Assessing the usage and relevance of financial services literature and its impact on the corporate brand

Developed in 2002, this study has provided companies with practical insight, leading in many cases to improvements not only in the way literature is produced but also to more closely align communications material to brand attributes and values. The study has both consumer and intermediary elements:

The consumer study:

	Provides an understanding of how target customers use literature, its relevance to the brand, its role in terms of the sales process and its use as physical evidence.
	Provides insight into the strengths and weaknesses of syndicate members’ literature as perceived by target customers including key messages, ease of use, ease of navigation, clarity, layout and imagery.
	Provides an understanding of how successful literature is in terms of promoting syndicate members brand and brand attributes and how literature is positioned against the competition.

The IFA study:

	Investigates how independent financial advisers use literature, particularly during the sales process.
	Explores the strengths and weaknesses of syndicate members’ literature as perceived by independent financial advisers.
	Explores how successful literature is in terms of promoting syndicate members brand and brand attributes, how literature is positioned against the competition and the importance of literature within the IFA distribution channel

The study will provide syndicate members with practical guidelines for the future design and production of customer literature.