The investment industry is quickly adopting a "solutions" mentality, a trend that is becoming increasingly evident in product and service development efforts ranging from lifecycle funds to unified managed accounts. While many of these solutions offer obvious investor benefits, limited research has been done to determine whether investors are accepting these solutions as quickly as the industry is building answers to their investing dilemmas. This FRC study explores whether investors are predisposed to adopt the solution-oriented products and services currently being marketed by investment product manufacturers and financial advisory firms, or whether they are tied to the marketing messages and investing behaviors of the past.


Among the topics explored in this study are:


• How purchasing method (e.g., direct or through advisors) influences investor perceptions about product and service benefits
• What types of marketing messages resonate with investors
• How investor preferences for products and services compare to current industry initiatives
• Which firms have achieved brand associations within specific target markets, such as high-net-worth investors and retirees