Campaign wants investors to realize “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai”
March 15, 2017 Chandigarh: Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), the trade association of Asset Management Companies (AMCs) of all Mutual Funds in India today launched a comprehensive media and communication campaign, as a part of the mutual fund industry’s investor awareness outreach program, that is aimed to position Mutual Funds as a preferred investment option for potential investors.
In order to create better awareness about mutual funds as a distinct asset class, SEBI has mandated mutual funds to set apart a small portion of their net assets i.e., 2 bps for investor education, out of which half the amount is now being pooled with AMFI for better utilisation of the funds at the industry level. With these funds, AMFI has launched a new media campaign with an aim to increase the number of mutual fund investors multi-fold.
The campaign is being launched with the message - “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai” - through different media such as TV, Digital, radio, print, cinema and outdoor hoardings with simple, but very clear messaging through interesting advertisements in different languages. With everyday situations as the backdrop, the campaign impresses on the mind of the prospective investors that mutual funds are the right option for them - Mutual Funds Sahi Hai - as the tag line of the campaign says.
The campaign was launched by Mr. G. Mahalingam, Whole Time Member, SEBI. Speaking at the launch event, Mr. Mahalingam said, “It is for the first time in the history of financial services, that all industry participants have come together to promote the category. This campaign makes it easy for common public to understand about mutual funds and dispels many myths around them.”
On the occasion of the launch, AMFI Chairman, Mr. A Balasubramian said, “There is a need to encourage households to shift from physical savings to financial avenues, especially mutual funds. With this objective in mind, under SEBI’s guidance, AMFI has launched this investor awareness outreach program. I am sure the public will find these simple but powerful messages very thought provoking and will be encouraged to start investing in mutual funds.”
J. Walter Thompson (JWT), was entrusted with the creative work for the campaign. Speaking at the event, Rajesh Gangwani, Managing Partner of JWT said, “We see this as a big platform idea which is multi-layered, multimedia and multi –narrative and can run over a long time frame. We are confident it will create the desired awareness about the mutual fund category and behavior change in terms of driving persuasion.”
Adding further, HanozMogrelia, VP & ECD, JWT Mumbai, said “Sahihai may seem like a very simple idea. But, to execute this idea, we had decided to stay in the space of warm, real conversations between friends. We shot eight commercials over a fortnight using absolute ‘non-models’, we shot at real locations, using live sound recording. The client team must be commended for the tremendous faith they have reposed in this idea; and backing it with such a massive ad campaign.”
As part of the campaign, AMFI also launched a microsite, www.mutualfundssahi.com, where investors can find detailed information about mutual funds and also locate their nearest mutual fund office and mutual fund distributors. AMFI has also revamped the “Investor Corner” on its website www.amfiindia.com where investors can now makeonline investment in mutual funds; download factsheets and can even view their unclaimed dividend or redemption amount with different fund houses.The investor corner has a host of information in a simple language that investor would find useful.