Bigmouthmedia Warns Online Finance Sector Set To Face New Challenges  

Released on: May 01, 2010, 2:58 am
Author: Iain Bruce
Industry: Financial

Bigmouthmedia is to warn Britain's financial services sector that the industry must adapt to a rapidly changing online marketplace or suffer far-reaching consequences.

Bigmouthmedia senior finance strategist Chris Cathcart will tell an audience of senior executives at the second annual bigmouthmedia Finance Summit next month that the online revolution is creating a new set of challenges which the industry must either meet head-on or risk losing ground to a raft of new players offering personal finance products. Revealing the results of a brand new survey into the sector's approach to selling savings and insurance via digital channels, Cathcart will outline a shifting landscape to which businesses must adapt or face potentially far-reaching consequences.

"Even as most of the sector is beginning to dust itself off and recover from the effects of a disastrous few years, a new challenge is presenting itself that could have far-reaching consequences. Consumers are deeply suspicious of the industry as a whole, and if the UK's finance organisations are to recover their reputation for probity and trustworthiness they are going to have to radically alter their approach to selling products online," said Cathcart.

"With raft of new brands emerging to challenge existing players for consumers' business, the internet is poised to become a key battleground in the finance sector's fight for the future."

Cathcart will be joined by a panel of industry-leading online finance experts speaking on a range of themes including the development and history of online financial marketing and the issues surrounding best-practice in selling savings products via digital channels.

Taking the podium at the bigmouthmedia Financial Summit will be Thisismoney.co.uk editor Andrew Oxlade and Colin Tomkinson, head of digital marketing at Barclaycard. Google senior head of financial services Ian Morgan and MoneyDashboard.com CEO Gavin Littlejohn will also lead sessions.

Keynote speaker Andrew Oxlade will draw upon years of experience in financial journalism to identify the key winners and losers of the financial crisis, assessing the degree to which the financial crisis has impacted upon consumers' trust of financial brands and that has altered their decision making. In what promises to be an incisive session he will demonstrate who benefited and who didn't, who played it right and who played it wrong.

"The finance sector might prefer to imagine that it's back to business as usual, but a combination of economic crisis and accelerating technology has changed the shape of the industry forever. We'll be bringing together some of the business' biggest hitters to discuss exactly what's ahead and how to prepare for it," added Cathcart.

The bigmouthmedia Finance Summit takes place in London on May 26th 2010 and is a free event aimed at senior marketing and ecommerce executives. Places are limited, but those wishing to attend can register at http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/signup for an invitation.

About bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe's largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff located across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: search engine optimisation, PPC, online media planning, affiliate marketing, social networking, brand monitoring, online PR and web analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

For further media information please contact:
Iain Bruce
Media Strategist
bigmouthmedia
51 Timberbush
Edinburgh
EH6 6QH
(44) 131 555 4848
http://twitter.com/bigmouthmedia