The UK has a major investing gap: millions of people save regularly but don't invest, despite having money that could work harder over the long term. Research found that 10.1 million UK savers were interested in investing but were held back by fear, complexity and the perception that investing just “wasn't for people like them”. The Investment Association tasked M+C Saatchi with creating the first industry-wide campaign to make investing feel more accessible and encourage more people to take that first step.

M+C Saatchi created the ‘Invest for the Future’ brand and visual identity to unite the member firms and the Investment Association under a single, cohesive identity, establishing the campaigning entity behind the ‘Take The Next Step. Invest.’ campaign. Using behavioural science principles including anchoring and nudges, the campaign positions investing as the natural next step after saving.

At the heart of the campaign is Savvy the Squirrel, a friendly, approachable advocate of investing, designed to be relatable to savers across the UK - educating, reassuring and building up their confidence, by becoming a distinctive, recognisable asset for the campaign over time.

The campaign runs across TV, digital, social, outdoor and audio channels, encouraging open conversations about investing while directing audiences to educational resources, including the campaign microsite and partner platforms.

By making investing feel more accessible and understandable, the campaign encourages people to take the first step while directing them to educational resources and member firms that can help them choose the right next step for their needs.

The campaign was designed as the first phase of a long-term behaviour change programme, creating a platform that will build awareness, recognition and participation over multiple years.