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As financial marketers, we know the adage: past performance is no guarantee of future results. Yet at the Financial Communications Society (FCS), an intriguing pattern emerged in 2024—one that might suggest marketing activity in the financial services industry mirrors the stock market’s performance in real time. And this could help marketers manage their plans as we roll into the year ahead. 

With the S&P 500 rallying 26.3% in 2023, financial marketers appeared to increase their budgets and expand their initiatives without the previously assumed lag. Could this reveal an immediate alignment between market conditions and marketing decisions

The FCS Portfolio Awards serve as a unique lens into this dynamic. A marketer’s willingness to submit work for recognition in this competition often correlates with the scale and scope of their campaigns, which, in turn, might also reflect their budgets. By examining year-over-year changes in award submissions across categories, we gained insights into how financial marketers responded to 2023’s market rebound. 

What the Numbers Reveal

Our analysis focused on three key segments: B2B, Consumer, and Corporate Image marketing. Here’s what we discovered: 

B2B Marketing

B2B marketing saw a robust 10% increase in activity overall. Several categories experienced significant growth: 

  • Out of Home Advertising: A standout performer, with a staggering 600% increase. 
  • Podcast Advertising: Entries surged by 300%. 
  • Online Video: Grew 120%, reflecting its rising importance as a channel. 
  • Print Advertising: Made a strong showing, while television advertising remained surprisingly flat. 
Consumer Marketing

Marketing efforts targeting retail audiences grew modestly, up 3% overall. However, the data revealed shifts in focus: 

  • Online Video: Up 91%, leading consumer advertising efforts. 
  • Digital Collateral: Increased by 175%, underscoring a move toward education-focused content. 
  • Print Collateral: Doubled, growing by 100%. 
  • Television Advertising: Bucked expectations with a notable decline of 33%. 
Corporate Image Marketing

Marketing efforts aimed at brand-building dropped nearly 10%. Yet some areas saw remarkable growth: 

  • Podcasts: Original content submissions increased by 500%. 
  • Print Advertising: Matched podcast growth at 500%. 
  • Email Campaigns: Rose by 200%. 
  • Out of Home and Television Advertising: Both categories grew by 33%. 

Declines in categories like Websites, Online Video, Public Relations, and Print Collateral pulled down the overall total. 

The Power of Integration

Across all three segments, the Integrated Marketing category consistently attracted the most submissions. This trend highlights the industry’s recognition of incorporating multiple campaign executions across media and channels as the most effective way to deliver messaging for their brands, products, and services. 

Looking Ahead

If 2023’s marketing budgets and efforts were influenced by the year’s stock market performance, and that performance was then matched in 2024, what might the future hold for financial marketers in 2025?  

We suspect they may increasingly adopt a real-time approach to align their activities with shifting market conditions, ensuring agility and responsiveness. 

At the FCS, we’ll be watching, closely tracking submissions, celebrating innovation, and rewarding excellence through our Portfolio Awards. As always, the best work will reflect not only the industry’s creativity, but also its ability to thrive in step with the market’s ebb and flow. 

The 31st Annual FCS Portfolio Awards are now open – apply here.

Kevin Windorf

Kevin Windorf

Kevin Windorf is CEO of Financial Communications Society.