A Difference That Matters

Depending on whom you ask, “CFA Institute” or the “CFA” designation are either recognized or not; there is not much in between. We are working hard to change that fact, and over the past month, you likely have encountered “us” more than usual.

CFA Institute has always had a broader calling, well beyond the tough exam. And that broader calling found momentum following the dark days of 2008 and the cascade effect that the collapse of Lehman Brothers had on the world. The “folly of financiers”[1] that roiled the global financial system became an opportunity for us, our members, and others within our sphere of influence to have a bolder, collective voice about professional standards of excellence. A voice from which we could advocate and educate. A voice from which ethics, standards of practice, and putting investors first could be heard. 

There was just one problem: We are an organization — a qualification, a brand — that is just outside of the mainstream. We are not a major financial institution, such as CITIC Group, HSBC, or JPMorgan Chase & Co. (although each are top employers of CFA charterholders in China, India, and the United Kingdom, respectively). We are also not well-known among retail investors. And in some parts of the world, we are not well-known by employers and institutional investors.

Now is the time to change that perception. We want more visibility among retail investors who have a choice when selecting a money manager.  We want more visibility among employers who have a choice when hiring employees with advanced financial acumen (and support employees who want to advance their financial acumen while employed). We think these constituents should agree that standards of excellence, codes of conduct, financial literacy, ethical decision making, fiduciary duty, and more are what shape and underpin a trustworthy profession: the investment management profession. 

In the spring of 2016, we began to work toward these goals in a very visible way.  Our new brand campaign has launched and is a global effort to raise awareness among the mainstream so that more people know who we are and what CFA charterholders stand for. From metro stations in Toronto and London to billboards in New York, Mumbai, Beijing, and Shanghai, the campaign showcases real CFA charterholders talking about the #CFAdifference — the difference that just three letters can make when hiring or retaining a CFA charterholder, a mark of distinction.

So, help us spread the word. With this blog, I have let my network know about the brand campaign. In turn, so you can you.

• When you see an ad, tweet a photo at #CFAdifference.
• Post photos to social media accounts you most frequently use, such as Instagram, LinkedIn, SinaWeibo, WeChat, and Facebook. 

And if you haven’t seen the outdoor advertisements yet, you will. Print ads have already appeared in major publications, including the Economist, the Financial Times, Hexun, Caixin, Barron’s, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. And stay tuned for a second wave of the global brand campaign later this summer in more markets, including Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia. 

How can a not-for-profit organization fund such a high-profile global brand campaign? Simply, such an investment is possible because of the extraordinary growth in CFA Program exam registrants around the world — those students of finance who want equal footing among their global peers. 

Help us spread the word.

[1]“Crash Course,” Economist (7 September 2013).