LV= Investments for Humans


The challenge

LV=’s challenge was twofold: to boost their profile as an investment fund manager with advisers, and to grow the market by changing adviser behaviour. Specifically, increasing recommendations of smoothed funds.

Smoothed Managed Funds represented only a small portion of the multi-asset retail market. So we needed to appeal beyond LV=’s existing adviser base, increase understanding of their Smoothed Managed Funds (SMF), and normalise it as a mainstream adviser solution.

Our approach

Insight into market dynamics (increasing adviser regulation, the move from DB to DC pensions and the increasingly volatile markets) all pointed to the rational adviser need to deliver more certainty for their clients investments, especially as their clients approach retirement.

And the Smooth Managed funds was a perfectly positioned to decrease volatility and increase client composure with a smoother investment journey.

However, previous campaigns explaining the rational benefit of reducing volatility failed to shift advisers habits.

We needed a more emotive and differentiated way to increase awareness – which would then give us the air time to explain the benefits that would help normalise it as a more mainstream adviser solution.

To gain cut through we leveraged human psychology and primal human need to avoid losses.

By focusing the campaign narrative on the broader topic of investment psychology, we could help LV= own a more content led territory. This would elevate the campaign beyond your usual product push into a much wider and more ownable territory – of ‘Investment for humans’.

Landing at a time of growing interest of behavioural psychology in financial service decision-making, the campaign leveraged the ‘loss aversion’ principle; how the pain of losing is psychologically twice as impactful as the pleasure of gaining.

We developed a clear messaging matrix based on three key pillars:

  • Investments backed by behavioural science
  • Smoothed funds built to boost client composure
  • Modern investing with scientific smoothing, partnering with BlackRock

The campaign creative also leveraged other behavioural psychology principles to entice adviser engagement:

  • ‘Information gap theory’ to create intrigue and build curiosity
  • ‘Differentiation’ by discussing investments in an emotionally intriguing way
  • ‘Picture superiority effect’ using imagery that elicits stronger emotional reactions

The campaign was rolled out across organic LinkedIn posts, LinkedIn paid campaigns, trade media, thought leadership pieces, webinars, explainer videos with the sales teams, marketing emails, and roadshow events.

The results

The campaign launched in October 2024 and we’re awaiting commercial and marketing results.

 

Sectors

Services