With input from its advisors, Merrill Lynch kicked off a new ad campaign this week in response to recent market volatility, with the main message being that investors should quickly speak to an advisor about their concerns, according to Christian Kitchell, chief experience officer for the wirehouse's wealth management business.
Merrill's prior ad campaign, called "Can't Stop," is still running and focuses on clients interacting digitally.
In addition to being created quickly with advisor input, the new campaign stands out in that it's designed to drive investors to an advisor planning conversation, according to the company.
Through a code, investors seeing the ad online can visit a website where they can connect with an advisor for a Personal Wealth Analysis, Merrill's planning tool, the company noted.
The company started the new campaign with a print ad in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, and another print ad will follow it in that publication. Both say in large letters: "The best time to talk to a Merrill Advisor? Yesterday."
Underneath that, in smaller letters, the ads say: "These markets — they're a wild ride. But we've seen it before — every up and down, twist and turn for over 100 years. We know you can do more than just hang on. With a Merrill Advisor, you can charge forward. Backed by world-class insights. Cutting-edge technology. And a personalized plan to help you thrive, no matter what lies ahead."
It ends by stating: "Don't just ride it out. Ride with the bull. Ride with Merrill." Aside from slightly different colors and versions of the bull image, the ads are otherwise the same.
Although the campaign started with print, it will soon expand to broadcast and digital channels, including social media, as part of a multi-channel campaign, Kitchell said.
Rapid Response
Since the Merrill division's recent executive shuffle, "we've been meeting with folks in the field quite a bit, speaking with our partners, getting to know them, and I think the way that we look at this is it's very much a collaboration," he told ThinkAdvisor on Tuesday in a phone interview.
Kitchell previously focused on the digital side of the business and was focused largely on the firm's Private Bank business, artificial intelligence solutions and the Erica virtual assistant, he noted.
