreneurs are women. They were selected purely on merit, without quota. Across hundreds of thousands of applications, women distinguished themselves through the strength of their ideas, the clarity of their business models and the ambition of their vision.

 

In 2026, the Foundation is empowering a total of 3,200 entrepreneurs across all its entrepreneurship programmes:

 

  • 1,751 entrepreneurs through Heirs Holdings Group: Heirs Energies, Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hotels, and United Capital;
  • 1,049 entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Commission, OACPS, BMZ and GIZ;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with Sèmè City Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with DEG, the German Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Dutch Government; and
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with UNDP and the Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Arts.

 

 

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to world-class business management training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and entry into a powerful network of investors, partners and fellow entrepreneurs.

 

In his annual letter (https://apo-opa.co/4uOFepM), “A Story of Hope,” Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, shared a powerful message to the new cohort:

 

“For a long time, I believed luck was something that simply happened to you. Then I came to understand: luck can be engineered. Opportunity can be democratised. Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build.” — Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation — 2026 Annual Letter

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on TEFConnect (https://TEFConnect.com), and disbursed over USD 100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 selected entrepreneurs.

 

Collectively, these entrepreneurs have generated USD 4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through its support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line and positively impacted more than 4 million African households, with 46% of supported entrepreneurs being African women. Eighty percent of TEF-supported businesses survive and scale, against a global average of ten to twenty percent.

 

 

The announcement ceremony was broadcast live in English (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), French (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), Portuguese (https://apo-opa.co/4t4Y7Da) and Arabic (https://apo-opa.co/4bYHlQl).

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

 

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