Objective

The overarching objective of the podcast is to raise brand awareness, attracting and educating potential clients. With the content, we home to build trust and drive consideration--showcasing the value that a Northwestern Mutual advisor can bring. We also use resources we've developed to supply our field force with educational resources to share with clients as they work toward sales. 

Some specific goals we have: 

• Target the 25 - 39 age segment with topics that meet their needs and pain points
• Create "easy-lift", templated content that positions financial advisors as thought leaders and facliltate meaningful interactions with clients

Strategy

A Better Way to Money was one of the key activations of our brand campaign, delivering key messaging and serving as an anchor point for key content moments. 

Specific strategies that guided the season were: 

• Support audiences going through a life event(s) with educational information to help navigate the change
• Showcase the importance of financial planning with an advisor to help weather (and stay ahead of) life's changes
• Illustrate how professional advice about money can impact the outcome of a life event...and financial/personal outcomes in general. 

Each episode featured an expert in a key life event area (having a baby, parenting, home buying, etc.), sharing how to prepare--emotionally and financially--for the event and the value of planning to ease transitions during these events. Our host would intreview the guest, then we'd insert a branded segment with specific financial advice around this life topic. 

One episde of note was our live taping with former TV start Lo Bosworth, an activation that heavily relied on Brand and PR partners. We hosted an exclusive life taping event for invited media, financial representatives, and their clients. We granted exclusive interviews following the event and generated over 3.71B media impressions and as a result. 

We ran an 8 episode season, releasing episodes every 2 weeks. A package of content assets would accompany each episode release, including: 

• Audio epsiodes on all major podcast platforms
• Video epsiodes on YouTube
• :30 social cutdowns available for our field force to publish (a campaign option is available where any new post is automatically pushed live)
• A web page featuring the article content (also accessible via the client app and advisor websites)
• Emails availble for advisors to send (as well as an automated campaign option)
• Paid marketing assets (Feedrop and banner ads)

We also promoted the show with two events this year. One was an employee contest to generate excitement about the podcast and grow numbers of ratings/followers, and the other was a field event where we held experience rooms for financial representatives at the annual conference themed to different life events. One room--the home buying room--featured a television with the podcast as well as podcast-branded merchandise and key talking points. 

Being an only 2-year-old podcast, the challenge we face is how to continue to reach audiences in new ways, which is a challenge we continue to solve. 

Results

We considered our first season a proof of concept. This second season showed us what is possible by the growth we achieved. 

In building brand awareness and consideration, we: 

• Garnered 3.71B impressions
• Grew listenership by +242% from season 1 and grew number of followers by +163%.
• Maintained a consumption rate of 64% 
• Increased number of ratings by 15X
• Earned 145 placements in media outlets targeted toward our target audience

In equipping the field to build trust and lead to plans sales, we: 

• Increased field publications of social assets by +39.7% and increased engagements by +169.8%

Adjustents we made from season 1 to season 2 resulted in dramatic growth, and we're applying these learnings moving into future seasons. 

We've also received industry recognition with a Gold MarComm award and a Silver Signal award. 

Media