Volatility and Vans
One of my clients, Jon, forwarded me a marketing email this week - not from an investment platform or a pension provider, but from a skateboard company.
It opened like this:
“Breaking News!
No, the stock market hasn’t crashed...
Well, yes it has, but that’s not what this email is about.”
What followed was a launch announcement for new longboards. (The first half of Landyachtz 2025is available now, if you’re interested.)
This is what happens when market volatility hits the mainstream.
Fun? Yes and no. The headlines are, of course, whipping up tension - which makes for rich pickings if you’re a marketer on the front foot - but for investors, it’s less entertaining.
What it does highlight is the increasing value of having a calm, clear financial planner in your corner - someone who can offer reassurance, not just reaction.
Jon also told me a client recently described him as “part financial adviser, part coach”. That language is becoming more common too - and it’s a powerful shift. It opens up new, more human ways to communicate the value of advice.
What’s a Fractional CMO?
Thanks for asking. Yes, I’ve rebranded.
A Fractional Chief Marketing Officer is a part-time marketing lead - offering strategic direction, messaging clarity, and hands-on delivery, without the cost of a full-time hire.
But no, I’m not doing anything wildly different. I still help financial firms decide what to say, how to say it, and - crucially - when to say nothing at all. That’s more important than ever in turbulent times. You can find out more here.
And yes, the Friday email lives on - sharing what good marketing looks like in the real world.
Shameless plug
What does the Office for National Statistics basket of goods and services tell us about how we lived in the 80s and 90s? Take a look at my Substack post Unexpected item in bagging area to find out.
Thoughts that talk
A 47-year old woman who lost the ability to speak after a stroke has had her thoughts converted into fluent speech using a new computer-brain interface.
Cross words
Researchers at the Oxford University have employed advanced imaging techniques to uncover previously unreadable, crossed-out words in Alfred Tennyson's manuscripts, providing new insights into his creative process.
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