This month’s ETF Marketing Memo dives into a market defined by rapid innovation, growing complexity, and an increasing need for clear, differentiated messaging. From key takeaways at Exchange 2026 to a conversation with Citywire’s Nour Azhar on what makes an ETF story stand out, we discuss how issuers can cut through the noise and connect with both media and investors. We also highlight how firms can maximize the value of a single media opportunity through strategic storytelling and strong spokesperson positioning.
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Exchange 2026: More Innovation, More Complexity, and a Greater Need for Clarity
By: Brenda Hentschel, Associate Vice President
Exchange 2026 underscored a clear reality: the ETF industry is evolving at a rapid pace, but as innovation accelerates, so does complexity. For issuers, that makes clear positioning and thoughtful marketing more important than ever.
One of the most prominent themes throughout the conference was the continued expansion of the “ETF tent.” Product development is pushing into new territory, ranging from defined outcome strategies and leveraged products to prediction market filings and tokenization. But with that expansion comes an increasingly important debate: where is the line between investing and speculation?
As more complex and esoteric products come to market, the responsibility shifts toward ensuring investors understand what they are buying and how those products behave in different market environments.
This dynamic is being driven, in part, by competitive pressures. With core beta dominated by large players like Vanguard and BlackRock, many issuers are looking to differentiate through niche or specialized strategies. The result is a surge in product proliferation. But as several speakers emphasized, launching a product is only the starting point. Success is not guaranteed simply by using the ETF wrapper. Ultimately, content is king, and strategies backed by real investment merit, clear use cases, and appropriate pricing are more likely to endure.
Active management continues to play a central role in this evolution. The majority of new launches now fall into some form of active or systematic strategy. However, as the lines between active and passive blur, education becomes even more critical. Investors need to understand not just whether a fund is active, but how it works and where it fits within a portfolio. As Vivian Tung of MFS Investment Management noted, this is especially important in a market filled with increasing complexity and choice.
Beyond product development, distribution emerged as a key differentiator. In a crowded marketplace, broad outreach is no longer enough. Issuers need to be more targeted and data-driven in how they reach advisors and investors. As discussed in sessions on AI, the way investors discover products is also evolving, with research increasingly happening through digital and AI-driven tools, further reinforcing the need for clear, accessible, and machine-readable content.
Several investment themes also stood out. Commodities and natural resources are re-emerging as part of what some are calling the “revenge of diversification,” with flows rotating beyond concentrated tech exposure. Crypto remains a polarizing topic, with continued skepticism and behavior more aligned with high-beta equities than a true store of value. Meanwhile, tokenization is gaining attention as a complementary “next step” in asset delivery, though most view it as still in the early innings.
The overarching takeaway is clear: innovation is not slowing down, but clarity will be the differentiator. In a market defined by choice overload, issuers that focus on education, strong messaging, and delivering real investment value will be best positioned to stand out. In this environment, success requires more than a compelling product. It requires the ability to clearly communicate why it matters.
Q&A with a Media Insider: Nour Azhar, Senior ETF Reporter at Citywire
By: Amisha Mehta, Director
This month, we speak with Nour Azhar, Senior ETF Reporter at Citywire, who brings a sharp, on-the-ground view of how ETF stories are shaped and told. Covering everything from product launches to shifting investor trends, Nour has a clear sense of what cuts through – and what doesn’t. We asked her what makes an ETF story stand out, where issuers often miss the mark, and how marketing strategies need to evolve as the industry enters its next phase.
You’ve been covering the ETF industry for several years at Citywire. What’s one shift in the ETF landscape that’s stood out most to you recently – whether in product innovation or investor behaviour?
The most striking shift for me is the explosion of active management within the ETF wrapper. For years, while speaking to people across the industry the idea that active and ETFs can coexist was somewhat dismissed or even if it was accepted it wasn’t completely embraced.
What I am hearing now, is that we are way past the era where ETFs were synonymous with passive, low-cost index tracking and there is no turning back. Today, asset managers are launching active ETFs not as “alternatives” but as core and primary vehicles for sophisticated active strategies. We are seeing traditional active houses entering the space for the first time, because at the end of the day investors no longer want just the cheapest S&P 500 tracker.
They are looking for actively managed strategies to steer them through more volatile markets. For me as a journalist, this is a goldmine because it moves the conversation from tracking error to manager alpha and portfolio problem-solving, which is certainly more exciting to write about.
From your perspective as a journalist, what makes an ETF story stand out? What typically moves a launch or issuer announcement from “routine” to worth covering in more depth?
An ETF story stands out when it answers the “Why now?” and “So what?” The ETF market is incredibly saturated, so a press release announcing another generic fund or a slightly tweaked sector fund will get overlooked.
What moves an announcement into feature-story territory is context and conviction. Does this product address a specific, current macroeconomic or investor pain point? Does it have a genuinely novel underlying index methodology?
But you know what makes me more interested is having direct access to the portfolio manager who can speak openly about the market rather than being given a generic “approved marketing speak”. This makes a massive difference in how a story takes shape.
ETF issuers are competing not just on products, but on how they tell their story. What separates the issuers who consistently cut through from those who struggle to get attention?
The issuers who cut through understand that at the end of the day journalists and investors want to be informed, not sold to. In my experience, the successful ones describe the market exactly as it is, factually and directly. They avoid softening reality with euphemisms or dismissing geopolitical events as “unimpactful long term”.
Issuers who struggle tend to rely heavily on financial jargon and corporate fluff. At times, they even disregard or make light of events. If as an issuer you fail to understand that investors worry about the now, not the 3 to 5 years mark, then you need a reality check and you will struggle to get attention. Straight talk instantly earns my trust. Break down your complex methodology into clear language and provide the macro context that makes your fund relevant for today’s investors.
Have you seen any recent examples of ETF issuers getting their messaging or media strategy particularly right? What made those approaches effective?
The issuers who get it right understand that lead time is vital for a reporter. Providing information and interview access well ahead of time under embargo allows us to cover stories in depth to understand the “why” without the pressure of an immediate deadline.
It ultimately benefits the issuer and helps their messaging get out correctly. As an issuer, you must ask yourself: “Do I want my big launch to turn into just another couple of generic paragraphs or turn into an actual insightful article/ feature that explains it all.”
To me personally, this is what I look for: early access and sharp, data-driven commentary that backs your claim – so cut to the chase.
Looking ahead, what trends or themes do you think ETF marketers should be preparing for over the next 12-18 months?
The ETF wrapper is constantly innovating and evolving. So as more complex products like covered call and buffer ETFs enter the market, the burden of education will increase but don’t oversimplify.
As we discussed, the active ETF boom is showing a huge momentum, so the marketing focus needs to shift from just promoting the ticker to promoting the portfolio manager – the person who is really responsible (not just the research team). Investors need to trust the person making the active decisions and journalists need to be able to write well-informed pieces.
I should also mention that even though I didn’t lead with digital assets as the primary shift, the way that space is maturing is impossible to ignore. It is moving from a “novelty” or “speculative corner” of the market into a foundational part of the ETF infrastructure. Marketers should prepare for the shift from: “This is yet another launch of spot Bitcoin or Ether” to how they are being integrated into broader traditional portfolios. We are moving away from the “if” they will be part of the broader industry to the “how” issuers are providing regulated access to this interesting and developing asset class.
Needless to say, we are all short on time, and our attention span is getting shorter unfortunately (or fortunately for some) so content will need to become punchier and in bite-size. This goes against my researcher mentality but we all have to adapt.
Storytelling Success: Maximizing Media Value Through Strategic Positioning
By: Paige Sullivan, Account Director
In an increasingly competitive media landscape, securing high-impact coverage is only part of the equation. The ability to extend a single media engagement across multiple formats, such as broadcast, digital, and written, can significantly amplify reach and reinforce key messages. By approaching media opportunities with a clear narrative and strong subject-matter expertise, firms can turn one interaction into a broader storytelling moment.
Standout moment: MFS Investment Management was featured on CNBC’s ETF Edge, where Investment Strategist and Head of ETF Capital Markets Jamie Harrison joined a segment discussing how volatility and geopolitical conflict are reshaping ETF strategies. The engagement generated both a full podcast segment and a complementary written article, effectively delivering multiple pieces of high-quality coverage from a single interview and expanding audience reach across CNBC’s platforms.
Why it worked: The pitch tapped into a timely and nuanced topic – misconceptions around ETF liquidity – while positioning Jamie as a credible expert able to break down complex mechanics for a broad audience. By challenging the common reliance on average daily volume as a proxy for liquidity and introducing the concept of implied liquidity, the conversation offered both educational value and market relevance. This combination of timely insight, clear differentiation, and strong spokesperson credibility enabled MFS to secure layered coverage and maximize the impact of one well-executed media opportunity.