Peregrine Communications recently released its annual Global 100 Report that ranked asset management firms globally based on AUM and a host of criteria regarding branding and marketing. For 2021, Fidelity Investments came in first, Vanguard Group second, and T. Rowe Price was third, replacing BlackRock.
Fidelity and Vanguard have maintained the top two spots from last year, but BlackRock, the biggest asset manager in the world, fell to seventh place with T. Rowe Price moving into its old spot.
The methodology of the report pulled from over 12,000 data points and focused on considerations such as brand awareness and momentum, media sentiment, SEO, the amount of Tier 1 media coverage the firm received relative to its peers over the course of the year, and other marketing aspects. Of the firms with the strongest brand awareness were Fidelity, Vanguard, T. Rowe, KKR, and BlackRock, reports Institutional Investor.
“Brand awareness is absolutely critical because the asset management industry is entering a really interesting decade. It’s going to look unlike any previous decade,” said Josh Cole, director and head of strategy at Peregrine.
Cole anticipates a host of changes going forward for the asset management industry, including an increase in mergers and acquisitions, ESG pressures increasing for firms, a change in the regulatory environment, as well as higher turnover at the executive level. Being able to clearly communicate and market their brands will help set firms apart from their peers and enable more success over the long term.
Active management firm T. Rowe Price’s brand campaign, launched this year, is called “Invest in Your Future” and has been a big success for the firm. With active management poised for growth next year, T. Rowe Price is positioned favorably.
The firm currently offers eight actively managed ETFs with a variety of strategies for investors to align their risk exposures and investment goals. T. Rowe Price brings a bevy of experience and research to its products, with portfolio managers averaging over 20 years in investing each, as well as over 400 investment professionals dedicated to researching companies within ETFs.
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