FPSC EXPANDS CFP BRAND AMBASSADOR RADIO CAMPAIGN TO SEVEN MARKETS
Toronto, February 16, 2005 — With a converged media buy of radio and transit advertising this RRSP season, the not-for-profit Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) brands CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and the flame logo design: as the marks of the professional financial planner, and financial planning as an important process in achieving life-goals.
Bus displaying FPSC ad makes its way along Granville Street in Vancouver.
FPSC's radio campaign partners planners who hold the CFP credential and work in different businesses and industry sectors on one-hour ask-the-expert style radio shows in each of seven major markets: Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver, and two in Edmonton.
The radio shows are supported by 30-second commercials running on the host and sister stations in each market for three consecutive weeks leading up to the shows. The commercials quote wise words from Albert Einstein, Henny Youngman and Oscar Wilde to illustrate the importance of taking control of one's financial affairs. Additionally, transit posters on the backs of buses in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver promote the local shows for four consecutive weeks leading up to air time.
Website promotion of the radio shows expands the exposure of the regional buy to a national level. Audio stream of the live programs can be accessed through the FPSC website (www.cfp-ca.org). The website averages approximately 60,000 visits a month. All radio shows air on Saturday, February 19 unless otherwise indicated. See schedule of radio talk shows at: www.cfp-ca.org/radio_home.htm.
The aim is to increase public awareness of the significance of CFP® certification and inform Canadians about the importance of life-long financial planning during the RRSP and tax season when personal finance is top of mind.
The radio programs and transit ads are part of a broader marketing campaign that includes national life-style and business magazine full-page advertisements. The ads feature individual CFP professionals and their diversity of expertise and practice styles, as well as their adherence to common CFP standards of competency and ethical behaviour. The campaign tag-lined "Take the next Step" is in its fourth year, and is creatively and strategically aligned with all FPSC's consumer information and public relations activities.
"Last year's pilot program was a resounding success as measured in a tremendous increase in first-time visitors to the FPSC website during and immediately after the campaign," says FPSC Vice President, Communications & Corporate Relations Ann Bowman.
"Financial planning is unregulated in provinces outside of Quebec, and this radio campaign offers an often confused public the opportunity to empower themselves with knowledge about how financial planning, as guided by a qualified CFP professional, can help them meet their own financial and life-goals. Canadians will hear first-hand from a diverse group of individual CFP professionals who will represent and speak about the commonality of expertise and ethical commitment that is defining professionalism in financial planning in Canada today," says Bowman.
Marketing Agencies: Richard Clewes of Clique developed the concept and Michael Walker of Walker Media handled the media buy. Media relations for FPSC is handled by Eileen Chadnick of Chadnick Communications.
Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) is a not-for-profit organization established in 1995 to foster professionalism in personal financial planning. FPSC develops and enforces the highest standards in financial planning competency and ethics for individuals who hold the CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®) in Canada. There are currently about 16,000 CFP professionals in Canada and more than 90,000 individuals who have earned the CFP designation in 18 countries around the world. See www.cfp-ca.org for more information.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos available online: Transit ad. Please visit www.cfp-ca.org for further information and to tune in to the radio shows.
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Media Contacts:
Reed Hilton at 416.593.8587 ext. 235 or rhilton@cfp-ca.org
Eileen Chadnick/Chadnick Communications at 416.631.7437 or eileen@chadnick.com
CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and are certification marks owned outside the U.S. by Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB). Financial Planners Standards Council is the marks licensing authority for the CFP marks in Canada, through agreement with FPSB.
as the marks of the professional financial planner, and financial planning as an important process in achieving life-goals. 
are certification marks