Summit Stories: Finance Brands Staying True in a Shifting Media Landscape

With shifting cultural norms, media fragmentation, and rising audience expectations, brand consistency has never been more complex—or more crucial. So, we asked a few of the speakers, panelists, and members joining us at the upcoming Financial Narrative Summit in NYC on April 29 how they’re navigating it.

“Striking the right balance between global consistency and local relevance is key in uncertain times,” says Laura Novak Burke, Chief Communications Officer at Santander US. “Going too far in either direction can dilute your message—or worse, create confusion.”

For Burke, the throughline is understanding your audience beyond the obvious. “Know your whole customer,” she advises. “When you look beyond their financial behaviors to the underlying emotions and mindsets, you earn relevance and create connection.”

That connection is increasingly being forged on social platforms. “More people are consuming their news on social media than ever before, including young people,” notes Jaclyn Rothenberg, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer at Avoq. “Brands need to adapt and meet people where they are—and work with influencers and content creators to share their message.”

It’s not just consumers driving change—it’s the platforms themselves. “Given that the White House is inviting these new media influencers into the briefing room and social platforms are breaking news,” Rothenberg adds, “brands have an opportunity to do the same.”

But agility can’t come at the expense of cohesion. “If your purpose and values are rock solid, you can flex without ever breaking,” says Maya Dillon, Head of Communications for HSBC USA. She believes a brand’s most powerful advocates are already within: “Invest in them—because when your people and partners understand and believe in your brand, they don’t just communicate it, they evangelize and embody it.”

At Nuveen, that internal clarity is guiding an ambitious global repositioning effort. “This thoughtful 18-month project included deep research with 800+ clients and prospects across the globe, as well as internal stakeholders, to ensure our brand is authentic, differentiated and transcreated in a truly global manner,” explains Tara Giuliano, Chief Marketing Officer.

The takeaway? Brand integrity doesn’t come from resisting change—it comes from anchoring to what matters, and allowing everything else to evolve.

Catch these leaders and more at the Financial Narrative Summit in NYC this April 29