How to Build Campaigns That Actually Feel True
An Exploration of Systems Thinking, Emotional Strategy, and What Comes Next
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes a campaign (or any creative) actually work—not just technically, but emotionally. What sends it beyond the “yes” or “no” checkmark of meeting the marketing goal and into the arena of real human impact?
I’m not in this line of work only to meet goals and targets. That simply comes with the territory. I’m in it for the challenge of creating something that truly connects and moves others—and I love that challenge!
Earlier this year, I built the funding strategy for The Volunteer Woodworker, a series aired on PBS about transformation through craft. It’s a project I’m really proud of—but more than the outcome, it’s the way the campaign was built that has stuck with me.
It didn’t start with deliverables. It didn’t start with tactics. It started by asking:
What’s really at the heart of The Volunteer Woodworker—and can that truth be turned into a highly strategic system that’s something people can actually connect with?
That’s the shift I’m excited about. One that moves us beyond campaigns that feel like checklists—and toward systems that move like narratives—and connect.
The System Behind the Campaign
With The Volunteer Woodworker, I kept noticing the same emotional arc, over and over again. It was present in each craftsman Chuck (the host) featured in season one, and it was even within Chuck’s personal story.
Loss → Retreat → Creation → Rebirth → Legacy
This happens to flow beautifully with a classic story arc:
That became the blueprint—not just for the content, but for the strategy itself.
The Hero Video didn’t just showcase the series; it followed a five-act emotional rhythm.
The Sponsor Outreach didn’t lead with stats; it started with human connection.
Even the strategy for the Physical Mailers wasn’t just promotional— It was bespoke to anyone they would be sent to, and tied to the emotional heart of the show.
Everything followed the same emotional rhythm we saw in the series itself.
And it worked.
Every element pointed back to the truth, and when it didn’t, it was clear how to fix it.
This almost-breathing system, a structure that I now call The Campaign Engine, is a result of my “10,000 hours” in my career, constantly learning and refining while I add tools and experiences. Sometimes you unlock something new, and this is absolutely the case here!
You can read more about the Campaign Engine in the Case Study or email me to get a private BTS tour.
Why This Matters Now
Everything is connected.
We try to draw boundaries and lines, but they just become the stitches — proving the point.
Am I talking about life or marketing? Yes.
Big changes are happening. How we live, do business, market, and tell stories is shifting.
We have more ability and information than ever — which means we need things we can actually count on. Things that feel true.
Right now, it feels like everyone is grabbing for what’s real.
And everything is feeling.
Everything is connected.
This campaign strategy proves something different:
If you find the truth at the center — the kind everyone understands without explanation — you can build a system around it.
A system that honors that human truth and becomes the roadmap to the immediate goal, while connecting with audiences more deeply than ever.
You just have to know how to see the truth — and connect the dots.
I believe this way of thinking has bigger implications—especially now.
The creative industry is shifting. Fast.
Budgets are moving. Attention spans are shrinking. Trust is harder to earn.
If we shape our strategies and narratives like we did yesterday, that’s exactly where we’ll end up tomorrow.
But here’s the opportunity:
People are more hungry than ever for something real, and that appetite is only getting larger.
The brands, teams, and creators who can think this way—who can build systems that feel alive are the ones who will stand out. Those who can understand and respect the goals and numbers, but build on the blueprint of fostering intimate connections with their audiences.
In a growing world full of templated funnels and overproduced hype, and creative that is getting cheaper by the day, the real differentiator is the thinking behind the work—how you build systems that reflect something true, not just something trendy.
That’s the work I’m hungry for. And that’s the work I believe is going to matter more than ever moving forward.
I’m beyond excited to create new versions of this system—new Campaign Engines for other projects.
If you’re thinking about what this could look like for your next campaign, I’d love to have that conversation.
You can check out the full campaign breakdown here:
Just like so many others, I’m hungry too, and I take notice when I truly connect with something. I can’t be the only one.
Let’s build something people can actually feel.
—Chris