For more than 50 years, FourThought Private Wealth existed as a different brand and business model. In 2019, the national financial planning firm took a bold step when it transitioned from being a broker-dealer to a registered investment advisor, or RIA. This meant breaking away from its previous financial services institution and becoming a wholly independent business. At the same time, the firm decided to change its name and brand.
Communicating these changes to its existing clients and the community where the old brand had been gaining equity for years required close attention to messaging and strategy. The challenge was to retain clients while taking advantage of a one-time opportunity to position the new brand and increase market penetration.
KSC managed every aspect of the naming, brand and transition announcement. Working with the leadership, we focused on the firm’s core values and four unique planning principles to develop the new name, a four-point logo and other assets including two websites, signage, sales collateral, and more. We also launched a robust content-driven marketing strategy and managed the media announcement, securing multiple placements including a feature in a regional business publication.