Public Awareness Campaign: Spring 2021 Advertising Update

CFP Board's Public Awareness Campaign television ads and other advertising are back in the field for a Spring 2021 flight through late May. We are pleased to share with you the following updates on the campaign, which is focused on raising awareness of the value of CFP® certification.

This latest iteration of our awareness campaign was developed with insights from market research conducted by Heart + Mind Strategies for CFP Board. In our research, we found that consumers who work with a CFP® professional feel more confident, optimistic, secure and at ease. The peace of mind that comes from having a CFP® professional help to prepare a financial plan is powerful – and no two plans look the same.

Since 2018, our ads have told the stories of “Shelley,” “Cal and Val” and “Jen and Maya.” This spring we will focus solely on “Cal and Val,” which continues to resonate well with our Mass Affluent Initiator* (MAI) audience, and which highlights the theme of retirement that remains the top-of-mind financial planning area for our audience.

We saw strong results from last year’s spring campaign. In 2020, total awareness of CFP® certification was a healthy 85 percent among the target MAI audience and preference for and intent to use a CFP® professional once more reached an all-time high. The MAI audience is also more likely to trust expert advice, as opposed to a do-it-yourself approach. Unaided awareness remained stable

For 2021, as in most years, our primary advertising and communications efforts focus on the spring tax season, when finances are top of mind among most consumers.

Here are highlights of our Spring 2021 Public Awareness Campaign activities:

• TV (March 29 – May 30): Our “With a CFP® professional” ads will air on national cable television networks and broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Golf Channel, ESPN and Food Network, among many other media outlets. The TV ads include both :30 and :15 spots designed to optimize engagement, reach and frequency. Videos of the TV ads are available for viewing and sharing at CFP.net/PAC.
• Streaming Video: With the ongoing shift from cable to streaming video channels, accelerated by the last year’s COVID-related media trends, we have taken advantage of platforms like Roku, Apple TV, Hulu and others to reach those who use streaming services.
• Radio (April 12 – May 23): Radio ads and sponsorship messages will air on popular NPR shows such as "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," as well as NPR podcasts such as “Planet Money” and “How I Built This”.
• Online (Throughout the year): Online banner ads and online videos will display on popular websites where consumers get news and information about current events, finances, sports and entertainment through the prime campaign period. Paid search engine marketing (Google and Bing), which is always active, will be increased during the campaign period.
• Social Media (Throughout the year): Organic social content is ongoing on our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages. Paid social media advertising during the campaign period will include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
• All of the campaign's advertisements and communications lead to our consumer website, LetsMakeAPlan.org, where consumers can find financial planning information based on where they are in life and search for and contact a CFP® professional. The website was redesigned and relaunched in December of 2020 and includes updated content and a modernized interface with a mobile friendly design to improve user experience, educate consumers on financial planning concepts and provide resources to find and evaluate CFP® professionals.

Thank you for your support of CFP® certification and CFP Board's Public Awareness Campaign. We look forward to reporting on the campaign's continued success.

*Mass Affluent Initiator is a proprietary segment of the Mass Affluent segment of the population, representing those who are the primary decision-makers in managing their personal finances, ages 35 to 64 with investible assets of $100,000 to $1 million and a minimum household income of $100,000. Mass Affluent Initiators describe themselves as individuals who value learning new things, are optimistic, responsible, self-confident and have a practical outlook on life. They are also more likely to trust expert advice, as opposed to a do-it-yourself approach.