Fundamental Media releases latest unique asset manager brand strength research

London, 31st May 2024 – Fundamental Media has released their latest Global Brand Survey reports, providing a unique insight into European financial intermediaries’ perception of asset management brands.

The research was conducted among 902 financial intermediaries in the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. It provides a deeper understanding of each asset manager’s strengths in these seven markets and a look into the different preferences of financial intermediaries in each country.

The research findings provide asset managers with a clear picture of their standing in the major European investment markets. They can easily see in which areas they are performing well and where they can make improvements. It also provides them with intermediaries’ comments on what they like about each asset manager.

For example, while Italian intermediaries have a clear preference for global managers, financial intermediaries in the Netherlands, the UK and France more often opt for local managers. In Switzerland and Germany financial intermediaries have a more mixed preference, while Spanish intermediaries mostly prefer global managers, although a number of local players are well known in specific asset classes and management styles.

The research has also revealed stark differences between the type of asset managers that intermediaries prefer. Intermediaries in Germany are more likely to buy funds from asset managers they perceive as qualitative, analytical and with a broad product offering, while in the UK they are more favourable towards tried and tested asset managers and those perceived as partner. Respondents in Spain prefer prefers personable asset managers, while French intermediaries are more favourable towards managers perceived as partner who are planning carefully and are qualitative rather than quantitative. In Italy, intermediaries are more likely to purchase tried and tested asset managers offering a wide range of products.

These insights are invaluable for asset management marketers looking to improve their brand strength in Europe. Understanding current sentiment among their target audience, as well as their competitor’s brand strengths, is vital in planning successful future marketing efforts.

Fundamental Media is offering journalists a free presentation of the available data. To arrange a presentation date or for more information, contact Iain Bingham on [email protected]

About Fundamental Media and the Global Brand Survey:

Fundamental Media is part of the Fundamental Group, which provides media, marketing and tech solutions to asset management and learning & development institutions globally. Working with many leading global financial players, it is one of the largest buyers of asset management advertising worldwide. 

Fundamental Media has been conducting the Global Brand Survey among financial intermediaries since 2016 in key financial markets globally, including the UK, the US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

To understand intermediaries’ perception of asset managers’ brands, we have developed a Brand Equity Index using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods across five pillars:

• Recall: front-of-mind brand recall when specific asset classes and management styles are prompted
• Familiarity: brand knowledge in a broad sense
• Perceived quality: how intermediaries view the ability of an asset manager to generate above-average returns
• Propensity to buy: purchase intentions over the next 12 months
• Distinctiveness: intermediaries’ ability to attribute specific brand values to an asset manager

The score for distinctiveness as a brand factor took into consideration scores for 14 brand values, prompted as seven sets. These sets are:

• Broad vs targeted
• Curious/imaginative vs tried and tested
• Energetic/fast-paced vs careful thinking/planning
• Quantitative vs qualitative
• Analytical vs intuitive
• Personable vs corporate
• Partner vs supplier