Values Based Messaging
Over the past decade, Common Cause Australia has trained thousands of people working in mission-driven organisations to use values-based messages in their communications. In that time, we’ve also worked with dozens of organisations to develop and test values-based messages for everything from gender equality and health promotion to First Nations justice.
These messages have helped organisations across Australia (and beyond) secure important change – from better treatment of animals on commercial farms to health warnings on alcohol products. More importantly, when adopted by advocates working across an issue area, values-based messaging has the potential to shift the overall public narrative – setting the scene for ongoing progressive change.
What is values-based messaging?
Values-based messaging is a communication strategy that focuses on appealing to an audience's core values. The approach connects with the audience on a deeper, emotional level, rather than simply providing facts or information about the topic in question.
This approach to communication acknowledges that people primarily make decisions based on values, emotions, and identity, rather than facts and logic.
Who uses values-based messaging?
Values-based messaging is used by many organisations in marketing, politics, and advocacy to persuade or motivate people to take a certain action, such as buying a product, supporting a cause, or voting for a candidate.
Common Cause Australia, however, works exclusively with mission-driven organisations dedicated to progress on social, health and environmental issues. Because of this, we take a unique approach to values-based messaging.
What is the Common Cause approach to values-based messaging?
Decades of research in social psychology shows all of us share a common set of values, shown below.
Importantly, any of these values can be activated or ‘primed’ through our choice of framing and messaging. Our focus in values-based messaging is to engage specific ‘intrinsic’ values we know are associated with greater pro-social and environmental concern, while avoiding ‘extrinsic’ values known to increase anti-social and environmentally destructive attitudes and behaviours.
This is very different from what might be called a ‘values matching’ approach in which communicators aim to match the values expressed in their messaging with those of their audience. Unfortunately, the values matching approach can unintentionally suppress the very attitudes and behaviours that mission-driven organisations are trying to motivate.
You can read more about our approach to values engagement in the Common Cause Handbook.
What are some examples of values-based messaging?
Over the past few years, we have conducted dozens of communication research projects to explore which values-based messages are most effective at persuading audiences on social, health and environmental issues.
Our research typically involves a combination of public discourse analysis, focus groups and dial testing (online testing that gives us word-by-word feedback on our messages). In most cases, the findings from our research are then compiled into message guides that we share freely with allies.
Our growing collection of free values-based messaging guides covers a range of topics from First Nations justice, gender equality, and ageism, to drug stigma, active transport and health promotion.
You can visit our Resources page for our full range of free values-based messaging guides.
In the meantime, here’s a sneak peak at some of the guides available.
How can I learn more about values-based messaging?
In addition to checking out our growing library of free values-based messaging guides, you may also consider attending one of regular public training courses. For people new to values and frames, we recommend the Fundamentals course. Or if you already have the fundamentals down pat, you may be eligible to join our popular Communications Masterclass. For people working in health promotion we also offer a dedicated Framing Health training where we cover not only the fundamentals of values based messaging, but also share practical tips from dozens of research projects exploring value-based messaging in the context of public health.
Training courses in values-based messaging
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Values Fundamentals
Change the way you see the world in our Common Cause Fundamentals training. You’ll learn how value and frames really work to change the way people think and act. We’ll explore how values underpin social systems and why we all share a common cause in the values we engage in our work.
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Communications Masterclass
If you want to take your values-based messaging skills to the next level, our Communications Masterclass is designed for you. Over three weeks we help you craft a message from the ground up using our evidence-based frameworks and tools, with feedback throughout.
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Framing Health
Learn how to apply values-based messaging to public health in this online workshop tailored to health promotion professionals. We’ll share our evidence-based tips for more effective health promotion messaging as you put them into practice using examples from your own work.