Summer of TMFC Campaign to Fuel MFAM’s Growth

Overview

Motley Fool Asset Management (MFAM) offers ETF investment products that make high-quality investing accessible to individual investors. This project focused on revitalizing MFAM’s acquisition design strategy, aiming to significantly boost Assets Under Management (AUM) by increasing customer engagement and reinforcing brand trust across digital, physical, and high-profile brand placements.

The Challenge

MFAM’s existing acquisition design approach needed an overhaul to meet ambitious AUM growth targets in the competitive ETF market. With rising demand for low-cost, high-value investments, MFAM required a design strategy that would attract, inform, and convert potential investors, ultimately creating a compelling brand presence that stood out and drove engagement.

Users & Audience

The target audience included individual investors interested in diversified, professionally managed ETFs. This segment ranged from experienced investors seeking portfolio simplicity to new investors drawn to ETFs as an accessible stock market entry point. Internal stakeholders included MFAM’s product, compliance, and sales teams, each needing materials that balanced regulatory standards with a customer-centric presentation.

Roles & Responsibilities

As Creative Art Director, I led the initiative to reshape MFAM’s acquisition design strategy, directing a team of designers and coordinating with external creative agencies. The project required close collaboration with compliance and sales teams to ensure all materials aligned with MFAM’s regulatory and marketing goals. Running parallel with broader MFWM efforts, I strategically allocated resources to maintain a balanced focus on MFAM’s ETF-oriented objectives.

Scope & Constraints

This ambitious rebranding campaign encompassed digital and physical advertising placements and high-visibility campaigns to position MFAM’s ETFs prominently. The project faced a tight timeline for reaching AUM growth targets, stringent compliance requirements, and a lean budget, requiring resource efficiency and streamlined processes with external partners.

The Process 1. Market Analysis & Audience Research: Conducted extensive research on ETF market dynamics and customer behavior, identifying key touchpoints to attract and engage investors. 2. Brand Vision & Strategy: Developed a brand vision highlighting simplicity, transparency, and growth, aligning with investor values. Built scalable brand asset libraries to ensure consistency across all campaigns. 3. High-Profile Brand Placement Execution: Led creative asset development for high-impact placements, including digital and video ads and installations in Times Square and the Chicago Board of Exchange, to maximize brand visibility. 4. Design System Implementation: Created adaptable templates and an asset library for digital platforms, streamlining collaboration with agencies and expediting campaign launches. 5. Cross-Functional Compliance Collaboration: Partnered with compliance teams to ensure all creative assets adhered to regulatory standards, balancing engaging design with industry requirements.

1. 1. Market Analysis & Audience Research: Conducted extensive research on ETF market dynamics and customer behavior, identifying key touchpoints to attract and engage investors.
2. 2. Brand Vision & Strategy: Developed a brand vision highlighting simplicity, transparency, and growth, aligning with investor values. Built scalable brand asset libraries to ensure consistency across all campaigns.
3. 3. High-Profile Brand Placement Execution: Led creative asset development for high-impact placements, including digital and video ads and installations in Times Square and the Chicago Board of Exchange, to maximize brand visibility.
4. 4. Design System Implementation: Created adaptable templates and an asset library for digital platforms, streamlining collaboration with agencies and expediting campaign launches.
5. 5. Cross-Functional Compliance Collaboration: Partnered with compliance teams to ensure all creative assets adhered to regulatory standards, balancing engaging design with industry requirements.

Outcomes & Lessons Learned

The refreshed acquisition strategy drove a 200% increase in AUM, pushing MFAM’s assets over the $1 billion mark and boosting its market presence. Production efficiency improved by 30% thanks to streamlined brand asset libraries, ensuring fast, consistent campaign execution. High-profile placements solidified MFAM’s visibility and appeal to target investors.

Reflecting on this project, I learned the impact of a focused brand message in engaging ETF investors and the importance of synchronizing compliance and creative efforts from the beginning. In hindsight, further refining personas early on could have deepened engagement, particularly by tailoring the brand message more closely to the motivations specific to ETF investors.

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Disclaimer: Confidential details have been omitted or modified in this case study to protect proprietary information. All insights and analysis are my own and reflect my personal experience on this project.