When we conducted our inaugural Asset Management Trends Report last year, it revealed a large, and growing, wall of content that was being produced by firms every day.

We estimated then that journalists were receiving as much as 250 different pieces of content (unsolicited material from managers such reactive macro comment, white paper, blog post, research etc) from asset managers every single day.

Since then I have had many conversations about this research, and almost all of them have centred around this theme: that there is too much content being produced, and much of it is ineffective in delivering the results needed.

So, with most people in agreement that there is too much content being generated, has this seen the tide begin to recede? Not a chance.

Our research this year shows that while most of us agree that simply having more content in and of itself is not helpful, the wall of content does continue to grow. In fact we estimate that the media now receive significantly more than 300 pieces every single day, up 35% on last year.

The culprits this year, however, are the medium sized managers (classified in this case as between $100 – $500 billion) who have ramped up content volumes over the last 12 months as they play catch-up to their larger counterparts. Interestingly, the super-size managers, who tend to be the most prolific in generating content, seem to have taken heed of these concerns and are becoming increasingly circumspect, albeit still prolific.

What is clear from the conversations we have had this year is that the wall of content is turning a very particular shade of green. Almost all respondents (85%) said they will generate more ESG-focused content in the next 12 months – and of those who aren’t looking to do more this is largely because they are ESG specialists so everything they do is written through that lens.

For those who are considering producing more on ESG, it would be prudent to take on board a comment from one journalist we spoke to recently, who said of the ESG content they receive, most of it is “relatively poor, has the same angle and is self-serving”.

We said it last year but it is not about producing more content; it is about producing the right kind – and then using that material in a targeted way for journalists that really adds value. However, the wall of content appears to still be standing firm, for now.

For more information about the Asset Management Trends Report 2019 or to receive a copy of the white paper please contact Miles Donohoe at miles.donohoe@jpespartners.com or on +44 (0) 7520 7625.