The Folly of Brand Awareness for Asset Managers: Why Preference is the True Battleground

By Darren Lassiter, Managing Partner and Head of Client Services at Arthur

Brand awareness is often treated as a key metric in asset management marketing. Yet, in a niche industry where most buyers—fund selectors, CIOs, and investment teams—are already aware of the major players, the real fight isn’t for recognition but for preference. Awareness keeps a brand top of mind, but it doesn’t drive decisions. What does? Precision-targeted campaigns that move buyers from awareness to action—securing buy-list placements and fund recommendations.

Awareness: A Starting Point, Not the Goal

Unlike consumer brands that need mass recognition, asset managers operate in a finite ecosystem where prompted awareness surveys often mislead—failing to capture actual influence on buying decisions. However, awareness does play a role: reinforcing credibility, supporting sales teams, and signalling strength. When executed well across digital display and out-of-home (OOH) channels, it reminds the market of a firm’s presence. But that’s where it ends.

Preference: Where the Real Battle Lies

The question is not “Do they know us?” but “Why would they choose us?”. Research from Transforming the B2B Buyer Journey* shows precision-targeted campaigns are 2.5x more effective at driving preference than broad awareness efforts. Decision-makers are also 70% more likely to recommend a fund when exposed to tailored, relevant content that aligns with their investment needs.

Rather than blanket messaging, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) delivers exponentially greater impactby engaging fund buyers at the right moments, reinforcing differentiation, and influencing decision-making.

Winning the Preference Game

For asset managers, the most effective approach is to start small and scale strategically—using insights to shape targeted, high-impact content. Preference-building campaigns help:

• Influence buy-list inclusion – Engaging fund selectors at the right time with the right message.
• Drive recommendations – Equipping gatekeepers with insights to position a fund favourably.
• Showcase expertise – Delivering relevant content that aligns with decision-makers’ needs.

The opportunity for Asset Managers lies in unlocking awareness to drive preference, action, and advocacy—transforming recognition into meaningful engagement and business impact.

If you’d like to see insights from the work we do, please get in touch.

*Antonia Wade