Hello. If you’d asked me: “What does ‘corpsumer’ mean, Sean?” I would probably have said something along the lines of “you ate what?”
Corpsumer is not even an actual word, but then we have to tolerate finfluencer, megatrend and -maxxing, so I suppose that’s just where we’re at. Well, I have read a few definitions from PR outlets that would put passages I encountered during an ethnomusicology course at uni to shame for over intellectualising.
It is a term coined by MWWPR which decided that the two perfectly acceptable words ‘corporate’ and ‘consumer’ should be smashed together to represent the phenomenon of increased synthesis of B2B and consumer PR. Translation from the buzzword: journos are having to do more with less; in particular, the consumer and business desks are looking more integrated (or just integrated), so PRs might want to think about that.
Now this may be more relevant or apparent in other industries, and/or other parts of financial services. Nevertheless, it’s not totally irrelevant or unhelpful as a concept, as thinking across audiences can be helpful for developing effective communication.
Take the advice gap or targeted support. These are examples where this kind of strategic corporate/consumer comms could help to inform messaging.
There is a balance to be had here. This article about Gen Z and wine picks up on how the wine industry has correctly identified itself as being exclusionary because of perceived elitism but has incorrectly assumed the way to fix that is to dumb it down.
The problem isn’t an inability to understand the quality markers, rather, the frivolity and methods of delivery are off-putting. In other words, there is a false assumption that making something easier to understand or easier to access is as simple as making it easy.
The advice gap is not necessarily a difficult concept, but getting the 91% who don’t get advice to care or recognise its significance may require a broader understanding of the audience.
Generally, getting an investor or someone coming into an inheritance to consider advice is not as easy as a) making them aware of it or, b) telling them they would benefit from it.
Targeted support is going to be an interesting factor here with both opportunities and pitfalls. “You’re a young 30-something with a lot of money in cash – have you considered assetmaxxing? Here is a squirrel to tell you more about it.” As with the wine article, don’t jargon them to death, but for the love of god take them seriously.
I remember when I was a fresh(ish) faced master’s student in my reporting and newsgathering course and the adage was: “Don’t assume reader knowledge, but don’t treat them like an idiot.”
So corpsumer isn’t quite as silly as it sounds (and it sounds pretty silly). If you get passed the PRisms, there is something more universal to be learned about the media landscape such as it is. Terms can be important and making new words doesn’t have to be inherently cringe. Enshittification is a great example of this.
Given innovation means there are constantly new things to be naming in this industry and the results can be… varied – it is probably something we should be thinking about.
The News:
LANG CAT & CLIENT MENTIONS
Revealed: FCA quizzes advice firms on ongoing services remediation
Box office Barrett in the press.
Source: Citywire NMA
Standard Life’s £2bn ‘reset’ faces adviser test
Steve gives some musings on the Standard Life/ Aegon deal.
Source: FT Adviser
Leader: Should financial advice formalise the transfer of agency?
Nick Ryan of Pilot fame pops up in this one.
Source: Money Marketing
Nuclear power is back. Here’s how you can buy uranium
7IM’s Ben Kumar talks nuclear investment options in nuclear.
Source: The Times
Wealth managers comfortable with AI, but regulation lags adoption
GBST report draws on some of our research.
Source: Wealth Net
Clifton Wealth Partnership buys Hertfordshire advice firm
Clifton continues their acquisition thang.
Source: Professional Adviser
CIP design and platform selection: Which really comes first?
Our research with Morningstar Wealth mentioned in this piece.
Source: Professional Adviser
Aberdeen develops AI Avatar to discuss portfolios with advisers
Some interesting stuff.
Source: FT Adviser
MPS Allocators Retreat: ‘Absolute godsend’ if platforms could do this
7IM’s Shanti Kelleman appears on Citywire panel during their MPS retreat.
Source: Citywire WM
ADVISERS
Simplybiz launches adviser academy
How very New Blood of them.
Source: FT Adviser
Rob Gardner: Sir David Attenborough and the 100-year client
What a centurion can teach us about the advice process.
Source: Money Marketing
PLATFORMS
Aviva platform cash changes will leave ‘many clients worse off’
Platforms and cash changes in the spotlight. For more on this, read Rich’s mulling from last week’s TCWU
Source: FT Adviser
INVESTING & WEALTH MANAGERS
How America’s retail army came to rule the stock market
Think Savvy the Squirrel should attempt a more nuanced approach.
Source: FT
Why the Schroder family sold up
Nuveen “also showed interest in HSBC Asset Management, Aegon and Aberdeen Group, as the group looked beyond its core US market, says a person close to the situation.” Interesting.
Source: FT
Revealed: How much wealth managers are earning in 2026
A lot. Though, interestingly out of 232 respondents only 29 were women.
Source: Citywire WM
IG Group’s Michael Healy: Exorbitant platform fees threaten government’s investment campaign
Zero commission platform asks if fees are bad. Joking aside, this is more a piece about transparency and making sure people know what they are paying for – which is the most important thing.
Source: Investment Week
Retail investors deeply immersed in private credit, watchdog warns
The aforementioned retail army re-stocking the gunpowder room that is late stage capitalism and we’re all waiting for someone to decide to spark up a Regal Superking.
Source: The Times
REGULATION & POLICY
SEC moves to scrap quarterly reporting requirement
Regulation & Policy goes USA. What could go wrong?
Source: FT
FCA to launch multi-firm review looking at bereavement processes
“That goes to the heart of our work looking at customer vulnerability,” said the FCA’s Kate Tuckley.
Source: Professional Adviser
FCA launches review into claims management market
Regulator will look at “root causes” of poor practices across the market.
Source: FT Adviser
AI
Reassured debuts SAINT.AI to cut non-disclosure risk
Protection and AI crossover episode.
Source: Money Marketing
‘No one has done this in the wild’: study observes AI replicate itself
AHHHHHHHHHHH.
Source: The Guardian
PENSIONS & RETIREMENT
Our pension funds are not quasi-government money
Pension folk continue to dislike mandated allocation.
Source: FT
Pension scheme members turn to charity to dodge ‘death tax’ trap
Screw the kids, let’s give it to the penguins.
Source: FT Adviser
The £22.40 question: Are clients in the dark on the full state pension?
An interesting article. The Treasury might contend that the triple lock is designed to protect the sort of pensioners who do not have advisers.
Source: Professional Advisers
TRADE & ECONOMY
Reinstate windfall tax on banks after surge in profits, TUC urges
Didn’t materialise in the Autumn Budget despite rumour, but certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it reappeared as rumour this year.
Source: The Guardian
We must be mindful of the risks of private credit
BoE governor writes in the FT about being mindful with an undertone of “be afraid. Be very, very afraid.”
Source: FT
CRAZY CAT STORIES
Your cat ‘really loves you’ if they show any of these 10 signs
I say this as someone who loves cats: I ain’t sure those grumpy bastards love anything.
Source: The Mirror
OUTSIDE THE TRADE
I wanted to run a quiet country pub. Cars keep crashing into it
Totalling 9 crashes. One was described as Dukes of Hazzard style.
Source: The Times
Sean McKinven is PR account executive at the lang cat
