March 3, 2026

As competition intensifies across Australia’s crowded funds management landscape, AI is rapidly reshaping how firms allocate marketing dollars and win attention. Traditional roadshows and relationship-driven models are giving way to data-led, digitally amplified strategies, forcing marketers to rethink their “marketing asset allocation” or risk being left behind.

While there is much uncertainty in local and global markets, one trend is unmistakeable – there will be more competition in sales and marketing this year.

Australia is already one of the most competitive investment marketplaces in the world. Another cohort of offshore fund managers is preparing to join the already crowded field of more than 640 local and overseas managers offering some 10,000 investment products to 15,500 financial advisers and individual Australians.

New technology, in particular artificial intelligence (AI), is adding to the pressure on marketing teams to stand apart. These shifts will reshape the marketing landscape – and in some areas will accelerate a shake-out.

Traditional strategies, often relying on business development managers calling prospects, supplemented by public relations, content, advertising, lunches and roadshows, are no longer enough to attract new customers or retain existing ones. Some marketers have added digital posts on LinkedIn, podcasts and videos. Several are now going further with more evolved marketing mixes – what can be thought of as a marketing asset allocation.

Marketing asset allocation today is much more than the four Ps of product, price, place and promotion. It’s a dynamic system designed to reach prospects when they are ready to engage.

Traditionally, marketing budgets have been allocated as:

RFPs & DDIs                                                                                    Not included

Source: ChatGPT

AI is reshaping these allocations. Costs for content creation, thought leadership, podcasts and videos are dropping, allowing marketers to redirect spend to digital media and channels where investors actually consume content – to reach prospects when they are ready.

As such, the new marketing asset allocation now looks something like the below:

‍Source: The Inside Network and Capital Outcomes February 2026

Case studies

US-based wealth manager, local operation focuses on:

• Monthly comments/column in Tier 1 media coupled with investment trade coverage to strengthen reputation and credibility.
• Advertisements – many on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn – with headlines to drive clicks for readers to request reports.
• These clicks generate contact details for sales follow-up.
• This global model has been used by this organisation around the world for several years.

Australian wealth manager marketing focuses on:

• Focus on Tier 1 media with story angles that engage readers, generating inbound enquiries.
• Podcasts reach younger, NextGen investors.
• Content is amplified via LinkedIn and other social media.
• Advertising and events support the overall strategy.

Which approach are you taking? The most effective approach is a combination of both strategies, tailored to the organisation and its target market.

AI will help, is already helping, provide those resources and do so more easily and more cost-effectively. Digital tools enable those resources to be pitched to more potential target investors than ever before. Visuals, graphics, and interactive content are becoming more important than ever. The key here for marketers will be determining how to stand out from competitors.

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