An organization with 30+ years under its belt usually has a number of classic, well-loved, and often told stories from the “early days.” Vitae Foundation is no exception. A story which I have enjoyed hearing (and now enjoy telling) is part of Vitae lore, but, to the best of my knowledge, is accurate and true. From the Book of Genesis, to Marvel movies, to hearing our parents tell the story of our own birth, we all love origin stories. This, my friends, is one of many Vitae Foundation origin stories. It’s close to my heart because it’s focused on why we have always taken an evidence-based approach to pro-life messaging but also because it highlights the vision, humility and perseverance of our founder, Mr. Carl Landwehr.
Having recently founded the new pro-life organization “Vitae Society,” Carl asked several business leaders to answer the question: “If LIFE were a product, how would you market it?” He decided the way to do this was to avoid strong rhetoric and to pose non-confrontational questions causing cognitive dissonance (the mental discomfort that comes from holding two conflicting beliefs, values or attitudes). Through this approach, he would move people toward the pro-life position using TV commercials.
And here’s where the story gets good. When he met with Mr. Peter Herschend, owner of the Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson, Missouri, to request funding for the commercials, Carl received a surprising critique. After watching the commercials, Mr. Herschend, a highly successful entrepreneur himself, told Carl that the commercials weren’t good enough, that he could do better and, indeed, he must do better. Weeks later, he followed up with a generous check and one crucial piece of advice: “Go see Dr. Charles Kenny” (one of the best consumer psychologists and market researchers in the country) and seek his help.
So, Carl followed Mr. Herschend’s advice and did what executives at McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Chevrolet, Harley Davidson, and American Express (among many others) did, and he hired Dr. Kenny. Together, Carl and Dr. Kenny made history and changed the trajectory of Vitae forever.
Using Right Brain Research methodology to understand how women of childbearing age responded to abortion was an idea that revolutionized messaging within the Pro-Life Movement. Of course, this didn’t happen immediately, and many in the movement were skeptical of this new messaging strategy, which Vitae eventually came to call the “Pro-Woman Approach.” This strategy, based on the initial research study, put much less focus on the baby in the womb and much more on the one person who has the power to save that baby in the womb: mom.
All of this is beautifully described in the landmark article, Abortion: A Failure to Communicate. It was written by then Vitae staffer Paul Swope and published in 1998 in First Things magazine.
This research not only transformed those early commercials but eventually led to Vitae’s ability to dramatically improve pregnancy centers’ success in reaching abortion-determined women and help them choose life. It also influenced many other pro-life organizations and individuals to adopt a pro-woman messaging approach. It truly was a watershed moment in the Pro-Life Movement to cause cultural change.
I’m not sure Mr. Landwehr or Mr. Herschend could have imagined the outsized role the small Jefferson City-based pro-life organization would have in saving lives after that first meeting in Branson. Demonstrating his persistence, Carl went on to have regular meetings with Peter Herschend and developed the commercials which have been seen by millions of people, saving an incalculable number of lives.
Carl continues to serve as a strong advocate for Vitae research. He has been directly and instrumentally involved in the development of our current research study on men and abortion. He has shared his wisdom, experience and strategic advice, which has greatly enhanced this project and increased the potential to cause another paradigm shift in pro-life messaging, this time in regard to men.
His inspiring dedication and fervor will be truly missed when he retires at the end of this year. His past leadership, guidance and example will be passed on, however, to a whole new generation of dedicated pro-life experts, marketers, researchers and leaders at Vitae.
Thank you, Carl, for your long-standing commitment to upholding the sanctity and dignity of every human life and for the countless lives—born and preborn—you have saved and touched. May God bless you always, Carl.