FactSet, a global leader in financial intelligence and enterprise data solutions, launched the “Fluent in Finance” brand campaign.
Aimed at being able to pinpoint the weaknesses in “off-the-shelf” AI solutions, FactSet said the campaign underscores the importance of human expertise, and encourages enterprise leaders to demand better.
The campaign was created by leading strategy and creative agency VSA Partners.
It builds on the success of FactSet’s award-winning 2023 “Not Just the Facts” brand initiative, and includes four new videos and a comprehensive out-of-home (OOH) takeover of New York’s financial district.
AI challenges
As financial professionals face mounting pressure to adopt AI solutions, they’re confronted by a marketplace where every vendor claims to be “AI-powered.”
The campaign claims generic AI tools lack deep understanding of financial industry language, context, and workflows can’t deliver the precision and reliability that investment professionals need.
The campaign’s video uses humour to illustrate how disconnected general-purpose AI is with the specialised needs of finance.
The videos feature scenarios where an AI “assistant” misinterprets common financial terminology, like “hedge,” “gains,” “attractive spread,” “alpha,” and “exposure,” as well as more general business terms, like “big fish.”
The way in which the AI misinterprets each term underscores the need for real, human expertise in enterprise AI, particularly in highly regulated industries like finance.
The OOH component, which launched in January, takes over the Wall Street subway station with AI-generated images that intentionally expose the tech’s limitations when confronted with industry-specific language.
It’s a metacommentary that FactSet claims will resonate immediately with enterprise decision-makers who have experienced firsthand the limitations of AI tools that don’t understand their industry.
Purpose-built AI for finance
Unlike generic AI solutions, FactSet said its approach is built on a foundation of more than 47 years of financial data expertise, industry-leading content, and deep understanding of institutional investment workflows.
The company’s AI solutions are purpose-built for finance professionals, trained on domain-specific data, and designed with the transparency, traceability, and reliability that the industry demands.
Jenifer Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer at FactSet, said: “In an era where AI promises are everywhere, financial professionals need a partner that truly understands their world.”
“Our AI isn’t just powerful — it’s fluent in the language of finance.”
“It understands the nuances, context, and workflows that drive decision-making in our industry.”
“This campaign reflects our commitment to delivering AI solutions that our clients can actually trust with their most critical decisions.”
Factset claims the campaign’s tagline, “Get a partner that’s fluent in finance,” reinforces its positioning as not just another AI vendor, but as a strategic ally that speaks the language of institutional investment professionals.
VSA and FactSet
VSA Partners, which has served as FactSet’s brand campaign partner since 2022, developed the integrated campaign to drive breakthrough awareness while maintaining the sophisticated, humour-forward approach that made “Not Just the Facts” so successful.
Kim Mickenberg, Partner, Campaign Design at VSA Partners, said: “FactSet is bold, innovative and clear-eyed about who they are and what they believe.”
“By using a familiar reference—an AI assistant—to show the limits of generic AI solutions, we’re able to tap into the zeitgeist and make a clear point: Technology alone can only do so much.”
“Ultimately, it’s the human expertise behind it that makes all the difference.”
The spots were directed by the Docter Twins (Matt and Jason Docter), who also directed the award-winning “Not Just the Facts” spots.
Jason Docter, Director, Thinking Machine, said: “Collaborating with the creatives at VSA, the FactSet client and an incredibly talented cast has been a continually evolving, rewarding process.”
“We couldn’t ask for a better campaign to be directing.”
Matt Docter, Director, Thinking Machine, said: “Between the recurring cast and crew, the talented creatives at VSA, and the always welcoming client at the FactSet offices in Norwalk, CT, we’ve become somewhat of a makeshift family.”
“It feels like some kind of annual improv reunion.”