Good to see Institutional Investor's Julie Segal writing about the importance of an ‘identifiable brand’ in asset management (link).
This is just one finding in a recent Accenture survey and is something we have been talking about for years. While marketing managers invariably believe in this, all too often nothing is done. Inaction ultimately can kill a brand, or at least keeps it in suspended animation.
Two AM brands that own their space and score highly, particularly in alternatives, are Bridgewater Associates and AQR Capital Management, both of which are highly active on the marketing front and have identifiable standalone brands.
To be able to stand back, reflect upon a brand and build a story and a look that actually means something in busy sectors is absolutely fundamental to success in today’s markets.