Author: Anu Heda

Proprietary Magazines Coming to Asset Management?

Posted by Anu Heda on Jun 01, 2015, in Thoughts , tagged with ,

Content marketing has come to the real estate industry. Douglas Elliman, the 4th-largest real estate firm in the US, launched a lifestyle magazine (via Wall Street Journal) that does not sell, market, or promote their current properties. Two years ago, we noted the online retailer, Net-a-Porter, and their magazine, Porter, in a client engagement with a top-10 asset manager. The magazine concept is an interesting technique for an asset manager looking to organize disparate in-house content sources. Leafing through Porter, you see the easy connection between retailer and magazine. Interspersed within the articles are clothes and accessories sold on the Web site. Looking through Elliman, there are no articles about new residential towers in Manhattan or Miami, rather Q&As with Ted Allen and Katie Lee.

In our industry we have a DC-focused magazine: Journey from JPMorgan. Journey follows thePorter model covering topics like Social Security’s future, diversification in a DC plan, and rising health care costs.

Will we see more magazines? If done well (good articles, quality paper stock, stunning photos and imagery), I see the appeal and I can imagine a magazine has a higher chance of finding its way into an FAs briefcase (or app on her tablet) than a PDF. And that’s a significant step towards building appeal with advisors.

Best Blogs of the Week vol 187

Posted by Anu Heda on Jun 01, 2015, in Best Blogs of the Week , tagged with ,

Only two posts to recommend this week, both focused on investing opportunities.

Investing in Bank Stocks –Invesco

“In our view, this price action looks like the start of a positive trend and a continuation of the rally that had been in place from about September 2011 to March 2014.”

Refuting the Top 3 Misconceptions of EM Corporate Credit –WisdomTree

“In our view, valuations in emerging market corporate debt could represent an attractive entry point for patient investors who are focused on total returns.”

Thought Leadership Arms Race Is On

Posted by Anu Heda on May 27, 2015, in Thoughts , tagged with , , , , ,

There’s omnipresent discussion (in the news, from asset managers, by wealth managers) of the 5-year long bull market in US equities. Reading this month’s Mixing It Up from Shefali Anand reminded me about the bull market. There’s another bull market. The asset management industry is experiencing a bull market in thought leadership. It’s easy to understand why: with so many investment options available to financial advisors, thought leadership becomes an important method of building brand recognition and becoming that coveted “trusted partner.”

Today, many asset managers are producing thought leadership in quantities never seen before. Let’s just look at 2015 volume to-date from five, well-known asset managers.

thoughtleadershiptableWhat are the obvious takeaways?

  1. Unless Marketing executives believe thought leadership to be a fad, standing on the sidelines is longer an option. Yet some firms continue to do so, publishing 1 or 2 thought leadership pieces per quarter.
  2. Introducing and populating a blog with multiple posts per week from different investment team members is no longer optional.

Best Blogs of the Week vol 186

Posted by Anu Heda on May 26, 2015, in Best Blogs of the Week , tagged with , , ,

 

This week’s posts cover multiple topics.

What a Rate Hike May Mean for Stocks –BlackRock

“markets characterized by multiple expansion—in other words, when investors are paying more per dollar of earnings—are more vulnerable to a change in monetary conditions.”

China is Choking on its Own Debt –Loomis Sayles

“It’s difficult to remember the last time so many paid so little attention to something so vitally important.”

Is ESG a non-financial issue? Or a future financial issue? –Russell

“Typical investment structures at present do not necessarily capture the potential impact of ESG factors.”

When the dollar is strong, look to small caps –Wells Fargo

“In the short run, we expect larger-cap companies to feel the effects of the stronger dollar.”

Best Blogs of the Week vol. 185

Posted by Anu Heda on May 18, 2015, in Best Blogs of the Week , tagged with , ,

Three great posts this week and I thought to try something a little different. Each post with my favorite sentence from the post.

Chart of the Week: It’s a Millennial Takeover! Or Is It? (Part I) -American Century

“65% of millennials are being helped out financially by their parents when they first start out.”

Don’t Confuse Bond Market Liquidity with Volatility -OppenheimerFunds

“The real problem isn’t the illiquidity of the bond market—it’s the volatility of bond prices.”

Addressing currency volatility -Wells Fargo

“it’s important for us to determine how much of a company’s exposure is really domiciled onshore versus offshore and subject to these forces of appreciation and deappreciation. [sic]”