Advisors Rank 10 Best & Worst Ads by Partner Firms

Social media may be driven largely by “likes” these days, but it turns out that financial services firms’ advisor-targeted advertising is driven by much more than likeability. The true sign of success for an ad that targets advisors is whether or not any action was taken, a recent survey of advisors by Phoenix Marketing International concludes.

In a best practices advertising webinar on Tuesday, Phoenix Marketing International presented the results of its May survey of 1,152 advisors who were asked detailed questions about their response to 30 print ads that financial services firms have placed in trade publications and The Wall Street Journal over the last year.

Advisors picked the five best and the five worst of the 30 ads, making their judgments based on metrics such as brand recognition, main message and likeability, recall and 24 creative measures such as relevance and impact. Also surveyed were outcomes, meaning brand persuasion, ad recall and action taken in terms of the search for more information, company contact and recommendations to others.

“We looked at ad strategies that did or didn’t hit, and creative themes that were most successful or unsuccessful. The most successful touched on advisor support and helping advisors help their clients. We saw ads that really resonated on that theme,” said Carl Uttaro, a senior research analyst and product manager for Phoenix Marketing International—Financial Services, in a phone interview on Thursday. Uttaro was lead presenter in the Tuesday webinar.

Phoenix’s Financial Services practice assesses ad awareness and effectiveness for retail banking, credit cards, investments and retirement. Participating in the Rhinebeck, N.Y.-based global marketing research firm’s survey were RIAs, planners and brokers from national, regional and independent broker-dealers, as well as advisors from banks and insurance companies.

The following pages include the five best and the five worst of the 30 ads surveyed by advisors based on Phoenix’s “Creative Potential AdPi” rating scale of 0 to 200. Uttaro noted that the average score was 119, with the lowest-rated ad earning a rating of 111 and the highest a rating of 130.

The Best 5 Financial Services Ads Targeted for Advisors

5) John Hancock, “Backstage Pass”
Phoenix “Creative Potential AdPi” rating: 125

Advisors lauded this John Hancock ad as being clear and to the point, easy to understand and appealing. “I thought it was an encouraging advertisement that built trust and I would recommend this company to my customers. It really was informative,” commented one advisor.

4) Nationwide Financial, “Retire-ophobia”
Phoenix “Creative Potential AdPi” rating: 125

One advisor gave this Nationwide Financial ad credit for being “informative and clever,” while a second liked the term “retire-ophobia.” “I hear this sentiment from my clients a lot,” the second advisor said.

3) Franklin Templeton, “Time to Wake Up”
Phoenix “Creative Potential AdPi” rating: 128

Franklin Templeton’s forward-looking message was popular with advisors surveyed by Phoenix, who said the ad focused on “getting people to look at where they are at,” which is the first step in achieving a successful retirement. The ad “takes into account current events and offers solutions” and “hits an important aspect to rebalance client portfolios,” advisors said.

2) Vanguard, “Newspaper”
Phoenix “Creative Potential AdPi” rating: 128

Advisors believed Vanguard’s ad clearly communicated the firm’s message, showing a trustworthy company that provides customers with good value along with investment research and tools. “It gives me something that all my clients want: The ability to keep more of their earnings,” one advisor commented.

1) Prudential, “Only One”
Phoenix “Creative Potential AdPi” rating: 130