Five government policies you can have your say on in 2024

A number of policies and legislative changes are set to provide financial services companies with an opportunity to add their perspectives on key issues impacting public policy in 2024.

Timely commentary which indicates strong conviction can also help build a broader public profile for an organisation. There are different ways to participate in debate:

Expert comment: Providing quick, reactive comment in response to RBA decisions, the Federal Budget or Treasury announcements can generate prominent profile and help build a relationship with journalists.

Opinion pieces: Organisations with a strong opinion or insight on a topic can pitch opinion articles which build a lengthier argument. This approach also avoids the potential for remarks to be taken out of context.

Policy submissions: Providing a response to draft legislation, recommendations or a policy paper are a powerful way to take a position. These submissions are read not just by government decision-makers but also other industry influencers and journalists who often report on the content.

Talking directly with government: A growing number of companies are liaising directly with regulators and members of parliament to address their concerns. This can involve writing to or meeting with the relevant authority.

Below is a list of five key policies already firmly in motion, where you can use these action areas to position your organisation and have your voice heard this year.

  1. Implementing the Quality of Advice Review in full
    The state of play: With the Government having now handed down its final response, the next step in the process is drafting legislation and seeking further industry feedback. This more complex process stems from the Government breaking down the reforms into multiple tranches to fast-track key recommendations. There has since been a flurry of media comment from people concerned that some changes – such as proposed amendments to adviser classifications and statements of advice – don’t meet the needs of consumers.What to expect in 2024: The first stage of the reforms have now been drafted and debate is expected to continue on the floor of Parliament from as early as February. The second stage of the reforms is likely to face further consultation and refinement in the first half of the year, with the hope for legislation to be debated before year end. As these amendments flow through, media commentary from both critics and supporters of individual changes is likely to continue.
  2. Providing regulation around cryptocurrency
    The state of play: There were a number of efforts made by Parliament in 2023 to work towards regulating cryptocurrency in Australia, including a Private Members Bill by Senator Andrew Bragg and consultation papers by Treasury on token mapping and AFSL obligations. There was also an investigation into the potential for an RBA backed stablecoin.What to expect in 2024: There may be outcomes around the above in 2024. In particular, there could be a response from the Government on the recent consultation papers around token mapping and AFSL obligations in Q2 onwards. It may move higher on the Government’s list of priorities given the recent approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs by the SEC in the United States and the potential for the ASX to follow suit.
  3. Optimising superannuation as Australians live longer
    The state of play: The Government has released a discussion paper seeking feedback on how the nation’s superannuation system can best provide income and security in retirement, particularly given our ageing population. The focus is on helping members navigate the retirement income system and supporting funds to provide better products and services.What to expect in 2024: The consultation period closes on 9 February 2024, meaning that a response from Treasury is likely towards the middle part of the year, pending competing priorities within the Government. From there, the Government can assess what regulatory updates and legislation may be required, and over what time frame, to enact these objectives. We expect to see a continued strong focus on decumulation phase / retirement income themes through 2024 and beyond.
  4. Finalising changes to super balances over $3 million
    The state of play: Proposed changes to taxation continued to dominate media headlines in 2023, shifting from the adoption of the Stage 3 tax cuts, to the proposition of reducing the tax concessions available to individuals with a superannuation balance of over $3 million. Media interest has remained consistent on the latter issue, with critics claiming that the additional super taxation is unfair, particularly for unrealised capital gains.What to expect in 2024: The latter policy has now been referred to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee for review, with submissions available to be made by the public until 23 February. From there, the Committee will review the findings and instigate further debate before handing down a final report by 19 April. Discussions around the Stage 3 tax cuts have already resurfaced in 2024, with the Prime Minister announcing the existing policy will be amended to prioritise low and middle-income earners. This will be of particular interest to those working in the financial advice and private wealth space.
  5. Formalising Australia’s Sustainable Finance Strategy
    The state of play: The Government has now released Australia’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, which is designed to support our pathway to net zero by reducing the barriers to investment in sustainable activities. This has been a key policy area for the industry over the past few years and one which is likely to remain prominent as companies adopt transition plans which align with the Government’s ongoing commitment to reduce emissions across all parts of the economy.What to expect in 2024: On 1 December 2023, the consultation process was completed, meaning the Government may formalise its approach in the middle part of 2024. Given the sustained focus of Government bodies like ASIC on issues such as greenwashing, the focus on implementation may remain a key priority. As conversations around the importance of all aspects of the Australian economy committing to net-zero are continuing to increase, this policy area will likely remain front of mind for regulators.

Jared Wright is an Account Manager at Honner. He previously worked in the electorate offices of former NSW Treasurer, Matt Kean MP and former Minister for Multiculturalism and Seniors, Mark Coure MP.

Alison Kahler is Senior Consultant – Content at Honner. She previously worked for the Australian Financial Review as a Senior Editor and Commentator.

If you would like to talk to us about how we can assist with policy advocacy, please contact Jared Wright at jared@honner.com.au

Team Honner kicks off the festive season at Hotel CBD!

The Honner team recently got together with clients, journalists and industry colleagues for a night of drinks, chat and networking – and a chance to welcome in the festive season. Thanks to everyone who came along – it was a great crowd and a fun time was had by all!

Susie Bell and Philippa Honner, Honner
Maria Lykouras from JBWere, Darren Synder and Susie Bell from Honner, Belinda White from First Sentier, Tamara Kolevski from JBWere
Pete Gunning from Russell Investments with Colin Bold from Bell Direct and Harry O’Neil from EQT Partners
Alison Kahler, Honner
Guy McKanna and Jared Wright, Honner
Tesa Arcilla from Ausbiz
Aleks Vickovich from Connexus chats with Lucy Dean from AFR and Annie Kane from The Adviser
Dr Jon Glass, retirement coach at 64 Plus, with Honner NED Barry Rafe
Mel Mak from Magellan with Andrew Lill from REST and Philippa Honner
Samantha Rockliff from Honner with Georgie Burrows and Daniel Sheehan from Lazard Asset Management
Annie Kane from The Adviser with Honner’s Holly Bagley
Nathan Walsh from Athena Home Loans with Ilan Israelstam from Betashares
Brett Jackson and Divyesh Bhana from Aviva Investors with Isabella Palmer and Leah Contos from Honner
Gabby Monardo from Blossom, Eleanor Pearson from Honner, Gaby Rosenberg from Blossom, Jeremy Steven from Honner and Craig Jackson from Blossom
Matt Smith from Australian Ethical with Morningstar’s Christine St Anne
The ABC’s Peter Ryan with Elizabeth Fry from Industry Moves
Honner’s Susie Bell (left) and Holly Bagley (right) with Jules Kudelko and Brent Spanhel from NAB
Honner’s Rashmi Punjabi with AJ Koch from StartUp Daily
Natasha Moldrich and Barry Rafe, Honner
The Australian’s Glenda Korporaal with Jane Clapcott from MA Financial and Bridget Carter from The Australian
Honner’s Guy McKanna with James Alexander-Hatziplis from architects Place Studio and Rose Mary Petrass from FS Sustainability
Aaron Weinman from AFR chats with AJ Koch from StartUp Daily
Judith Bence and Fiona Parker from Honner with Jacky Howe from Yarra Capital Management and Valerie Allen from Gallagher
Belinda White from First Sentier with Yolanda Beattie from Honner Pro-Bono client Future IM/Pact and Honner’s Barry Rafe
Angus Vidulich from Ausbil with Ryan Kilroy from Principal Global Investors and Craig Morris from Honner
Cordelia McLeay, Leah Contos and Hinal Parekh from Honner

Podcast Boom: A Financial Services Guide to Capitalising on the Explosive Audio Landscape

Australians listen to an average of seven podcast episodes per week, surpassing the United States as the nation with the highest podcast listenership. The financial services industry is no exception, with many professionals, asset management firms and super funds turning to podcasting to share their insights and expertise. It is estimated that there are already approximately 150 podcasts targeting individual investors, financial advisers and institutional investors in Australia.

As a leading communications agency in the financial services industry, Honner recently conducted detailed research into the financial podcast landscape. Our study reveals a trove of insights into the increasing popularity of podcasts among investors and financial services professionals – and how firms can integrate this emerging communications channel into an overall communication strategy.

We also identify our Top 10 Financial Podcasts for investors, advisers and institutional professionals.

Who are the most popular financial Podcasters?

According to Honner’s research, the most successful financial podcasters are those who have a unique perspective on the markets, offer actionable insights into how to invest successfully and have engaging guests.

Popular podcasts in Australia include The Australian Finance Podcast, which targets individual investors, consumers and young Australians, and the She’s on the Money podcast, which targets millennials and women and boasts over 1 million monthly downloads.

Institutional investors and advisers can benefit from podcasts such as the Financial Standard (FS) Podcast, which covers the latest developments in finance, investment trends and the economics shaping Australia’s wealth management landscape.

One of the most popular podcasts targeting institutional investors and CIOs in Australia is The Ideas Exchange, which is produced by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The podcast features interviews with leading experts in the finance industry, including fund managers, market analysts, and investment strategists and promotes the podcast to its vast audience of Australian investors (60,000 people currently follow the ASX LinkedIn page).

Looking offshore, the We Study Billionaires podcast is the largest stock investing podcast in the world, with 100,000,000+ downloads. It is hosted by Stig Brodersen, Trey Lockerbie, and Clay Finck. The trio interview and study legendary investment gurus such as Warren Buffett, Cathie Wood and Jeremy Grantham to uncover their valuable investing lessons and the strategies they are currently employing to manage the opportunities and risks of the stock market.

The Wall Street Journal and sister publication Barron’s now run 15 different podcasts between them. According to their media kit, their main podcast, The Journal, had close to 100 million downloads in 2022. Recent podcast titles include: The World’s Richest Person Is Planning for Succession, How Investigators Cracked a $3.4 Billion Crypto Heist and A $175 Million ‘Huge Mistake’, (covering JPMorgan Chase’s purchase of Frank— a college financial planning startup).

Do podcasts make money?

Yes. And it can be a very profitable. In terms of earnings, some of the highest-earning investing podcasts generate millions of dollars in revenue annually.

Paid podcasting models can take several forms, including fixed rates for guest appearances or recurring segments. Some podcasts also offer digital promotions, such as social media amplification, as part of package deals. Sponsorships and advertising slots, which can be purchased pre, mid, or post-episode, are also becoming increasingly popular in the financial services industry.

In February 2023 the AFR reported that, in Australia alone, Podcasts now make $82.5m in ads – but it could be double. Although it isn’t about finance, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast, hosted by UFC commentator and stand-up comedian Joe Rogan, is estimated to earn over USD$30 million annually. Rogan reportedly earns about $100,000 for each podcast episode. He is ranked as the world’s highest-paid podcaster.

Tips for Being a Great Guest on a Podcast

When you’re invited to be a guest on a podcast, it’s important to be prepared to maximise your engagement with listeners. Absorbing information through audio (often while doing something else at the same time) is different to reading. Like a radio segment – speakers need to be crisp and animated – delivering digestible chunks of information in a personable, conversational tone to keep listeners engaged.

Honner regularly provides clients with valuable opportunities to be guests on various podcasts, and we consistently see positive results. Honner’s media briefs are tailored to each client’s unique needs and provide valuable insights on how to make a successful guest appearance. Our team will work closely with you to ensure that you are well-prepared, with details on the host, format, topics to be covered and the audience who will be listening.

At Honner, we believe that authenticity is key – but this also takes thought and preparation.  We encourage clients to share their personal experiences, opinions and insights to create a more engaging and conversational podcast. Our team also emphasises the importance of engaging with the host to create a comfortable and relaxed conversation. In addition to preparing you for your appearance on a podcast, we also provide guidance on promoting the podcast through your own channels, such as LinkedIn, to increase visibility and reach.

In undertaking our research, Honner also reached out to a range of journalists with experience running a successful podcast, asking for their top tips for guests. Here’s what they had to say:

  • “I love hearing about people’s personal stories and experiences, so can you share a specific moment or challenge that really shaped who you are today?”
  • “Our listeners are always eager to learn something new, so can you tell us about a unique perspective or insight you have that might surprise them?”
  • “Use humour and levity to keep the conversation engaging. A light-hearted moment can help break up the seriousness of the discussion and keep listeners invested.”

It’s also vital to get the tech right – with an obvious focus on audio quality. First, consider investing in a high-quality microphone such as the Blue Yeti or Rode PodMic, to improve the listener experience. Additionally, try to record in a quiet, soundproof room, to minimise external noise and distractions. Adding carpet or rugs to hardwood or tile floors can help absorb sound and reduce unwanted noise. And finally, if you have the opportunity to record in a professional studio, that can also greatly improve the audio quality of your podcast episode.

Incorporating Podcasting into Your Communications Strategy

Australians clearly enjoy their podcasts – and it is becoming a fast-emerging channel to reach a wide range of target audiences who are selective and engaged.

As the podcast industry continues to grow, it is important for financial services companies to consider incorporating this channel into their communications strategies.

Many people find podcasts to be a convenient way to consume information and entertainment on-the-go, as they can listen while commuting, exercising, or completing other tasks. The highly personalised nature of podcast content also appeals to many listeners, as they can easily find and subscribe to shows that align with their interests and values.

Podcasts also offer opportunities to target a range of audiences, including Gen Z, Millennials, women and investors focused on particular themes such as climate change / ESG, real estate or cryptocurrency. Moreover, institutional investors and financial advisers are increasingly turning to podcasts as a way to stay up-to-date on industry trends and insights.

Get behind the mic!

Our team had a lot of fun talking to some of Australia’s most successful financial podcasters, who are blazing an exciting new trail for financial education.

Honner’s research provides a valuable resource for clients looking to incorporate podcasting into their communications strategies and we encourage you to have a chat with your account teams to see how you can get involved.

 

Some of the top Australian podcasts for investors, advisors, and institutional professionals:

  1. The Australian Finance Podcast – Hosted by Owen Raszkiewicz and Kate Campbell, this podcast covers a range of finance-related topics, from investing to budgeting to real estate. It is designed for individual investors, consumers, and young Australians.
  2. Equity Mates Investing Podcast – This podcast is hosted by Bryce Leske and Alec Renehan, who aim to make investing more accessible to the everyday person. They interview experts and provide insights into the world of finance. Equity Mates Media run eight podcasts in total, in addition to the Investing Podcasts. Thes include The Dive, which was the winner of the Australian Podcasts Awards 2022 (best business podcast) and ‘Get Started Investing’ and ‘You’re in Good Company’ targeting millennials.
  3. She’s on the Money – Hosted by Victoria Devine, this podcast is aimed at millennial women and covers a range of financial topics, including budgeting, investing and managing debt.
  4. The Australian’s Money Café. Hosted by The Australian’s Wealth Editor, James Kirby, business and finance experts discuss the biggest news in business, finance and economics, and what it all means for investors.
  5. Fear and Greed: One of Australia’s most popular business podcasts, it covers a range of business news, with business insights from journalists Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson.
  6. My Millennial Money Podcast: My millennial money is an Australian podcast and community for Millennials, providing personal finance, property and career education needed to live life on your own terms. Hosted by Glen James – a former financial adviser, author and commentator.
  7. The Greener Way FS Sustainability podcast: Hosted by Rachel Alembakis, the podcast explores the big trending environmental, social and governance questions. Each week, The Greener Way focuses on deep conversations on the theme of how investors and companies are changing real world outcomes across environmental, social and governance issues.
  8. Relative Return podcast is part of the Financial Services Podcast Network. This podcast was just launched in May 2023. It is hosted by James Mitchell at Momentum Media, the publishers of Money Management, IFA and Investor Daily.
  9. The Investment Innovation Institute [i3] Podcast is hosted by Wouter Klijn and is focused on institutional investors at pension funds and insurance companies. They cover topics such as asset allocation, portfolio construction and investment strategy.
  10. (International Podcast) We Study Billionaires Podcast: The Investor’s Podcast Network co-founded by Danish investor and author, Stig Brodersen, and Preston Pysh, recently reached a new milestone of surpassing 100 million downloads on their flagship show, We Study Billionaires. It has been a staple Finance and Investing-focused podcast since 2014. The show has increased its publishing cadence from one episode a week to now four a week.

It’s a Wrap – Honner’s Quarterly Media Roundup (3Q20)

Welcome to the latest edition of Honner’s Quarterly Media Roundup, where we update you on all the news, insights and industry moves in the sector. A notable trend emerging is the launch of a number of new niche finance publications, as publishers respond in part to the phenomenon of Robinhood investors – the surge of new investors becoming participants in the share market for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What’s news?

New AFR newsletter targets young investors

Noting the rush of new investors trading in financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic and experiencing a surge in younger subscribers, the Australian Financial Review launched Wealth Generation, a new weekly newsletter.

Bloomberg launches wealth vertical

Bloomberg launched a new content vertical Bloomberg Wealth to help readers make smarter decisions about their personal finances. Bloomberg Wealth will include six pillars: Investing; Savings & Retirement; Taxes; Living (where to live, renting vs. buying, divorce, etc.), Reinvention (education, careers, networking, starting a business); and Opinion and Advice.

New fixed income publication launches

RGC Media & Mktng launched Fixed Income News Australia, a digital portal dedicated to news and insights about Australia’s fixed income sector.  It is the second major news portal published by RGC following the launch of MBA News Australia in 2015.

Radio’s Money program expands into TV

Nine announced that Money with Brooke Corte, currently a radio program across 2GB, 3AW and 4BC, will become a multi-platform brand including TV, newspapers and digital. The program focuses on personal finance and investment.

Instagram launches rival to Tiktok

Instagram launched Reels, a challenger to Tiktok. Appearing as another content creation function within the Instagram app, Reels gives users the ability to create short-form, edited videos with audio and music. The launch comes amid rising global concerns that Tiktok and its Chinese parent company Byte Dance are feeding users’ data to the Chinese Government.

AAP turns to crowdfunding

Despite being saved from imminent closure by a team of 35 investors and philanthropists in June, AAP wasn’t out of the woods. The newswire turned to crowdfunding a few months later after finding itself under financial pressure, and then received a $5 million lifeline from the government.

Sky News posts best half-year result on record

Sky News posted its best half-yearly result on record. Its average all day audience is up 31% year on year, ranking as Foxtel’s number one channel for 22 consecutive weeks. Sky News said the first half results were “driven by its global coronavirus crisis coverage, top performing primetime line-up, exclusive interviews, investigative specials and documentary programming”.

Bauer Media closes magazines

Bauer Media closed the eight titles it paused during the COVID-19 pandemic — Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Instyle, Men’s Health, NW and OK — in another major blow for the media industry. The closures  impact about 40 jobs and are the first to take place under new owners Mercury Capital, which formerly acquired the business in July.

World first plan to make Facebook, Google pay

In a world first, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission released a proposal to force Facebook and Google to pay for news. The draft code allows commercial news businesses to bargain – individually or collectively – with Facebook and Google, in order to be paid for the news the tech giants publish on their services. Facebook responded by threatening to block Australians from sharing news across its platforms – warning the code would have a negative impact on the publishers who are calling for the change, as well as the tech platforms.

Insights & Opinion

Journalists are leaving the noisy internet for your email inbox, according to Marc Tracy at The New York Times.

It’s not ‘fair’ and it won’t work, writes Damien Story in The Conversation in an article about the ACCC’s plan to force Google and Facebook to pay for news.

Instagram is the home of pretty pictures. Why are people flocking to it for news? Dr Laura Glitsos addresses this question in The Conversation.

All of Australia’s national news directors are white men, with lack of TV diversity starting at the top, writes Brittney Rigby in Mumbrella.

And last but not least, Honner’s own survey reveals what COVID-19 has meant for the way financial journalists work.

Quotable Quotes

“It’s probably fair to say that things have been a lot tougher than we thought,” AAP’s chief executive, Emma Cowdroy, ahead of the launch of the newswire’s crowd funding appeal.

“Australia is drafting a new regulation that misunderstands the dynamics of the internet and will do damage to the very news organisations the government is trying to protect.” – Will Easton, managing director for Facebook in Australia and New Zealand.

“It doesn’t take a Boston consultant to see that it’s been increasingly difficult to turn a profit in magazine land…” – Kirstie Clements, former features director of Harper’s Bazaar, after Bauer Media announced it was shuttering the magazine and seven other titles.

Movers & Shakers

Gay Alcorn has been appointed Editor of The Age. Alcorn worked for The Age for nearly 20 years before leaving seven years ago to return to writing and join Guardian Australia as its Melbourne editor. She replaces Michelle Griffin who has been standing in since the departure of Alex Lavelle in June, and who will continue at The Age as World Editor. Meanwhile Stephen Brook, former media editor at The Australian, has joined The Age as a CBD columnist.

Kathy Skantzos, former managing editor at CEO Magazine, was appointed Finance Editor at news.com.au. Skantzos replaces Alexis Carey, who moved to a Senior Reporter role, covering general news.

There have been two senior appointments at The Australian Financial ReviewFiona Buffini has moved into the role of Deputy Editor (Digital) and Jessica Gardner has been appointed News Director. Meanwhile, Finbar O’Mallon also started as a reporter at the AFR in Sydney.

Tony Yoo started as a Senior Journalist at The Motley Fool, covering business and investment news. He formerly wrote for Yahoo Finance, Business Insider and Guardian Australia.

Christa Nicola was appointed as Ticker TV’s new Sydney reporter. Nicola joins Holly Stearnes who started as Melbourne reporter. Both are providing live reports across the Ticker News programs.

Adam Creighton is now a Co-Host at Sky News Live’s Business Weekend programme. He will appear on the programme each week between 11am and midday. This is in addition to his role as Economics Editor at The Australian.

David Donaldson finished as a journalist at The Mandarin, moving into communications.

Rachel Williamson wrapped up at Stockhead after three years to pursue her own freelance journalism projects.

Colin Brinsden returned to AAP as Economics and Business Correspondent, based in the Federal Parliament’s press gallery.

Finance Reporter Derek Rose departed the newswire and is now a journalist at Stockhead covering tech and biotech.

Annabelle Dickson started a new role as a journalist at Financial Standard, covering all aspects of wealth management. She previously worked at The Inside Investor and The Inside Adviser.

Elissa Ratliff has returned to Mamamia as head of podcasts after leaving last year to join Pacific Magazines.

Justin Hendry has been promoted from journalist to Deputy Editor at iTnews. He joined iTnews in 2017 after writing for public sector research house Intermedium.

Will Jolly has been appointed Senior Finance Journalist at Savings.com.au.

Roads and Infrastructure Assistant Editor Lauren Jones has been promoted to Editor of the publication.

Harnessing the Superpower of Visual Storytelling — Q&A with Our Video Partner Theo Fatseas

“Seeing is believing” is more than just a cliché. Humans are highly visual creatures. That makes video a powerful tool to engage an audience and communicate ideas. Research from Brightcove found more than half of all consumers and 66% of millennials reported engaging with a brand after viewing a video on social media. As businesses catch on to the medium’s potential, video has become the most commonly used format in content marketing, overtaking blogs and infographics.

During COVID-19, this trend is accelerating. The amount of time people spend online is surging and much of what they are consuming is video. A Nielsen study reveals a 60% increase in the video content watched globally. During these challenging times, the power of video to forge emotional connections makes it a valuable tool for building trust, strengthening relationships, and providing guidance to customers and investors – who are hungry for information, analysis, and reassurance.

At Honner, we partner with videographer Theo Fatseas to produce highly effective videos for our clients. The Honner team will help with the planning and scripting of your video and make sure you get your messaging right. Our experienced hosts can showcase the expertise of your spokespeople in on-screen interviews. And because we know appearing onscreen can be daunting, we offer digital media training, so you always look and sound your best. The filming and editing are handled by Theo, who delivers high production values and employs sophisticated film-making techniques to engage and connect with your target audience.

Theo is a former documentary maker who now produces corporate videos, including for the Livewire Markets platform, and is therefore a great fit for our financial services clients who want to reach out to their customers and investors with high quality visual content.  In this Q&A with Honner, Theo shares some insights on making compelling videos that resonate with audiences.

What elements of documentary making do you bring to your videos?

My experience as a documentary maker has given me an appreciation of the importance of authenticity and realism. When I look down the lens, I can tell if a person needs more direction, or if we need a second take. I can put myself in the shoes of the audience.

Another big part of it is understanding story structure. Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end. When I’m filming, and when I’m piecing the video together during the editing phase, I’m keenly aware of the need to create a hook at the start to capture the audience and give people a taste of what they are about to see. Then you have the main body of the story, your Act 2, where you flesh out the concepts you introduced at the start. Act 3 is the closing – now that I’ve told you all this, what does it mean for the audience?

After a lifetime of conditioning from watching films and TV, people expect to be engaged. They want and expect the hook. They want to be invested in a video. If those boxes are not ticked, then you are making them do extra work.

Do you have any tips on what speakers can do to ensure a good onscreen performance?

Your performance on camera can mean the difference between being engaged and genuine or being boring and contrived. It’s a good idea to get some media training if you’re not experienced. You want to present as if you are talking to a person in a natural conversation.  While filming, actively imagine you are talking to a person one-on-one.

Is shorter always better?                         
                                                                  

When we started doing videos for LiveWire, the target length was 2-3 minutes. Now some go to 18 minutes. It depends on the content and how engaging it is. Mobile devices mean people can watch anytime so keeping it short isn’t as important anymore.

Longer videos don’t get watched during work hours – people will watch them during personal time. This suits videos that are made for a general audience.

A long video can be engaging if it has stock footage and attention to story structure, and a great, succinct presenter. An 18-minute video we made for Livewire Markets during the GFC went viral because it was very dramatic and talked about financial markets being on the brink of collapse.

How long does it take to produce a video?

It depends on the video. For an “About Us” style video, production would take a few weeks from the time of filming. A straight interview can be turned over in 24 hours. Something super urgent can be shot and edited on the premises, which is sometimes necessary with crisis management videos such as during COVID-19.

How are you operating during COVID?

I have been doing a lot of shooting in people’s homes. Some people are supplying me with video shot on iPhone or Zoom and asking me to edit it, but in terms of quality, you can’t beat old school camera and microphone. I’m now starting to return to shooting on location in the city.

If you’d like more information on using video to engage and communicate with your customers and enhance your brand, contact us at honner@honner.com.au

Honner survey: what COVID-19 has meant for the way financial journalists work

It’s not an easy time to be a journalist.

On the one hand, newsrooms are busier than ever, with reporters working frantically to cover the developing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on people, the economy and markets.

At the same time, the lockdown has not only forced them to rethink the way they work but also continued to put more pressure on an industry that was already being dramatically impacted by digital disruption. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact our society at large, it is challenging media outlets both big and small and resulting in the loss of more journalist jobs as ad revenues continue to fall.

At Honner, we wanted to get a clear idea of how the lockdown has impacted Australia’s financial journalists, in particular, as they face the pressure of keeping up with the escalating pace of economic, market and corporate news from their loungerooms.
We wanted to know how journalists are coping, where they need help, and what their priorities are during this exceptional time.
 
So, we asked. In May, Honner surveyed a national database of active reporters from across the trade and mainstream financial press. Here’s what we found:

The news cycle is speeding up
 
More than 80% of respondents said they have been busier and working harder since the impacts of COVID-19 took hold in Australia in March.

A key pressure has been filing stories quickly as financial markets reel from daily COVID-19 news—made more difficult by the fact journalists are working in isolation.

People are worried about their jobs

Journalists also reported growing concerns around job security, with 60% saying they were much more concerned, or more concerned, about the security of their role.
 
Over the past three months, several newsrooms have closed permanently, and dozens of other mastheads have suspended operations, resulting in hundreds of staff being laid off or stood down.

Other journalists are feeling the brunt of cutbacks, including pay cuts, forced leave and reduced hours as the pandemic causes a sharp fall in advertising revenue in an already fractured media landscape.

They want insights – and it’s not all about COVID-19
 
When asked about the most important assistance market commentators could provide right now, journalists ranked news insights as number one, followed by research data to support story angles and ‘getting back to me quickly’.
 
Nearly 80% of respondents said they are not under pressure to deliver a COVID-19 angle for every story, but rather are looking for a more diverse range of stories.
 
The top areas of interest for financial reporters included investment strategies to navigate markets, the impact of COVID-19 on sectors such as superannuation, property and financial advice, and Australia’s economic environment.
 
Virtual story-gathering – from home
 
While working in isolation presented some difficulties, such as not being in a newsroom environment and not being able to interview people face to face, many respondents said working from home had proved less stressful. Thirty per cent of respondents said they didn’t miss the commute to work and 25% liked being able to work at their own pace and time of day.
 
A substantial 70% of respondents said they would prefer to continue working more days from home as social distancing measures eased.
 
In terms of changed work practices, the majority of journalists have embraced virtual news gathering as a new reality under lockdown. More than three quarters of respondents (78%) said they would like to attend more virtual briefings and nearly half (48%) said they would like to connect virtually with more offshore spokespeople to discuss events across global markets.
 
Virtual briefings should be short and snappy however, with nearly 4 in 5 respondents (79%) suggesting 30 minutes as the right timeframe for a briefing, and 21% suggesting 60 minutes. Twenty per cent of respondents said they would look to use video interview footage from briefings for broadcast purposes.
 
When asked about various ways they’d like to virtually connect for media interviews the humble telephone call remained the preferred method for an interview (68%), while 55% of journalists also chose written email comments as an option and 41% were happy to interview via Zoom.
 
Audiences are up
 
One of the positive factors that came out of our survey was that audiences are up. Nearly 50% of respondents said their audience numbers were up by greater than 20%. Twenty per cent of respondents said audiences were up more than 50%.
 
The whipsawing of financial markets in recent months has added to the financial worries of investors and savers across the country, and they have been thirsty for information.
 
With ongoing economic uncertainty, the pressure remains on financial journalists to deliver news and explain the impacts to everyday Australians, as well as those working across Australia’s substantial financial sector.
 
What this means for financial services brands
 
COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way brands engage and communicate – with media, but also with other stakeholders such as employees, customers and the industry at large.
 
In times of uncertainty, effective and timely communications is more important than ever. And with social distancing in place, we now need to do that differently.
 
To help clients cut through, Honner has partnered with a number of leading providers to help our firms deliver their message through visual digital platforms: engagement that is efficient, cuts through and is personable.
 
For a copy of our Business as (un)usual during COVID-19 – Engaging in a time of uncertainty deck or further insight from our journalist survey, please contact me on paul@honner.com.au or 0427 755 296.

Media in the new normal of COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has changed every aspect of our lives, and this has been especially true for the media, who have been working round the clock like any other front-line essential worker.

With everything else around the world practically coming to a standstill, the news cycle has picked up pace, buzzing with demand for trusted, timely and relevant information like never seen before.

Journalists have rapidly pivoted to remote guests, phone interviews and socially distanced press conferences. The speed and intensity of the crisis has also created wall-to-wall COVID-19 coverage, as every sector of the economy has been impacted.

This also created a shift in the working relationships of journalists and PR professionals as everyone was effectively adapting to the new normal.

I was fortunate enough to hear from Erin Bouda (Supervising Producer at Weekend Today), Michelle Stephenson (National News Director at Nova) and Aleks Vickovich (Wealth Editor at the AFR) as they discussed the media landscape in the new normal of COVID-19 in a recent PRIA webinar.

Below are my key take outs from this insightful session to help friends in the PR industry (and brands) understand the new best practice in working with print, broadcast and radio journalists, as well as what the future looks like for journalism after the crisis passes.

“Change is the only constant”

Greek philosopher Heraclitus couldn’t be more accurate when he said this. As the situation escalated in Australia and WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, news changed, plans changed, narratives changed, graphics changed, work and travel arrangements changed. Everything changed.

News bulletins were renamed as COVID bulletins, breaking news was scheduled for every 15 minutes instead of twice a day, and newsrooms were transformed to ‘home sweet newsroom’.

As the journalists in the webinar said, “who knew we can pull together a full newspaper or co-host a national breakfast show from home?”

Recognising that people are spending so much time in their homes due to social distancing restrictions, radio adapted quickly and started promoting their content available via smart devices such as Apple podcasts, Spotify etc.

In addition to the public health coverage, the economic reporting became equally important as a 10-year bull run in the stock markets came to a halt and various stimulus packages from the Government started to roll over, including the early release of super.

Opportunity for PR: Adapt or leave

All journalists in the webinar were unanimous in their opinion that the PR agencies and consultants who were agile enough to adapt quickly to this crisis, came off very well for their clients.

“It’s all about gauging the shifting appetite and the relationships you can tap into,” they said.

My understanding of the media’s expectation of PRs is to go through two self-assessment filters before pitching their clients or stories during this crisis.

#1: Is this what people want to watch / read / wake up to / care about today?

While the journalists admitted to their COVID-19 reporting fatigue, they also confirmed COVID-19 stories continue to attract the highest traffic and engagement from their audiences. So your pitch still needs to be relevant and pivot back to the pandemic.

Perhaps not so much on what has already happened, but more about planning life on the other side of this crisis.

#2: Is my spokesperson equipped to talk about this topic?

A one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate, as all companies and spokespersons are not thought leaders on a crisis. Experts that are reliable, and have relevant data and projections, or have made positive changes to their business should be unleashed as it’s their time to shine. If they don’t’ fit any of these criteria, don’t encourage them to speak outside their area of expertise.

Another evergreen best practice that is particularly relevant now is to present your pitch in the format that makes sense and saves time for the journalists who are already time-poor. For example, when pitching to radio, attach ready-to-use audio grabs to make it easier for the journalist and avoid all the back and forth in a rapidly evolving news environment. For television, if your client has previously spoken on TV or YouTube, feel free to share those clips to give the producer a sense of their talent.  

Broadcast journalists also admitted that due to virtual systems, expectations of quality have dropped in some cases. While this holds true for video interviews (mostly held over Zoom or Skype), audio grabs still need to have top sound quality.

In print media, however, readership has doubled for leading publications as they have attracted new digital subscribers. There is no question of compromise on the news quality to ensure new readers are engaged.

Lastly, while it’s easy to assume that since journalists are working from home, they’re more open to interviews, you might want to reconsider. They are under a lot of pressure and anything you can do to ease that pressure will go a long way in building a long-term relationship of trust.

“It is heartening to see people re-engaging with media sources again, and transparent reporting of how this crisis is affecting everyone, including us, has generated goodwill for the media,” the webinar ended on a warm and fuzzy note.

Honner will soon release a survey of Australian journalists looking at their experience of working during COVID-19.

Favourable news coverage is not a ‘great outcome’ – so let’s stop calling it that

I’ve decided to start this blogpost with a cranky headline. Much like Dr Bruce Banner before turning into The Hulk in the first Avengers movie, I will also let you in on my secret: despite not showing it, I am always angry… whenever I hear someone call news coverage “a great outcome”. It’s not… And calling it that can cause us to drift away from our objectives.

Don’t get me wrong, favourable news coverage does make me happy, especially whenever my team and I have been working hard to attain this. My point is the outcome of our PR strategy and activities – the actual communication outcome – is something that can’t be seen in any news coverage analysis. Positive coverage does not automatically mean positive reputation. That is a far-fetched assumption, especially if we’re only looking at earned media to asses reputation. To understand the outcomes of our campaigns, we must look beyond.

To begin with, communication happens not when news is published or advertising is displayed, but when our target market reads or listens to what we say or is said about us, and when they understand, accept or respond to the stories that involve us. Likewise, it also happens when we listen, understand, accept or respond to the messages from our target audience – that is, if we accept the notion of stakeholder capitalism. 

But even if we are still passionately attached to the old paradigm of shareholder capitalism, where the sole role of PR is to persuade a target market to think or act in a desired way about a brand or product, the real communication outcome can mostly be observed through market research, using techniques such as surveys, focus groups and in-depth interviews, among others, not by running news coverage analyses and making fancy-looking graphs with the clips achieved.

This approach to measurement and evaluation has been proposed by the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) since the publication of the Barcelona Principles in 2010 (updated in 2015), and more recently, with the appearance in 2016 of the Integrated Communications Measurement Framework. The framework distinguishes between Objectives (SMART ones), Output (our story and messages communicated to our target audience), Out-takes (immediate reaction of our audience and information recall of a story, organisation or product) and Outcomes (effects in the attitudes, opinion and behaviour of our audience towards a story, organisation or product). At least a version of this is worth considering for structuring an integrated communications program or campaign.



Let’s go back for a minute to the fancy-looking graphs. To clarify, these graphs with news coverage segmented by prominence, favourability, audience, reach, themes, message cut-through, visual impact, etc. do have a role, an important one even. They help us to stir a program in different directions if needed, and they might even be useful for generating KPIs. But if we’re aiming to have in place a sound strategy across all media with measurable communication objectives that can aid the organisation’s business goals, it’s critical to consider news coverage for what it is – which is, output, not outcome.

It’s also important to note for anyone that made it this far down in this cranky blogpost that a clear taxonomy of concepts is not an end in itself. The ultimate benefit of referring to news coverage for what it is is that it allows us to look at the big picture, which is first and foremost, our communication objectives. What is it that we’re trying to do? Is it increasing brand awareness among a specified segment of the market from 10% to 15% in the next 12 months? Is it to replace A for B as the most associated brand attribute, assuming A will help the organisation to increase leads or conversions? Is it to decrease from 20% to 15% the percentage of people who are currently not considering buying our products in the near future? Is it to lower from 60% to 20% in three years the amount of people with a specific misperception about our organisation and its services? All these are examples of the right questions to ask whenever communicational objectives are discussed and agreed on in writing.

Only once these communication objectives have been achieved, can we truly say that our integrated program across all media teams has jointly achieved a “very good outcome”.

Communication strategies to support nervous investors: a guide for fund managers

While we can’t predict the future, Honner has more than 20 years of experience in building communication strategies and supporting asset management firms, financial advisers and individual investors during volatile times. This included the GFC, September 11 attacks and dot com bubble. 

Today we are facing a new crisis. The coronavirus is currently spreading, bringing with it panic and anxiety for investors of all types around the globe. At the time of publishing this article, the weekly fall in the Dow Jones Industrial Average ranks within the top 15 in its 124-year history and it was the worst week for stocks since the global financial crisis.

In an industry where it is difficult to differentiate your offering, quality, timely communications and the way you deliver it can clearly distinguish your brand. Here we’ve identified some key communication strategies that can make your brand stand out during this period of uncertainty:

1. Be visible, open and honest: One of the key aspects we’ve learnt from periods like this is that people understand and accept that markets can be volatile but they won’t forgive a lack of support, a lack of transparency, and slick cliché messages that aren’t helpful (similar to the lesson Scott Morrison learnt during the recent bushfire crisis). In difficult moments such as this, companies need to prioritise timely communications that are transparent and provide valuable insight to employees, financial advisers, investors and the media.

2. Consider building a communication response team: If the crisis moves from days to weeks, fund managers should consider creating a core communication team that has responsibility for managing the communication process. This should be a small nimble team that includes representation from across the business (from your marketing, client service, sales, and investment teams and also your communication agency). The team should be empowered to mobilise and respond quickly, and to act as a contact point for the entire firm, while also being responsible for building and maintaining a long term communication plan that evolves with the unfolding situation. 

3. Pick a spokesperson: Consider picking a spokesperson to be the voice of the firm during the crisis—to show consistency for the brand. This should be someone who can connect with people easily, is sincere and transparent during interviews, and has experienced extensive media training.

4. Support financial advisers to do their jobs: When a market correction hits, the first place many investors turn is to their financial advisor. This can be a stressful time for a financial adviser. It is also the ideal time for a fund manager to step up to support financial advisers with valuable content these advisers can use en masse with their own clients—to help calm their clients and provide emotional support.  

5. Create content that adds value, is visual and uses historical data to tell the story: Try and avoid long copy articles. Focus on visual content that ideally draws on historical data and supports your key supporting messages. Don’t focus on what has occurred with the market. Rather, try to highlight your current portfolio positioning. Some examples of key content pieces doing this well include:

  1. The cycle of market emotions image from Russell Investments is a powerful snapshot of how investors typically make the wrong decisions at the wrong time. Russell Investments’ downside management toolkit on their website is also a good example for other fund managers to follow.
  2. The market volatility section of Franklin Templeton website. 
  3. Fidelity has created strategies for uncertain times, a guide for investors on “What to consider when the market gets volatile”. Most of the largest asset managers in the world have still to reflect the market correction on their public facing sites, which is disappointing.
  4. Vanguard has an interactive chart that allows you to build your own customised version of the index chart with 30 years of investment performance of major asset classes. (They just need to update it to reflect recent correction.)
  5. Capital Group created an illustration using historical data highlighting the dangers of investors sitting on the sidelines and the benefits of investing – even by selecting the worst day each year to invest.
  6. Schroders has produced a strong piece: coronavirus: the investment impact in seven charts.
  7. Investors Mutual have produced a piece that details how does this impact iml’s portfolios and what are we doing about it?

6. Create a coronavirus content hub for investors: Too much content can become overwhelming and become quickly out of date during such a dynamic period. Consider creating a specialist area on your website that houses all content related to the coronavirus market event. Too often firms distribute a lot of communications and content pieces—but as the situation unfolds and changes it can become confusing for your clients. The hub can also be a great resource for employees to ensure they are accessing the latest information. See the examples above of fund managers that are nimble and have websites that reflect the market correction.

7. Repurpose old content: Look at some of your previous material on investor tips and see what can be quickly updated and repurposed for this situation. You may not need to start all communication from scratch.

8. Don’t repeat known information: In the current situation it isn’t helpful to bulk your communication strategy out with content discussing what the coronavirus is, how it is transmitted, infection rates and treatment. This is not the role of a fund manager or financial adviser—it just clouds your core messages. 

9. An opportunity to amplify your message in the media: Honner is currently receiving inquiries from media looking for support from fund managers to provide commentary and insight on the situation. There is an opportunity for fund managers to proactively provide their insights to the media, particularly if you respond in a timely way to key market events. The media are hungry for your perspective. Don’t be shy—write down a few points and work with your communication consultant to get them in front of key journalists.

10. Leverage the power of your employees’ social networks: When you push out content, encourage your employees to share this content via their own personal LinkedIn profiles to further amplify your message and content. To retain control of the message we recommend providing employees with a compliance approved key message to introduce the content pieces. 

Investment Management in Australia: Where are the women?

Over the past 25 years working in Australia’s investment and super industry, I’ve come across a lot of skilled investors. It’s been a privilege to work with a wide spectrum of investment teams from across Australia and the world’s leading asset managers.  

But in that 25 years of interviewing or providing communications for asset managers—and supporting the media programs for literally hundreds of local and global investment executives—I can count on two hands the number of women in senior investment roles I’ve encountered. 

Last year Honner joined a growing movement to tackle the lack of diversity in Australia’s substantial investment industry by providing pro-bono support to diversity initiative Future IM/Pact

Recently I spoke with diversity champion and former Honner teammate Yolanda Beattie. Yolanda founded and leads Future IM/Pact, which is starting from the grass roots: building a passion for investing among young women, and matching those women with potential employers in the industry. The goal is to achieve an equal number of women and men in junior analyst roles by 2023. 

Yolanda, how did this great initiative come about?

About four years ago, when I was leading Mercer’s diversity and inclusion consulting practice, I led a research project in partnership with funds managers and super funds investigating why there are so few women in investment roles. At the time it was a really obvious problem that had CIOs and CEOs scratching their head in wonder and throwing their hands up in frustration. If they had 100 applicants for an analyst role, they were lucky if 10 women applied. They were desperate to get more women into their teams but just couldn’t find the talent. I was determined to solve the puzzle.

We surveyed and interviewed hundreds of women and men in the industry and at university to figure out what was going on and we boiled it down to five big issues. 

The first problem to solve was a lack of awareness about the profession. Uni students didn’t know about investment management and, if they did, they were tainted by Hollywood stereotypes and high-profile scandals. Worse still, female finance students were almost 50% less likely than their male counterparts to consider a career in investment management. Not knowing enough about the industry and opportunities, and a sense they wouldn’t fit in, were among the top reasons cited. 

So a group of the original industry partners and a few extras joined forces to build a campaign to help young women learn about the impact they can have as an investor.

You’re building a future pipeline of talented women for the investment industry. Tell us a bit more about how you do that.

Our strategy is to inspire super smart, critical and creative thinkers to learn more about investment management, and then provide them with the experience, networks and career pathways to get a foot in the door. We do that with social media campaigns, networking events, investment competitions and paid intern opportunities. This year we’re also launching a virtual intern program and mentoring circles to give students an inside view of what it’s like to work in an investments team.

Why is it important to have more diverse investment teams?

In a world where there’s more to know about everything, bringing different perspectives to the decision-making table is essential for overcoming unavoidable blind spots and biases. Investment management is one of those professions where this matters hugely to outcomes. Women tend to bring a different perspective than men for reasons that are biological and socially conditioned.

Bringing women, and other visible diversity like cultural diversity, into white, male dominated teams also has a massive impact on behaviours. Research shows diversity prompts more thoughtful decision making: fewer assumptions are made, more points are considered and there’s more turn taking around the table.

I could rattle off stats about the correlation between gender diversity and investment returns or total shareholder returns but the truth is a sceptical mind can unpick those stats because most studies don’t adequately control for other factors. And when you do tighten those controls, you find other factors matter more—namely educational and experience diversity and team behaviours.

But when you speak to any investment leader who has worked in nearly all male teams and those that have more gender diverse teams, they will tell you it feels different. Egos are more in check and discussions are more considered.

What it takes to attract and keep great women investors are the same attitudes and behaviours known to improve group dynamics and team performance. Alliance Bernstein did an excellent meta study on this, which I boil down to four factors that inhibit effective problem solving within groups: excessive hierarchy; dominant majority and its impact on group polarisation; conflict avoidance; and emotional insensitivity. Get that stuff right and you not only retain minority talent but you make better decisions.

The project is now in its second year, what success have you had so far?

We’re killing it! Thanks to our amazing partners, supportive university societies and my excellent team, we beat our key performance indicators for last year and are on track for an even bigger 2020.

The best measure of success so far is our investment competition where gender-balanced university teams of four competed to win a paid summer internship. Close to 130 women registered for the competition and an all-female team ended up winning. Each member of this team hadn’t heard of investment management before Future IM/Pact and they met at a Future IM/Pact event.

Our industry partners like Cbus, Nikko Asset Management and Yarra Capital Management have been thrilled with their interns who are delivering more value than they’re taking.

What are some of the other barriers to diversity you found in your original research? What are the other opportunities for the industry?

Arguably the biggest issue is keeping the great women already in investment teams. We found women were 30% less likely than men to be promoted and 50% more likely to leave at the senior analyst level. Culture, bias and a lack of flexible working are the main reasons for this disparity.

But the opportunity is way bigger than gender. Ultimately this is a very human story. The best investors are excellent at marshalling diverse perspectives and creating an environment where people can do their best work. The factors I mention above from the Alliance Bernstein research boil down to self-awareness and strong interpersonal relationships. And when you get under the hood of that you find many other juicy topics—knowing how we get triggered, managing negative thought patterns, gratitude and compassion, the power of mental models for improving decision making, to name a few.
In a game where teamwork and decision-making drives tangible performance outcomes, doubling down on what we need as humans to thrive is the next big opportunity.

***

About Future IM/Pact 

Future IM/Pact is an industry initiative aimed at attracting more diverse talent into the investment teams of fund managers, super funds and industry participants. The project was launched in July 2018 with founding partners Mercer, AustralianSuper, HESTA, QIC, Cbus Super, NAB Asset Management, Pendal, Magellan and Wavestone. Since then, Nikko Asset Management, Fidelity International, Yarra Capital Management, Challenger Limited, Macquarie Securities, Vinva Investment Management, Schroders, Cooper Investments and Perpetual have joined the project. More information can be found at www.future-impact.com.au
If you would like to be a part of Future IM/Pact contact Yolanda Beattie at yolanda@yoandco.com.au