Above: Share of Voice+ is a metric that shows how well, not just how much, a firm stands out from the crowd. Share of Voice (SoV) is a go-to metric for public relations aiming to measure their brand's market presence and one that feels intuitive and the C-Suite and Board can understand. Yet, as we think about how SoV is applied and how it measures PR results, it becomes clear that its one-size-fits-all approach is too blunt an instrument for the subtleties of modern public relations. For example, a full-page feature in the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal is worth infinitely more than a passing mention of a company in any other outlet. A Share of Voice measure, however, would consider all citations equally in its calculation, attributing the same value to media mentions that are qualitatively different from one another. So it doesn't differentiate between your strategic goals - Tier 1 media - and everything else. Enter Share of Voice+, a sophisticated metric that seamlessly blends both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of a firm's media coverage. Material Impact's new metric, Share of Voice+ (trademark pending), goes beyond traditional calculations to include a range of key performance indicators. In this way, SoV+ provides a nuanced view of a company's media impact, aiding in strategic planning and benchmarking. It serves as a precise tool for evaluating the value of media relations across stakeholders and teams. For a practical application of the Share of Voice+ metric, please see our recent report on the Top 100 Fund Administration firms in our latest PR Pulse report. Components of Share of Voice+ in peer analysis: Share of Voice: We start with the traditional metrics: the total mentions a company received in the media within a given timeframe, regardless of the quality or the source of the mention. This metric is the cornerstone of peer analysis in the PR industry. Consistency of Media Coverage: Firms that consistently garner media mentions each month and maintain a higher average number of mentions, outperformed those with sporadic or no coverage in certain months. Quality of Coverage: Companies that secure mentions in Tier 1 media outlets across a diverse range of publications globally received higher scores. Brand Interest: This metric rewards firms that not only maintain a high average level of search engine queries over time but also show a positive trend in growing interest. International Reach: Firms that achieved media coverage across multiple geographic regions or in multiple languages enjoy a scoring advantage. Share of Voice+ is a practical metric designed for C-suite executives, communications and marketing professionals. It offers firms actionable insights that can inform future strategies, identify areas of improvement and highlight successes that can be built upon. Whether you are a market leader or an emerging player, the data and analysis this method provides offers a roadmap for navigating complex media ecosystems effectively.

There is no denying the disruptive potential of new technologies – particularly for businesses across the board. Recent developments in data-driven applications are substantially changing how traditional industries have operated for several years now. Against this backdrop, the marketing and communications sector is perhaps the industry most affected by these changes. Marketing experts seem to agree that there is no getting around the need to incorporate data analytics into any marketing strategy. Although good instincts and talent remain important attributes of a great marketer, they just won’t cut it in a world that is being led by data. To discuss recent changes, current trends and the prospects for the marketing and communications industry, we had a little talk with Daniel Jason, CEO and founder of Material Impact Marketing Communications (MIM&C) , a PR and marketing consultancy dedicated to helping businesses optimise their marketing and communications to develop and protect their brand equity. Daniel Jason has over 15 years’ experience in marketing communications, working in-house and agency-side collaborating with large and small financial services and asset management companies around the world. His experience ranges from leading dynamic teams in top-tier firms to pioneering innovative marketing and PR campaigns. He has recently taken a simple, but impactful mission: turn data into strategy. With MiData , the new digital marketing platform launched by MIM&C, the company is ushering in a new era of marketing – a perfect blend of creativity and analytics. Put simply by the man himself, the purpose of MiData is to “enable business to make informed decisions and fuel growth.” During our talk, Dan let us in on his views about the marketing and communications industry and drew from his vast experience in the business to sketch out the dos and don’ts of companies in relation to new data-driven marketing. How has the marketing and communications industry changed from when you first started working in it to today? When I first stepped into the industry, we heavily relied on traditional methods like print advertising, radio spots and long lunches with journalists. The internet was still in its infancy and the concept of data-driven marketing and PR was virtually unknown. Fast forward to today the landscape has drastically changed. The marketing and communications industry has evolved into a highly sophisticated, data-driven field, revolving around storytelling, building one to one relationships with prospects through account based marketing and bringing people together in interest-based communities. When I first started in the industry, the quote “one half of my marketing is working, but I don’t know which half” was thrown around a lot because there was no data. Today, many still can’t answer the question, not because of no data but because of too much data. Ironically, there’s so much data at our disposal, but we’re starved for time to distil it for meaningful insights. This is where MiData steps in, not just as a platform, but as a managed analytics service . MiData simplifies and refines raw data into a boss-ready format (even if your boss is the board), helping marketing and communication teams make informed decisions about their upcoming campaigns. By focusing on the essentials, MiData ensures that the wealth of data becomes a powerful tool, rather than an obstacle, paving the way for informed decision-making and impactful campaigns. Is the role of marketing and communications in financial services today different from what it used to be 10 years ago? Absolutely, the role of marketing and communications has seen a dramatic shift over the past decade. In the past, marketing and PR were often seen as solely creative fields, primarily focused on crafting compelling visuals and a coherent message. Today, while creativity and messaging are still essential, the role has expanded to include data analysis, strategic decision making, more direct lead generation for both disciplines and with the help of data, proving ROI has become easier. Marketing and PR both play crucial roles in driving growth and are more respected than they were. How are financial services companies keeping pace with recent changes in the marketing landscape? To keep pace, many companies are leveraging technology and data and using outside consultants like MIM&C. They are using platforms and managed analytics services like MiData to aggregate and analyse marketing data, identify trends and make strategic decisions. For instance, firms that enlist our help are doing so not only for marketing data management and insights that can help promote their brand strategy, but also narrative-based storytelling and emotional resonance. At some point we have to move beyond the numbers to establish a human connection with their audience. Additionally, companies are also upskilling their internal teams, fostering a culture of learning and innovation that goes hand in hand with digital transformation. This dual approach, integrated data-driven decision making and emotionally compelling narratives, keep companies ahead of the curve. In your opinion, what are the most important trends in the financial services marketing and communications industry today? There are several significant trends in the marketing industry today. The biggest trends are around account based marketing, marketing automation and artificial intelligence, data and privacy regulation concerns. Financial services businesses are now prioritising account based marketing, aiming to create personalised, seamless interactions across all touchpoints, reshaping customer journeys through the prism of empathy and understanding. This approach helps in nurturing individual prospects or accounts, fostering one-to-one relationships that result in better conversion – and retention. Complementing this is the increasingly sophisticated use of AI and marketing automation, which not only streamlines repetitive tasks but also enriches customer engagement with innovations like AI-driven content and chatbots. Data – understanding your prospects - plays into all parts of marketing and PR today. However, amidst this data-driven transformation, an increasing emphasis on privacy regulations like GDPR has created a balance between hyper-personalisation and respecting privacy, adding a layer of complexity to the marketing puzzle. The future of marketing lies in harnessing these elements cohesively, delivering value while preserving trust. What should companies interested in updating their marketing strategies stop doing? And what they shouldn’t change? Companies looking to update their marketing strategies should reconsider any over-reliance on traditional, one-size-fits-all marketing tactics. While intuition and experience still play a crucial role, they need to be complemented by a data-driven understanding of whether or not their website, PR or other channels and tactics are working. As such, siloed data practices should give way to integrated solutions that provide a holistic view. However, companies shouldn't change the core of what marketing is all about: understanding and serving the customer. While tactics and tools may evolve, the focus on creating value for clients should remain the cornerstone of any strategy. This means creating authentic, relevant value propositions that resonate with their needs and desires. This balance between data-driven insights and customer-centric value creation forms the foundation of a successful, modern marketing and communications strategy. About Daniel Jason ​Daniel Jason is an experienced financial marketing and communications specialist. He has worked in PR, brand strategy and marketing for more than 15 years, with large and small brands in financial services, both in-house and agency side.

Standing out in the fund administration space can be challenging. Crestbridge, a fund administrator focused on Private Equity and Real Estate, with over $200bn in assets, faced this challenge head-on with Material Impact's help. With a sea of similar services around, they needed to cut through the noise and reach the Tier 1 asset management audience effectively. Crestbridge's goal was to transcend their status as just another service provider. They wanted to become thought leaders, distinguish their brand and, crucially, convert their PR activities into valuable leads. Material Impact stepped in with an innovative approach – we introduced the Crestbridge Alternative Managers' Mood Index (CAMMI). This proprietary index offered a snapshot of asset manager sentiments on alternative asset allocations – a forward-looking tool that would provide value to Crestbridge's prospects, clients and to industry publications. The creation of CAMMI was a game-changer. It wasn't just about having another metric to share; it was about providing a unique perspective that the market craved. This led to a significant uplift in Crestbridge's industry standing. The media coverage they received was on par with firms handling assets over a trillion dollars, which was a considerable achievement for Crestbridge. The results speak for themselves: The CAMMI campaign reached an audience of 258,000 individuals, spreading the word to a vast pool of potential clients. 27,900 article reads indicated that the content we crafted was compelling, keeping the readers engaged. With 13 articles published within a single month in Tier 1 media outlets, Crestbridge's voice was amplified across the industry. Highlights of the coverage included prestigious publications like Private Equity International, Private Debt Investor, Property Week and Funds Europe, among many others. Not only did this campaign help Crestbridge reach 3rd position in our annual Share of Voice+ report, the firm enjoys continued recognition and engagement in a crowded marketplace. CAMMI has become more than an index; it's a testament to how data-driven PR can create tangible business opportunities. Read more of our clients' stand out successes on our case studies page.

Some larger firms losing brand awareness over time versus smaller firms Smaller fund administrators are winning the PR battle Apex Group beats 100 firms to top position in new Share of Voice+(SoV+) ranking November 2nd 2023, LONDON -- Material Impact's inaugural PR Pulse Report finds that the size of a fund administrator is not a predictor of success in brand visibility or wider strategic success in general. The report comes after a four-month research project into the public relations strategy and execution of fund administrators around the world. This insight of size vs strategic performance is particularly empowering for smaller firms and those with budget constraints, as it underscores the value of strategic acumen over financial heft. Daniel Jason, Chief Executive at Material Impact Marketing Communications said : "Contrary to popular belief, size doesn't dictate strategic prowess in fund administration. Our report shows that smaller firms, with the right PR and marketing strategies, can achieve brand awareness and media prominence that rivals their larger competitors." The report ranks the top 100 fund administrators, with Apex Group coming first, followed by JP Morgan Securities Services and Crestbridge, who came second and third place respectively. The report ranked firms by five metrics: Share of Voice, Coverage Consistency, Outlet Quality, Brand Interest and International Reach. The data reveals a competitive landscape where size doesn't necessarily dictate success. Geographic location has a small impact on a firm's ability to excel in PR and media citations; the report notes 57% of the top 30 fund administrators are based in North America. However, there is a clear distinction in media engagement between the broader top 100 and the more elite top 30 and certainly the top 5 firms, indicating room for improvement for many. Key Takeaways: Size vs. Strategy : The report disrupts the notion that larger firms are more successful, highlighting that strategic excellence can outperform size in achieving media prominence and marketing success. Holistic Excellence : The standout firms were those that consistently put out high quality reports and news leading to large numbers of citations generally but especially amongst Tier 1 press globally. Dominant and Nimble : Apex led in PR execution, with JP Morgan Securities Services and Crestbridge following closely in second and third place respectively. These firms demonstrate that a focused strategy can yield extensive international media coverage. Hidden Gems : Companies like Opus Fund Services, TMF Group, JTC Group and others are strategically positioned for significant upward mobility with just marginal improvements in their PR and marketing strategies. "This report is a clarion call for the industry. It proves that strategic ingenuity can level the playing field, enabling smaller firms to stand toe-to-toe with their larger counterparts in terms of brand visibility and media citations," said Matheus Almeida, Analyst at Material Impact and co-author of the report. The report found that the most dominant fund administration firms are based in North America and Europe, though performance between those firms is well balanced, though Europe performed better in International Reach and Quality of coverage whilst North American firms typically received more media citations. 46% of the 100 firms ranked in this report saw their brand interest increase overall over the year, whilst 23% saw it drop, indicating some firms have more work to do on their digital PR and marketing. The top 30 firms received 97.83 media citations through the year. - END - NOTES TO EDITORS About the PR Pulse SoV+ Report The PR Pulse SoV+ Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the media presence of nearly 130 global fund administrators. It ranks the top 100 based on a multi-metric system, covering data from July 2022 to June 2023 and provides actionable insights for firms aiming to refine their PR and marketing strategies. About Material Impact Material Impact, headquartered in London and Chicago, serves as the premier specialist for public relations, content and marketing analytics in the fund administration and broader financial services sectors. We build data-driven, inventive campaigns that consistently yield tangible, positive outcomes. By offering best-in-class services and leveraging our proprietary data tools, we not only add value but also seamlessly complement in-house teams. Press Contact: Matheus Almeida Material Impact Marketing Communications Email: matheus@wearematerialimpact.com

As the dynamic world of financial services marketing accelerates, keeping a tab on KPIs across digital platforms, events and PR initiatives becomes increasingly challenging. Is there a way for marketing teams to meet their reporting commitments, justify budgets, and still have time to run successful campaigns? Absolutely! This article discusses how managed analytics services can help businesses of all sizes maintain a strong online presence and execute effective campaigns, without overloading their internal teams. Lighten the Load with Outsourcing Outsourcing involves handing over data analytics-related tasks to a specialized third party or agency. This approach holds significant benefits and is already being embraced by many businesses. Here's why: Maximizing team productivity: Monitoring marketing analytics across multiple channels, including social media platforms, Google Analytics, YouTube, email analytics, and ad campaigns, let alone PR and event metrics, can be a monumental task. By outsourcing, the burden shifts, enabling teams to focus on creating successful campaigns and meeting other organizational responsibilities. Avoid hiring specialized analytics staff: Having a full-time, dedicated employee for tracking insights and reporting data trends can be a substantial expense. Outsourcing eliminates this necessity, especially beneficial for startups or businesses in their early development stages. Leverage expert skills: Data analysis is a complex field requiring specialized skills. Smaller teams, or those lacking expertise in tracking and interpreting marketing data, can benefit significantly from an agency's proficiency. This not only saves on employee training costs but allows teams to focus on other productive business tasks. Access professional data-led insights: Outsourcing analytics can fuel business growth and help explore new marketing avenues. With expertly deciphered insights and trends, businesses can identify growth areas and gain a deeper understanding of customer trends. The Outsourcing Advantage for Financial Services Outsourcing analytics not only alleviates internal pressures but provides a cost-effective way to gain actionable insights into prospect behaviors, compared to investing in internal standalone systems. At Material Impact Marketing Communications, we've developed MiData, a system designed specifically for financial services marketers, including asset managers, fund administrators and industry membership organizations. MiData allows you to monitor your KPIs or metrics and demonstrate return on investment (ROI) across digital platforms, events, PR and more, within seconds. Built on the world's leading analytics platform, MiData offers: Customizable tracking: MiData is tailored to your business, aligning with your established KPIs and reporting format, minus any unnecessary details. Time-saving visualization: Visualize all your marketing data effortlessly. Get your actionable insights, ready for presentation, within seconds. Integration capabilities: MiData can integrate with virtually any other system, making it the central analytics hub across your business. With the right data, beautifully presented and accessible within seconds, MiData can revolutionize financial services marketing. Say goodbye to the tiresome process of copy-pasting data. Embrace MiData for accessible, flexible, and empowering marketing analytics that foster business growth and development.

Successful financial services marketing isn't just about the numbers; it's about storytelling, and content strategy is your pen. A compelling content strategy helps convert prospects into clients by offering genuine value, building trust and forging an emotional connection. So, where do you start? Let's demystify the process and chart a course to success. Unravelling the DNA of Your Audience To create content that resonates, you must understand your audience inside out. This involves more than just listing demographics. Dig into your audience's pain points, aspirations, financial habits, and decision-making triggers. Your content should speak to these factors, offering solutions, insights and establishing your firm as a trusted advisor. Crafting Your Unique Narrative In a sector filled with similar offerings who seem to do the same thing, your content needs to distinguish you well from others. It's your brand narrative that sets you apart. This narrative should weave through every piece of content you produce, whether it's a press release, whitepaper, blog post or social media update. From thought leadership to routine legislation updates, always relate your content back to your unique perspective and value proposition. Material Impact Marketing Communications ('MIM&C') has a short but effective process for this exercise, which has been honed over more than a decade. Navigating the Content Mix The best content strategies for financial services leverage a variety of content formats to engage audiences at all stages of the customer journey. Blogs, podcasts, videos, webinars, newsletters and case studies can all play a part. The key is to match the content format to the nature of the information, the preferences of the audience, and the stage of the customer journey it targets. Remember: there's no one magic bullet that will fit all prospective clients. Just think about how you consume content and discover new brands - it's an iterative process that covers multiple channels over a medium to long period of time. Staying Compliant without Compromising Engagement Regulatory compliance is critical in our industry. But that doesn't mean all your content should be dry or overly technical (although there's a place for that too). You can create compliant content that's also engaging by focusing on benefits, providing real-world data and using the right tone that complements your brand. Always consult with your compliance team before publication - knowing what they're looking for and avoiding those areas will help here. Measuring Success and Adapting for Growth Metrics should underpin every content strategy. Establish clear goals for your content and identify KPIs to measure them. Monitor performance using tools like Google Analytics, social media metrics and email marketing data. Material Impact has a proprietary tool called MiData which collates all marketing analytics into one dashboard, bringing the KPIs you want to track to the fore. But remember, it's not just about numbers - qualitative feedback is also crucial. That's why MiData is offered as a managed service, combining both quantitative and qualitative data to help financial services firms on track with their campaigns. Whether or not you use MiData, this process allows financial services marketers to refine their strategy, continually improve and better serve their audience. Conclusion Content strategy is a powerful tool for financial services marketing. By understanding your audience, crafting a compelling narrative, diversifying your content mix, staying compliant, and tracking performance, you can turn your marketing plan into profit. Take the leap and unleash the power of content strategy today.

Change is happening around us at an exponential rate: artificial intelligence, the digitalization of funds and finance, the crypto crash, climate change, war. The mood was gloomy against a backdrop of surging inflation, tightening monetary policy and low market returns, no one is entirely sure whether the recovery from Covid-19 is taking longer than expected or we’re in a new crisis, or both. Cause and effect is all so tightly linked it’s difficult to separate out. Investors, businesses and politicians somberly discussed the nature of these events and their various effects on the global economy. The effects of macro regime change are unclear, the worry is around potentially oversteering the world’s economies into a recession no one wants. On the other hand, what is the solution to potential wage/price spiral setting in? Business leaders worry about staff shortages. It has been so difficult to hire staff in some jurisdictions, corporates are willing to pay over the odds to keep current staff. If that’s the case, wage/price spirals are of concern, as is the fact that in the US the Federal Reserve looks at unemployment as the main demand reduction indicator. Investors meanwhile look to build resilience within their own portfolios during this uncertain time and can only agree that more diversification is a good thing: there are no obvious plays here. Experience of the 1970s means some investors want to load up on inflation protecting assets like energy and commodities, with some real estate. The 2000 playbook makes investors cautious over the hundreds of tech startups looking for investment. There’s an eyewatering amount of startups for every sector, when realistically only a handful can be successful and only a few will actually dominate. What happens to the rest? Climate change is another key area of concern and large portions of investor money have flowed towards making a greener economy in recent years, rewarding companies who have or built a market and are able to solve small parts of the problem quickly. Regulations are reinforcing this, for example with the EU’s SFDR, taxonomy and RTS Level II regulations, which aid institutional investors to find investments with the deepest shade of green. On the one hand, this means we should expect the number of funds that are labeled as environmentally conscious to increase further. On the other, it also means investors and lenders are stigmatized for lending or investing in non-green businesses, which can substantially slow their efforts to decarbonize. As an industry, the move away from crude scorecards and understandings of ESG is welcome. The change here is coming from the largest investors, whilst others watch. However, some forget that there’s more than the physical risk of climate change in discussion here, there’s also the risk that slow-moving investors are caught holding the wrong types of assets amidst government policy changes, further regulation or even become subject to litigation. That said, regulators discussed the various risks that they are facing due to the increasing number of investors demanding more information about the sustainability of their products and services. They also noted the need to prevent asset managers from misleading their customers by greenwashing. There was some agreement that financial market participants should work together with regulators to ensure that the ESG strategies of financial firms are not abused. What’s the word on the way forward from a rather bleak Davos? Investors, businesses and governments need to work together to address the today’s challenges, which are coming more frequently and are frequently more unpredictable and complex. Time is not an ally, but the financial services industry can, uniquely, play a vital role in helping solve all these issues.