ETF Provider Rebrand and Marketing Campaign
Marketing, Advertising and Communications

CHALLENGE

As a firm focused on innovative ETF strategies across blockchain, factor investing and dividend growth, Reality Shares seeks to provide high-quality institutional investment strategies to the general public. In this pursuit, Reality Shares developed several innovative methodologies to incorporate into its ETFs. Reality Shares approached MBC Strategic regarding a comprehensive rebrand involving new websites, branding and identity materials, messaging and copywriting, presentation and fund marketing materials, content marketing, conference marketing, advertising, social media and ongoing marketing support. The ETF rebrand included an updated messaging hierarchy to better communicate its suite of rules-based indices, ETF strategies and methodologies. After launch, MBC Strategic was then asked to manage the ongoing marketing and advertising efforts for this growing ETF firm. 

STRATEGY

Developing a brand identity for Reality Shares involved a comprehensive overview of the firm’s strengths and personality as well as exposing what differentiated its strategy and investment philosophy. The team at MBC began a process of stakeholder interviews to key in on messaging and web content structure across the suite of investment tools and products at offered at Reality Shares. This approach highlighted the story of how Reality Shares made a suite of complex, institutional-quality investment vehicles and tools available to retail audiences and advisors.

The project included deep analysis of the firm’s unique investment approaches across a series of ETFs relative to a broad mix of competitive alternative investment managers. Reality Shares brought a uniquely forward-looking approach — a key differentiator to their strategy and overarching story. The branding and ongoing advertising project needed to communicate these advantages across all communications, showing investors and advisors the possibilities Reality Shares offered. This included a full suite of materials and ETF advertising for several Fund launches, including two blockchain-related funds and factor-based quantitative strategy. 

RESULTS

The initial brand rollout and ongoing support better communicated the Reality Shares story and investment product methodologies across retail, advisor and institutional audiences. The fully responsive website features an entirely new structure, visual identity, imagery and materials, as well as a completely restructured ETF pages to better highlight each Fund. Support materials include firm presentation decks and investment fact sheets, custom email communications, identity materials, social media strategy and support, a comprehensive white paper rollout, content marketing, and advertising strategy and execution. The website is organized into multiple layers and offers deep content, private investor access, fully customizable page-building, video integration and a focused messaging strategy to better convey the firm’s significant competitive advantages. 

Our marketing and advertising strategies focused on both B2C and B2B audiences and were managed and maintained across an integrated campaign of brand-supportive and fund-specific ads through email, print, digital display, social and search. Supported by these ongoing marketing and advertising campaigns, the firm has seen asset growth of 733% in less than two years as well as increased exposure across industry trade and digital press channels.