To change the conversation about financial planning and inspire more consumers to seek the advice of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, ImpactInstitute was engaged to create an integrated PR and Content Campaign.

The challenge

Financial planning is a service of national public benefit, capable of addressing growing inequality in Australian society. But, the concept of financial planning is often misunderstood — only 20 per cent of Australians meet with a professional financial planner.

As Australia’s leading professional member association for financial planners, the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has a responsibility to raise awareness of the value of financial planning and help consumers find “the right one” for where they are at in life now, and where they want to be.

They wanted to inspire people from all walks of life to dream again, knowing the sweet spot of any experienced financial planner is laying a clear path to achieving money and life goals.

The solution

To change the conversation about financial planning and inspire more consumers to seek the advice of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, ImpactInstitute created a three-year Integrated PR and Content Campaign based on an annual national survey for Financial Planning Week.

The three-year story arc was first conceived on a premise that Australians had lost their ability, and confidence, to look ahead and imagine a brighter future for themselves. We asked, are we so caught up as a nation in record credit card debt, interest rate hikes, and keeping up with the day to day costs of living, that we no longer dream?

We wanted to inspire people from all walks of life to dream again, knowing the sweet spot of any experienced financial planner is laying a clear path to achieving money and life goals.  Here’s how it went:

1. DARE TO DREAM (2016): We called on Australians to dare to dream, and make plans to get there. Our research revealed a lack of planning was preventing people from living their dream. We showcased video stories of real people from different walks of life who had dared to dream, sought a financial planner, and were happier knowing they were now on the right path to achieving them.

2. LIVE THE DREAM (2017): We proved the link between people living their dream and financial planning with this year’s annual research, amplified with an online quiz, video stories, and a national media blitz.

3. SHARE THE DREAM (2018): We coined the term “the invisible money generation” to put the spotlight on the next wave of dreamers aged 4 to 18. We proved a link between parents who frequently talk money with their children and financial planning.

Each year, our hero content included a Visualised Research Report, social media videos to bring to life personal stories and entertain, infographics and influencers. An eBook with tips and editorial on How to Talk to Kids about Money was created for the Share the Dream campaign which drove record traffic to the FPA’s owned media site, Money & Life.

The outcome

The 2018 Share the Dream campaign took off in media and social. Quality mass media coverage throughout Financial Planning Week kicked off with FPA CEO Dante De Gori live on breakfast TV. A national audience reach of 100+ million was achieved through 496 earned media items.

The campaign drove the highest number of Find A Planner online directory views since the website search tool first launched. 1,776 new website subscribers were added within a week of campaigning. Social media engagement drove FPA’s Facebook followers up over 10,000.

  • 496 earned media items and 100+ million estimated audience reach.
  • 9 live on air national TV segments syndicated 179 times across Australia.
  • The brand — the Financial Planning Association of Australia, or FPA — was positioned positively and prominently in the media.
  • 100% key message delivery from 4 media releases.
  • The term “Invisible Money Generation” made news headlines. Coverage included illustrations, photography, video and audio.
  • The overall tone of the media stories was positive, as was the sentiment in social media.
  • “Share the Dream” eBook downloads and social media video views exceeded all KPIs.
  • 1,776 new Money & Life FPA owned media site subscribers.
  • Money & Life page views up 64% and visitors up 45%, compared to monthly averages.
  • 1,212 FPA Members and Stakeholders downloaded content for their own channels.
  • 496 earned media items.
  • 100+ million estimated audience reach.
  • 1776 new Money & Life FPA-owned media site subscribers.
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