How Faith-Based Investing found its Brand Leader
We helped a global asset manager define, brand, and own a category before competitors had a chance to enter.
The Situation
A global financial corporation managing $11.5 billion in assets had a strategic vision that didn't yet have a name. They wanted to establish themselves in faith-based investment strategies but the category itself was yet to be defined.
Our Approach
This wasn't a marketing problem but a category creation one. So, we had a strategic discovery framework:
Distinction
What makes faith-based investing distinct from broader ESG or SRI strategies?
Values Alignment
What values and screening criteria align with the faith's teachings?
Market Gap
Where did existing approaches fall short of faith-specific requirements?
Our Recommendations
A Category Leadership Strategy Built on Authenticity and Market Ownership
Brand Synonym with Category
Every communication should reinforce the firm's connection to the category
Become a Source
Become the reference expertise for investors to understand the category
Position as Category Leader
Claim the space as a leader, not participant
Build the Brand Architecture
Speak to Faith first, Finance second. Compromise neither
Define the Category
Establish clear principles. What screens apply? What values drive portfolio construction?
The firm committed to a comprehensive rebranding and communications strategy centered on category ownership.
The Result
The firm achieved what few organizations accomplish: they became the category leader by defining the category itself.
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Clear positioning replaced ambiguity.
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Brand ownership of the category. They owned it 'like Kleenex for tissues'.
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Market leadership translated to business growth.
