Winner: Merrill Lynch and Tiller, LLC
Campaign: "Hindsight2insight"
Calling attention to mistakes is a precarious business, especially when those mistakes involve money - a subject that is sensitive for even the most profligate spenders. To
meet this challenge, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers created Hindsight2insight, a PR initiative aimed at educating investors about common investment errors that are both costly
and avoidable. With the help of Tiller, LLC, the Merrill Lynch team rolled out a plan to tackle the issue from all angles while remaining sensitive to human's nature's reluctance
to be called out for financial faux pas.
Merrill Lynch studies reflected a clear link between the emotions and financial activities. Research-backed demonstrations of the impact of personality on the making of
investment decisions served as a vehicle for approaching investors to educate them about traits that lead to common mistakes. These included both women's tendency not to begin
investing early enough and men's inclination to hold on to a losing investment for too long. The research (compiled from public opinion polling spearheaded by the PR team) also
served as the foundation for http://www.hindsight2insight.com, a Web site where investors could seek education and assistance
anonymously. They could even take a quiz to diagnose their investing weaknesses.
Thanks to the combination of compelling research and interactive solutions, the media devoured the campaign. Features appeared in top-tier news outlets across the country, and
a break-the-bank total of 168 million media impressions were generated.
MLIM's visibility benefited accordingly, with 700,000 individual visits to its site and a 93 percent rate of positive press coverage. The communications team achieved a
commendable coup: Addressing common investment mistakes with a sensitive audience - without ever drawing attention to their shortcomings.
Honorable Mentions
Making a China-based Jewelry Company into a U.S. Stock Market Gem: Investor Relations International Although jewelry manufacturer/distributor JADE was already a powerhouse in
China, it needed to grow its U.S. stock value to compete in the marketplace. Investor Relations International set out to catch the eye of investors, boost investment activity and
follow through with sustained growth. An aggressive outreach across multiple channels delivered the message to investors: JADE's operational strength and growth strategy were
more than viable in the U.S., and investors should take note. The stock price went from $1.50 to $5, and its sales/profits growth is projected into the double digits.
Alpha Natural Resources: From Appalachia to Wall Street: Financial Relations Board When Central Appalachian coal producer Alpha Natural Resources went public, it turned to the
Financial Relations Board to create a successful Wall Street debut. By working with the company's investor relations and financial officers, the PR team crafted investment
messages for news releases, conference call scripts, investor presentations and Web site materials. Over six months, Alpha Natural Resources' stock price jumped from $19 to $29,
and it achieved a successful secondary offering.