Despite enormous success in a crowded market, Vanguard – the world’s second-largest financial service firm based on assets under management – realized a rational brand position could only take them so far. Over time, a single proof point – low cost funds – had become elevated and solidified as the company’s brand promise. Intuiting that they were sitting on large reserves of untapped brand potential, Vanguard partnered with Brandtrust to rediscover and amplify the emotional core that could set Vanguard apart and provide them a sustainable future advantage.
Truth
Emotional Inquiry with consumer + commercial investors as well as financial advisors around the globe revealed the key insight that would unlock Vanguard’s brand potential: Investing isn’t actually about money. Rather, it’s about individuals investing in a sense of confidence and optimism for their futures.
Clarity
This reframing of the concept of “investing” from being about money to being about individual vision, compassion and courage became the foundation for an elevated brand strategy. Brandtrust worked with Vanguard to develop a Brand Promise that translated their core purpose – “To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and give them the best chance of investing success” – into an ownable, emotionally-driven positioning. This promise was supported with a robust Brand Framework that connected core Vanguard equities to the human needs of investors and financial professionals, and placed all the functional benefits of the brand where they belonged – as proof points.
