Along with four other undergraduate students from Boston University, I created an advertising plan for Ameriprise Financial to reach the affluent ($500k-$5MM) class. Our group had two weeks to complete primary and secondary research and put together the presentation and leave-behind. This project was assigned in Account Management class taught by former Arnold Worldwide CEO John Verret.

1. Diverge.
Benudiz, Blott,
McCook, Nah, Stewart

2. 2
We are an analytical, multicultural agency, committed to providing insight and
innovative communication solutions. We simultaneously respect our clients’ roots
and maintain their brand essence, while encouraging growth and fostering
exploration. Our worldly perspectives appeal to and offer insight about our clients’
diverse audiences and their various needs.

3. Insights
3

4. Planning for Retirement
● More people are worried about retirement than are planning for it1
● Planning for retirement is not simple or enjoyable so people avoid it2
● Affluent consumers are more concerned about providing for future generations
rather than having enough money for their own retirement3
4

5. Lack of Awareness
● Customers that are satisfied with
their current financial planning firm
are unaware of Ameriprise4
● While they may have heard of it,
they don’t know of its offerings
● They are unaware of the long
history of the company
5

6. Competitive Insight
● Edward Jones: “Making Sense of Investing”5
Knowing our clients personally is why Edward Jones is a
big company that doesn’t act that way.6
● Fidelity: “See the Difference”7
Open an account and find more of the expertise you need
to be a better investor8
● Charles Schwab: “Own your tomorrow”9
You ask a lot of good questions. But are you asking
enough about how your wealth is managed? Charles
Schwab wealth management.10
● Raymond James: “Life well planned”11
See what a Raymond James advisor can do for you.12
6

7. Untapped Market
● Majority of wealthy women make
wealth management decisions in their
households
● Women are more open to receiving
support from financial advisors13
● Women exercise decision making
power over 39% of investable assets in
the United States
7

8. New Generation
● Millennials are outnumbering the Baby Boomers and represent the future of
financial planning
● They are currently not being targeted as they do not have a lot of wealth, they
feel alienated by other large financial services companies
● Millennials who do acquire personal wealth are entrepreneurs who solely focus
on their business rather than personal financial planning
8

9. Broadening the Target
● Our campaign will primarily target affluent ($500k - $5MM) Caucasian males
with higher education who are married and living in suburban areas who are
concerned about how their wealth will support themselves and their families in
the future.
● In order to focus on business growth, our campaign will also target:
○ Affluent women who are responsible for making financial decisions
○ Young entrepreneurs who need assistance managing their personal wealth
9

10. Creative Platform
10

11. Creative Brief
Product/Service:
Ameriprise Financial Services, leading financial planning company in the U.
S. and #1 provider of quality investment advice
Situation:
Acquire more clients with a clear focus on affluent clients with $500,000
to $5,000,000 in investable assets
Objectives:
1. Draw new customers in by helping them switch away from their
old company.
2. Keep in mind inspiring present advisors, tighten relationship with
existing clients
3. Deepen client relationships with relevant advice and solutions
and inspire more productive advisors
Target Audience/Community:
$500k - $5MM affluent adults: 62% male, 86% Caucasian, and 75% have a
4 year college degree or higher (40%+ have a graduate degree)
Predominantly married, living in suburban locations, and about four in ten
support dependent children
Current Beliefs:
More certified financial planner professionals than any other firm, A rated,
#1 provider of quality investment advice, rated one of the most trusted
investment firms, 96% of clients engaged in our Confident Retirement feel
the advice addresses their needs
Desired Beliefs (or outcome or action):
Because Ameriprise has been with Americans since 1894, it is the financial services
company that customers can trust to securely invest their money
Insight that reveals the human nature we can tap into:
Affluent clients are more concerned with preserving their fortune and having an
impact far into the future, rather than simply having enough money for retirement.
Relevant topical cultural trend or tension:
Consumers are increasingly seeking validation from online collective when it
comes to making financial decisions.
Baby boomers are retiring, which affects our campaign because they need to plan
their for their future when they are no longer working. In addition, we want to
target the next wealthy generation by appealing to millennials..
The one thing we want to communicate:
Your past, present & future
What supports our claim:
1. Been around since 1894: 120 years of service
2. #1 provider of quality investment advice
3. The working assets of Ameriprise grew from $400 billion to $800 billion
for the past five years
Deliverables and Mandatories
Print, TV, grassroots, social media, and digital
11

12. New Brand Positioning
Ameriprise is the best financial service company for affluent adults with $500,000
to $5,000,000 in investable assets because of its long history with dependable
advisors, its ability to keep up with the concerns of today’s world, and its ability to
help you plan for your personal future and the future of your family.
12

13. Creative Campaign
13

14. Campaign Concept
We changed the tagline from “More Within Reach” to “Your Past, Present & Future.”
Ameriprise’s longevity and triumphant legacy has proven to help its clients
throughout economic crises and maintain deep, well-established client
relationships.
Ameriprise’s strong company history will show affluent clients that the brand is
trustworthy and reliable. Ameriprise continues to be a mentor for its clients, helping
them navigate through the ever-changing economic landscape today, and
throughout future endeavours.
14

15. Campaign Executions
15
TV Print
Traditional
Past, Present & Future
Non-traditional
Digital
(Web banner,
paid search)
Content
marketing
Grassroots

16. Television
The campaign rests on viewers connecting their own family’s history to Ameriprise’s long history. Thus, this
spot tells the story of one family’s past with the company, beginning back with their roots in 1894.
The spot could begin back in 1890s with a young couple - your great-great-grandparents - getting married &
setting up their lives with the help of then Investors Syndicate in Minneapolis
The story follows through a series of shots of them going through having kids, getting drafted, dealing with
financial crises, having grandchildren, their kids living the Great Depression, paying for college, planning for
retirement, etc. all with the help of their advisors from Investors Syndicate/Investors Diversified
Services/American Express Financial/Ameriprise
Closes with present day - a parent relaying this story to their own child they wait in Ameriprise office for
their advisor to talk about college planning
16

17. 17

18. Print Ads
18
Affluent males Women

19. 19

20. 20
Digital: Banner Ad

21. 21

22. Content Marketing
● Website created specifically for campaign that will allow people to trace their
family history
○ Users can see the amount of money that was required for each family member to retire
○ Users can use the website to see how much money they’ll need for the year they plan to retire
● Tracking the major generations, then measuring inflation to see how much an
ancestor would have needed to make so they’d have enough money to live on
and retire, and compare it to how much you need to live on and retire
22

23. 23

24. Paid Search
Keywords: financial advising, retirement planning, financial services, saving for
college, investments
Family Financial Advice
www.ameriprise.com
Find Ameriprise advisors near you
Plan your family’s future today!
24
Retirement with Ameriprise
www.ameriprise.com
Ameriprise advisors work with you
Personalize a retirement plan now!
Ameriprise Advisors
www.ameriprise.com
Visit Ameriprise advisors now
Discover your future!
Affluent malesWomen Millennials

25. Social Media - Twitter
25

26. Social Media - YouTube
26

27. Grassroots
27
● To target entrepreneurs, tech-startups,
and app designers, we will send advisors to
local start-up fairs and tech conferences
and talk to young professionals
● Building up a relationship as their
businesses get off the ground
○ Allow Ameriprise to say we were there for your
past, we’re here for your present, and we will be
there for your future

28. Thank you!
28

29. References
1. Menke, Susan. Retirement planning? I’d rather not think about it. Consumer Attitudes Toward Retirement Planning - US. Nov. 2013. Mintel. Web.
2. Id.
3. Hopkins, James. Not Enough People Have Advisers And New Research Shows They Should. 28 Aug. 2014. Forbes. Web.
4. Stewart, Erin. Personal interview. 27 Nov. 2015.
5. Edwardjones.com. Edward Jones. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
6. Edward Jones. Edward Jones Commercial 2015 - Short List - 30 seconds. YouTube. 12 Jan. 2015. Web.
7. Fidelity.com. Fidelity Investments. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
8. AvalonArtistsGroup. Andrew Lee - Fidelity Investments TV Commercial - "See the Difference." Apr. 20. 2015. YouTube. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
9. Schwab.com. Charles Schwab. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
10. Charles Schwab. Charles Schwab Wealth Management TV Commercial – “Curiosity Blind Spot “:30. 5 Nov. 2015. YouTube. Web. 7 Dec. 2015
11. Raymondjames.com. Raymond James. Web. 7. Dec. 2015
12. Raymond James. The Cautious Hat Maker. 13 Jan. 2014. YouTube. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
13. Staco, Monica. Women more involved in financial decisions of their household. High Net Worth Women – US. Dec. 2014. Mintel. Web.
29