While the summertime is typically considered a quieter period, it hasn’t been the case for our busy PR team who have been powering through the warm days and launching some fantastic work across a number of our clients. 

One of those campaigns has been Scottish Widows' landmark [Retirement Report](https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/reports/retirement-report.html), which is now in its 20th year. Examining how people think and feel about the future while charting the nation's preparedness for retirement year-on-year. This year, the findings show an alarming number of people aren’t on track for the retirement lifestyle they would like, people are having to work longer to save the money they need later on, and the heavy reliance on the state pension will continue for the foreseeable future. 

Working closely with the team at Scottish Widows and other agency partners, we launched the report at the end of July. Armed with the landmark findings, exclusive data, case studies, expert spokespeople and the support of sporting legend Paula Radcliffe as third-party spokesperson, the findings landed with a bang across broadcast, national, consumer and trade media. Coverage spanned from BBC You & Yours to The Times, The Telegraph and FT with over 100 pieces achieved to date, and more still to come. 

We love working on campaigns like this for a number of reasons. 

Firstly, engaging with a third party spokesperson, like Paula Radcliffe, added a different perspective on the findings. Paula was able to share her own experience of what it was like to retire from her ‘job’ at an early age, and the emotions she encountered. While this isn’t possible with every campaign, adding a third party spokesperson and well-known voice can really amplify the findings into a different space, to a different audience. And for us, the interviews coincided with the day that Andy Murray announced his retirement from tennis after the Olympics - a nice extra news hook. 

Secondly, Scottish Widows is forging a path in the financial services industry and spotlighting the experiences of marginalised communities. The team understands that we don’t all have the same experience and if we are to improve retirement outcomes across the entire population, we need to understand diverse experiences from those living with disabilities, minority groups and the LGBTQ community. And importantly, equip everyone with the tools, conversation starters and small actions they can take to make a positive change to their financial futures. 

Thirdly, with the formation of a new government we’ve been able to work closely with the public affairs team to call for changes needed to get more people in the UK on track for retirement. From lowering auto-enrolment age, widening the scope to bring in self-employed workers, and increasing contribution rates, these calls, if implemented, would have a really significant impact on people’s retirement outcomes - especially for the next generation of retirees. 

We’re incredibly passionate as an agency about transforming the world of finance for the better and these values align closely with Scottish Widows ambitions. And, with Pension Engagement Season around the corner, this certainly won’t be the last you hear from us! 

The warmer summer weather hasn’t seen our PR team down tools. Instead they’ve been busy launching fantastic work across a number of our clients including the Scottish Widows Retirement Report which is now in its 20th year! Read more here:

Marking 20 years of retirement insights with Scottish Widows

Last Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the first ethereum exchange traded funds (ETFs), marking another large win for cryptocurrency enthusiasts following the debut of bitcoin ETFs which were approved by the agency back in January. The mere sound of the word ‘crypto’ still frightens and confuses many investors, instantly conjuring up tales of scams, ponzi schemes, legal battles and get rich quick adverts. Indeed to this day, the majority of mainstream coverage of digital assets typically is focused on the above, in crypto-land,  you are either a hero or a zero, all this despite the fact that the asset class has been popular for quite some time. 

Despite the media coverage and fears associated with it, many of which are well-intentioned, digital assets continue to grow in prominence and popularity. This is illustrated by a recent study of global institutional investors which found that 60% were familiar with the asset class, 51% were invested in it, with one in seven admitting they are likely to increase their allocation towards it in the next two to three years. This demonstrates the tide and attitude towards digital finance is definitely shifting.

The big question for those in the industry who are trying to bridge this gap is how exactly do they do it? Enter the California Roll (stay with me here). Before I explain just how digital assets are like raw fish, I must admit this idea came from the mind of our Strategy Director Dan Perry, who stumbled upon it by reading work by behavioural psychologist Nir Eyal so all credit to both of them for this. 

In the 1970s, Japanese restaurant owners in the states were struggling to entice diners into their restaurants. Raw fish was not part of the established American diet and the cuisine was just altogether alien. But by swapping the unfamiliar raw fish, tofu and seaweed for more familiar ingredients like avocado and crab they provided a gateway to sushi in the form of the California Roll. Making the unfamiliar familiar, and therefore more palatable.

The blending of the familiar with the unfamiliar is a proven method for encouraging the widespread adoption of new products, the key issue at hand here. This therefore, can be applied to the world of finance, in the form of unfamiliar assets in familiar wrappers e.g. Bitcoin ETF or familiar assets in unfamiliar wrappers e.g. Tokenised gold.
The initiative therefore lies with those established traditional finance businesses that are able to market their digital asset capabilities as an evolution of those products we all know and love rather than a revolution. This should encourage wider spread adoption and, in time, more positive media coverage and better public opinion.  

## Sources:

[Fidelity Digital Assets Research: Institutional Investor survey](https://www.fidelitydigitalassets.com/sites/g/files/djuvja3256/files/acquiadam/June%202024%20Institutional%20Investors%20Digital%20Asset%20Survey%20-%20Key%20Findings%20%2805.29%29.pdf) - Survey of institutional investors by Fidelity
[https://www.nirandfar.com/california-role-rule/](https://www.nirandfar.com/california-role-rule/) - Original California Roll story by Nir Eyal 
[https://www.ft.com/content/f36d7eeb-03d6-4dab-909a-d5d4524a4edb](https://www.ft.com/content/f36d7eeb-03d6-4dab-909a-d5d4524a4edb) - FT article on the approval of Ethereum ETFs


What could Digital Assets and Sushi have in common? Perhaps more than you think. PR Senior Account Executive Luke Hall takes a look at how the success of the California Roll might just be the model for bridging the gap on digital assets.

Why Digital Assets are like Sushi

## What's going on? 

In the past, everyone has treated B2B and B2C separately, but really it’s all business to human (B2H). If you want to move products, you need to move people. And if you want to move people, you need to move their minds. So, we need to create content that engages on a human level – that’s what B2B marketing should be all about. If we spent as much time engaging with our audience, as we did on perfecting features, benefits and our performance marketing funnel, we’d start to see the quality of sales leads improve dramatically.

## Why does it matter?

As the world becomes more digital, we appreciate real human engagement and conversation more than ever. If you really want to drive growth in your business, it’s time to wake up to the power of branding, purpose, storytelling and emotion. This will help your brand become more meaningful in the minds of your audience. Business audiences want more from you than product features or benefits. They want to be entertained, educated and made to feel special. They’d love to know what your business cares about, what you value. Crucially, they want to be treated as human beings, not as buying machines.

## What can we do?

- It doesn’t mean performance marketing should be ditched. Instead, consider tone of voice alongside conversational and colloquial language, and simplify complex topics and themes as if talking to a friend, and reel them in with a story where people need to hear the ending. 
- Become experts in people, emotion and storytelling. Become a trusted educator for your customers; learn for yourself and experiment. Find out what your customers are really experiencing when they engage with you. 
- Be more human. It will make you more likeable, and if you’re more likeable, the chances are you’ll be more profitable, too.

---

__For more from our 2024 Signals Report, read the full piece [here](https://assets.ctfassets.net/sxw14dxmazhg/jNSe8xFxo3VnUarFvWZCt/63fc7b5d494576b1889826043fe98b42/Teamspirit_-_2024_Signals_Report.pdf). Or if you’d like to discuss the impact of these signals on your business contact us at [hello@teamspirit.co.uk](mailto:hello@teamspirit.co.uk).__


In the past, everyone has treated B2B and B2C separately, but really it’s all business to human (B2H). If you want to move products, you need to move people. And if you want to move people, you need to move their minds. Are we losing this?

In marketing, are we losing sight of ‘Business to Human?

## What's going on?

Nature abhors a vacuum.

The ‘advice gap’ in the UK is estimated to be made up of over 12 million people, with only 9% of adults actively receiving financial advice from an adviser.[1] 

While 72% of people believe that getting financial advice is important, 35% of people are ‘not quite sure’ where they should start looking for it.[2]

Instead, people are seeking out information from other sources.

44% of Gen Z believe they can source good financial advice on social media, and over a fifth of investors aged 18-34 are taking investment advice from Instagram.[3]

## Why does it matter?

People are actively seeking out financial advice; they’re just not using traditional channels.

And that’s leading to worse outcomes and exposing people to foreseeable harm.

58% of under-40s who have invested in high-risk investment products, say their decision was based on hype on social media and the news.[4]

With the FCA reconsidering the advice/guidance boundary, new opportunities to meaningfully engage with a wider audience are emerging for advisers willing to put themselves out there and capture this hungry audience – offering people the help they want at the time they need it.[5] 

## What can we do? 

- Fish where the fish are. Reddit and YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and X are the top five platforms where the under-40s look for financial advice.[6] Rethink your channel strategy. Show up.
- Make yourselves accessible. The average content produced by investors ranks closer in comprehension to academic papers than to financial media.[7] Reconsider your tone of voice. Be conversational.
- Dramatise the value of quality. 44% of people who do not use a financial adviser, have said that it is due to a lack of understanding of what an adviser can offer them.[8] Reprioritise your messaging. Prove your worth.

---

__For more from our 2024 Signals Report, read the full piece [here](https://assets.ctfassets.net/sxw14dxmazhg/jNSe8xFxo3VnUarFvWZCt/63fc7b5d494576b1889826043fe98b42/Teamspirit_-_2024_Signals_Report.pdf). Or if you’d like to discuss the impact of these signals on your business contact us at [hello@teamspirit.co.uk](mailto:hello@teamspirit.co.uk).__

---

1. [https://www.boringmoney.co.uk/learn/articles/do-you-need-a-financial-adviser/](https://www.boringmoney.co.uk/learn/articles/do-you-need-a-financial-adviser/)
2. [https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4126415/people-value-financial-advice-struggle-gain-access](https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4126415/people-value-financial-advice-struggle-gain-access)
3. [https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/its-time-for-advisers-to-get-social/](https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/its-time-for-advisers-to-get-social/)
4. [https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/guidance-consultation/gc23-2.pdf](https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/guidance-consultation/gc23-2.pdf)
5. [https://professionalparaplanner.co.uk/advice-guidance-boundary-may-lead-to-regulatory-restructuring/](https://professionalparaplanner.co.uk/advice-guidance-boundary-may-lead-to-regulatory-restructuring/)
6. [https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/personal-finance/articles/these-are-the-5-most-popular-social-media-platforms-for-financial-advice-should-you-trust-them/](https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/personal-finance/articles/these-are-the-5-most-popular-social-media-platforms-for-financial-advice-should-you-trust-them/)
7. [https://portfolio-adviser.com/fund-management-articles-written-mostly-by-men-and-more-complex-than-a-level-exams/](https://portfolio-adviser.com/fund-management-articles-written-mostly-by-men-and-more-complex-than-a-level-exams/)
8. [https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4120637/lack-understanding-main-reason-seeking-adviser](https://www.covermagazine.co.uk/news/4120637/lack-understanding-main-reason-seeking-adviser)

Nature abhors a vacuum. The ‘advice gap’ in the UK is estimated to be made up of over 12 million people, with only 9% of adults actively receiving financial advice from an adviser. Find out where consumers are turning for advice...

Seeking advice on social media: should advisers respond or join in?

__Welcome to our annual Signals report, where we look at the marketplace direction that we believe will have a significant impact on how financial services communicate.__

Despite being unable to categorically rule out an end to the permacrisis, we are cautiously upbeat about two broad themes for the year ahead – an attitudinal shift and tech enablement. 

Some of the changes of attitude that we predict will be widely embraced include: the desire for Fame, doing fewer things better and securing greater impact; Long-termism with a focus on the ‘S’ as sustainability becomes embedded and Business to Human, as B2B communications become braver and go beyond product. 

In terms of tech enablement, of course no 2024 signals report would be complete without a view on AI. Very aware that there’s the good, the bad and the reality, AI Driving Emotional Moments is a fascinating review of positive application, as is Hyper-personalisation. Platform enablement is explored in both The New Adviser, which looks at the impact of TikTok on the advice market, and, in One Line of Sight, we outline how holistic financial services interfaces are meeting user expectations.

Enjoy the read ahead.

[Download the report here](https://assets.ctfassets.net/sxw14dxmazhg/jNSe8xFxo3VnUarFvWZCt/63fc7b5d494576b1889826043fe98b42/Teamspirit_-_2024_Signals_Report.pdf)

If you’d like to discuss the impact of these signals on your business contact us at [hello@teamspirit.co.uk](mailto:hello@teamspirit.co.uk).

Welcome to our annual Signals report, where we look at the marketplace direction that we believe will have a significant impact on how financial services communicate. 

2024 Signals Report

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Fri 9 Feb 2024

Seeking advice on social media: should advisers respond or join in?