In the wake of the UK’s EU referendum and its “Brexit” outcome, the start of trading on Friday the 24th of June marked a challenging morning for asset managers across the UK and Europe. With the value of the pound plummeting and share prices falling dramatically for major asset managers, some fell as much as 17 and 21 percent.
Many asset managers were shocked by the “Brexit” result, but this shock did not filter into their digital presence. Fund marketers across the UK had prepared for both eventualities. Having content for both outcomes of the referendum ready allowed them to post relevant announcements and reactions with hast across multiple digital channels. The efficient execution of asset manager’s Brexit announcements depended upon the fund marketers ability to easily adapt websites and post content readily to social media.
On Friday we watched Twitter and LinkedIn and were impressed at how efficiently marketing teams published Brexit content. Many were able to quickly edit their website’s homepages to accommodate this breaking news and share pre-prepared video reactions and blog posts. Of course, another part of the marketer’s Brexit coverage would have involved Emailing investors directly, however we were not party to this information.
BlackRock
What’s impressive about BlackRock’s reaction is that before reaching their ordinary homepage investors and site visitors were hit with a specialised Brexit announcement:
When you reach their homepage the first thing on their adjustable carousel is the referendum result linking to their reactionary content:
This led to their Global weekly commentary, dedicated to the Brexit outcome:
Their presence on Twitter saw lots of visual accompaniments to their Brexit content and even tailor-made images:
BlackRock made sure to keep their clients up to date on LinkedIn:
Columbia Threadneedle:
Columbia Threadneedle prioritised this breaking news by doing a homepage takeover dedicated to the Brexit result:
That led to video and blog reactions:
This prioritised video content emerged promptly on their social media sites. Video was the first thing you saw on Twitter and remains there as a pinned tweet:
On LinkedIn they quickly shared an initial statement followed by their video content:
Franklin Templeton:
In their easily updatable news carousel their “Post-Brexit” content became the priority:
Their blog “Beyond Bulls & Bears” became flooded with Brexit specific content:
As well as their Twitter feed:
And LinkedIn:
Henderson:
Although Henderson’s Post-Brexit homepage is much more subtle it links to a variety of pre-prepared videos:
They published content from the perspectives of Global Fixed Income, Global Equities, European Equities, Multi Asset and other. Many of these subsections of Brexit specific content had video reactions:
They prioritised their Brexit reaction on Twitter by pinning this Tweet:
M&G:
M&G also showcased their Brexit content as the first feature on their adaptable carousel and gave it an individual tile:
both leading to a referendum specific page:
What we like about M&G’s Brexit coverage is that they released time specific content across multiple sectors: Equities, Fixed income, Multi-asset and Commercial property as well as pre-recorded video content:
We feel M&G fund marketers would have been able to reap the benefits of their well executed and time sensitive updates fully if they also shared these updates across other digital platforms, such as Twitter and LinkedIn.
As Brexit news continues to break this week and in the months, even years to follow we feel that having an easily adaptable website is crucial to any asset manager. This also enables them to share the latest news, insights and data with ease.
Communicating with investors is the most important factor in crisis management.
