Challenge
With significant pension reforms anticipated in the UK Government’s 2016 Budget, financial services giant Standard Life wanted to reach and engage with the Independent Financial Adviser market via social on Budget Day, above and beyond the competition.

Approach
The 2016 Budget represented a ‘tent-pole’ event opportunity for Standard Life to reach a captive Adviser audience. The Crocodile created a strategic campaign framework, fuelled by data, technology and creative content. The goal was to cut through the noise, deliver reach, dominate share of voice, and drive one-to-one engagement far beyond Standard Life’s industry rivals.
Insight
Behavioural analysis helped us understand that the Adviser audience does not appreciate being told what to do – or how to think – by a provider. They are experts in their own right.
This critical insight led to Standard Life’s formation of an ‘Adviser Voice’ panel of influencers from the Adviser community. We also chose to lead the Budget conversation with the real-time personal opinions of these Advisers (rather than Standard Life’s own industry experts) to better connect, gain trust and build credibility.
Execution
The Crocodile delivered Adviser Voice: Budget 2016 – a real-time social media and content campaign based around the personal views and opinions of a panel of Independent Financial Advisers. All activity was fine-tuned and personalised by our ability to monitor existing and past conversations, topic analysis and engagement trends.
Key Ingredients
- Messaging, scenario planning + activity plan for organic and paid social
- Team management – Subject Matter Experts, Advisers, Compliance, PR, Social and Data Analysts forming the Budget 2016 ‘War Room’
- Tech-enabled approach with the ability to listen, create, and execute with immediacy
- A clear process framework
Daily impressions
42,310
Facebook reach
42,256
Daily engagements
426
Active engagement rate
2.53%