What makes a message resonate? Why do some campaigns drive action and go viral, while others fade into the background? The difference often comes down to how well a brand understands its audience. 

Personas, when built with care and clarity, do more than describe a target group. They make strategy human. Personas turn assumptions into insights and enable real connection with real people — driving stronger engagement, smarter messaging and measurable results.  

Learn why understanding personas sharpens focus for business leaders, reduces waste for businesses and makes campaigns more effective from the start. 

Bridging Messaging and Meaning 

Personas aren’t just stylized bios or abstract frameworks. Done right, they become essential tools for understanding what people care about, what drives them and how they make decisions. 

Demographics say who someone is. Personas go deeper, offering insight into why people behave the way they do. And those insights transform messages from making noise into becoming relevant. 

Unchallenged Bias Derails Strategy 

Assumptions about audiences can easily sneak into research — especially in fast-moving campaigns. But unchecked bias in audience research quietly erodes effectiveness. 

Confirmation bias. Stereotyping. Over-reliance on surface-level data. Each oversight risks creating messaging that feels impersonal or irrelevant. 

Instead, real impact begins with a curious mindset. Combining quantitative analytics with qualitative stories leads to a fuller picture — and stronger strategy. 

The Process: From Questions to Connection 

Building personas doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require intention. Here’s the path: 

• Define the questions. Learn what you need to know about your audience. 

• Gather data. Use a blend of numbers and narratives: analytics, surveys, interviews and forums. 

• Analyze patterns. Spot common motivators, needs and communication preferences. 

• Create personas. Highlight demographics, values, frustrations and behaviors. 

• Bring others in. Ensure teams and collaborators understand who the message is for. 

• Refine regularly. Check for real-world alignment and adjust based on engagement. 

Case in Action: Reaching Families Through Personas 

Candor partnered with the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness to help reach caregivers with children under five and connect them to early development resources. 

Rather than leading with a campaign concept, the process began with empathy—grounded in research and a commitment to understanding the real needs of families. 

Key questions guided the research: 

• Who are these parents? 
• What support are they seeking? 
• What makes them feel seen

Research showed Millennial and Gen Z parents respond to content that’s inclusive, playful and community driven. Messaging was tailored accordingly, resulting in: 

• 72 million+ impressions across digital platforms 

• 78% increase in website traffic within one year 

Insight drove real-world outcomes — because we made sure the audience came first. 

Start Where You Are. Stay Curious. Shift as Needed. 

When messaging misses the mark, it’s often because the audience wasn’t fully understood. That doesn’t mean starting over. It means getting smarter. 

Build a few focused personas. Test messages. Listen. Adjust. 

Personas aren’t fixed — they’re living reflections of a changing world.  

Final Thought: Insight is a Practice, Not a Phase 

Persona-building isn’t a checkbox — it’s a mindset. It invites deeper understanding, sharper messaging and stronger results. Start with real questions. Seek honest answers. The audience connection and results will follow.