BMO Global Asset Management

The way in which BMO talked about their investment specialisms and capabilities was inconsistent and confusing. There were 11 investment specialisms aligned with 12 investment capabilities, with little unification and no overarching alignment. Our task was a bottom-up review, engaging with stakeholders across the business globally to create consistent messaging, grounded in facts, that resonated internally.

Over a year-long project we ran over 100 hours of workshops and interviews with everyone across the business, from senior stakeholders to investment desks, sales and marketing functions.

A complete distillation of the business offering, which resulted in focusing on nine investment capabilities and centering around responsible investment. This project was all about the process, by engaging with different levels across the business we could unearth commonalities and differences and help alignment internally. Developing a consistent style, tone of voice and structure across the board means that future correspondences will now be consistent and help grow brand presence. Every investment capability was distilled into its selling points and a messaging territory, giving everyone internally a common starting ground. We created a messaging hierarchy which helped link the Asset Management business to the bank's wider vision and purpose.

Winner of Investment Week's Investment Marketing and Innovation Award for Proposition Development - Asset Management.

The judges said: "Serves the goal of becoming a trusted business partner - not just pushing funds, nevertheless showing tangible business results".

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After this project brand association for certain capabilities trebled within 18 months.