Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

I've been watching my 401k lose a lot of value over the past year, and it's been even more grim the past few weeks. So when I received this email from Fidelity, I thought I blow a gasket.

It made me think how the emotional response I have to advertising can impact what I think of the company's brand. Media placements and creative messaging go hand in hand. The example above seems just completely irrelevant to me at a time where pretty much all Fidelity Funds are tanking. Is the agency that's managing their advertising even paying attention to what they are messaging?

Meanwhile, one of my colleagues received an email yesterday morning from American Century's Chief Investment Officer entitled "Perspective on the Financial Crisis". His experience left him feeling more comfortable leaving his money where it is today. The e-mail read:

"As we look ahead, we expect choppy market conditions to continue. There has been one major bankruptcy - I suspect there will be more. In these difficult times, we will continue doing what we do best: following our disciplined, repeatable investment processes to produce the best possible long-term results for clients and investors."

I guess it's good to know that some financial institutions are not trying to cover up the current economic crisis. Instead, American Century is doing exactly what they are supposed to do... having an honest and authentic conversation with their customers to try and restore some level of confidence in their brand. The smart ones realize that is vital in a time where financial brands have the odds stacked against them.

Sonja Scharrer