New Campaign to Elevate Financial Designations

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – January 6, 2025 – To communicate the specialized expertise behind designations earned and maintained at the nation’s leading accredited institution for financial education, The American College of Financial Services has partnered with Big Com, a full-service marketing and advertising agency, to develop a consumer awareness campaign.

“Americans have complex and unique financial situations, and the financial life they want to live is just as complex and unique. While clients are mostly satisfied with the investment management and broad financial planning services they receive, research tells us that satisfaction erodes as specialized services are needed,” said George Nichols III, CAP®, president and CEO of The College. “Consumer confusion over the myriad of designations makes it difficult for them to discern a generalist from a specialist. To fulfill our mission to uplift the profession and benefit society, we must do more to share what our credentials mean, and amplify the designees who hold them.”

To achieve this goal, Big Com and The College will spend the next eight months conducting research, talking with designees, assessing consumer sentiment, and executing a campaign that helps consumers cut through the confusion and better align their goals with a professional’s, or their team’s, expertise. Big Com will be on the ground at The College’s flagship educational experience, Horizons, in March to hear from designees about how they view their designations, how they discuss them with clients, and what matters most to them. 

The campaign, set to launch to the public this fall, is one of several benefits available to College designees in good standing.  

A webcast will be held in early 2025 to review all the new Professional Recertification Program (PRP) benefits introduced over the past 12 months and answer any questions about the campaign, including the re-designed website, www.YourAdvisorGuide.com, where clients can search for professionals who have the expertise they need.

“The profession has made significant strides in increasing professional competence, credibility, and trust since our founding nearly a century ago. Having baseline educational standards is important, as it is in any profession. Yet, as client needs have grown more complex, expectations are not always being met in retirement, estate, tax, philanthropy, and other areas. We believe an additional layer of understanding related to specialized knowledge and service offerings, similar to the specializations found in professions like medicine, will help clients have more clarity, greater confidence, and make well-informed decisions when it comes to selecting the right financial professional or team,” said Jared Trexler, senior vice president and chief marketing and chief strategy officer.

“Big Com has a distinguished track record of working with disruptors in various sectors. We are confident they can help us move the needle in raising awareness of how College designations set financial professionals apart—and the value proposition these committed pros can deliver to American families.”

 

###

ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.

ABOUT BIG COM
Big Com is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to helping national brands connect with consumers. With a unique approach grounded in an earned media mindset, Big Com leverages its PR and creative advertising expertise to build meaningful, lasting relationships between brands and their audiences. For more information, visit www.bigcom.com.

Contacts:  
Sarah Tremallo
908-967-0381 / Stremallo@jconnelly.com

Jared Trexler
610-526-1268/ jared.trexler@theamericancollege.edu