From emerging markets to everyday conversations
Some industries develop communication codes so established that they begin to feel untouchable.
Asset management is one of them: a category where financial communication and advertising campaigns are often expected to inform, reassure and demonstrate expertise, while opportunities to surprise, engage and spark curiosity are less frequently explored.
When Franklin Templeton approached us to develop its new Italian campaign, the challenge was not simply to create an effective piece of communication. It was to find a narrative space capable of standing out in a category where most brands tend to speak in remarkably similar ways.
The ambition was to make expertise more accessible by starting from the audience instead of the category itself.
Because differentiation does not necessarily come from saying something different. More often, it comes from having the courage to say it differently.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON
INDUSTRY
ASSET MANAGEMENT
SERVICES
CREATIVE STRATEGY, CREATIVE CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, ART DIRECTION & COPYWRITING, MULTI-CHANNEL CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT / EVENT ACTIVATION / MULTIMEDIA CONTENT CREATION & PRODUCTION
MEDIA
TVC, DIGITAL VIDEO, WEB, SOCIAL MEDIA, PRESS, EVENT
One character...endless conversations.
Where a character becomes a format
Every story becomes part of something bigger.
That reflection led to the creation of “Mr. Know-It-All”.
More than a spokesperson, he represents a universal human behaviour. We all know him. The one who, when confronted with someone more informed or experienced, doesn’t listen. He doubles down.
For this reason, we chose not to start from products, performance or financial terminology. We started from a behaviour that people could immediately recognise as real.
The “Mr. Know-It-All” became a narrative device capable of making complex topics such as emerging markets more accessible, relatable and memorable.
The campaign was conceived from the very beginning as a multi-subject advertising format rather than a single creative execution. Each subject explored a different theme related to emerging markets, allowing Franklin Templeton to address complex topics gradually through a format designed to inform as much as it engaged.
The goal was not simply to create variety. It was to build a recognisable format.
The repetition of key elements the protagonist, the visual language, the narrative structure and the tone of voice created continuity across every execution. At the same time, new situations and new messages kept the content fresh and engaging.
An approach that helped strengthen the campaign’s recognisability while making it easier to connect different messages within a single narrative universe.
Creative Strategy
Target audience understanding
Creative marketing strategy
Creative direction
Advertising Format
Narrative platform design
Multi-subject campaign architecture
Tone of voice development
TV
Creativity
Production
On air delivery
Digital & Social Media
Creativity
Production
On air delivery
Newspaperss & Magazines
Creativity
Production
On air delivery
Event Activation
Creativity
Scriptwriting
Showreel production
When a narrative becomes real
Some ideas belong where people are.
Some ideas work across media. Others become part of the environment they were designed for.
The concept naturally expanded during the Salone del Risparmio, Italy’s leading event for the asset management industry and one of the most important gatherings for investment professionals, where the campaign found a new dimension beyond media channels.
Through the participation of Matteo Caremoli, the actor behind the campaign, the “Mr Know-It-All” unexpectedly appeared among attendees, transforming a familiar advertising character into a tangible presence within the very environment where Franklin Templeton’s target audience gathers.
The objective was not simply to increase visibility or campaign recall. It was to extend the narrative beyond communication channels and into a shared physical space. To allow the character to step out of the campaign and into the real world.
In doing so, the concept evolved from a communication asset into a live experience, reinforcing the proximity between brand, message and audience while remaining fully coherent with the campaign’s narrative universe.
The consistency of the format helped create a clear connection between the character, the emerging markets narrative and the brand itself.
The Salone del Risparmio activation demonstrated something equally important. When a narrative platform is strong enough, it does not need to remain confined to media. It can move across channels, contexts and experiences while preserving its identity.
The advertising campaign became more than a series of executions. It became a recognisable narrative capable of connecting people, messages and brand within the same communication ecosystem.
Where stories become conversations.
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