New York: FactSet, a global leader in financial intelligence and enterprise data solutions, has unveiled “Fluent in Finance,” a new brand campaign designed to spotlight the shortcomings of generic, off-the-shelf AI tools while reinforcing the value of domain expertise in financial services. The integrated campaign was created by strategy and creative agency VSA Partners.
Building on the momentum of FactSet’s award-winning 2023 “Not Just the Facts” initiative, the latest campaign features four new video spots alongside a large-scale out-of-home presence across New York’s financial district. Together, the executions use humor and pointed industry insight to position FactSet at the center of AI’s next chapter in finance.
The Problem: AI That Doesn’t Speak Finance
As financial institutions accelerate AI adoption, the market has become crowded with vendors promoting broad, general-purpose AI solutions. FactSet’s campaign argues that these tools often fall short when faced with the complexity, terminology, and regulatory sensitivity of financial workflows.
The video spots illustrate this gap through comedic scenarios in which an AI “assistant” misunderstands commonly used financial terms such as “hedge,” “gains,” “attractive spread,” “alpha,” and “exposure,” along with broader business phrases like “big fish.” Each misinterpretation underscores a central message: without industry fluency, AI can create confusion rather than clarity.
Extending the message beyond digital channels, the out-of-home activation — which launched in January — takes over the Wall Street subway station with AI-generated visuals that intentionally reveal the technology’s limitations when interpreting industry-specific language. The work acts as a visual metaphor for enterprise leaders who have experienced firsthand the gaps in non-specialized AI tools.
FactSet’s Differentiator: Purpose-Built AI for Finance
FactSet’s positioning centers on its decades-long expertise in financial data, content, and institutional investment workflows. Its AI capabilities are designed specifically for finance professionals, trained on domain-specific datasets and built with transparency, traceability, and reliability in mind.
“In an era where AI promises are everywhere, financial professionals need a partner that truly understands their world,” said Jenifer Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer at FactSet. “Our AI isn’t just powerful — it’s fluent in the language of finance. It understands the nuances, context, and workflows that drive decision-making in our industry. This campaign reflects our commitment to delivering AI solutions that our clients can actually trust with their most critical decisions.”
The campaign’s core line, “Get a partner that’s fluent in finance,” reinforces FactSet’s ambition to be seen not merely as a technology vendor, but as a strategic partner for institutional investment professionals.
Creative Execution
VSA Partners, FactSet’s brand campaign agency since 2022, developed the integrated creative platform to drive awareness while maintaining a smart, humor-led tone.
“FactSet is bold, innovative and clear-eyed about who they are and what they believe,” said Kim Mickenberg, Partner, Campaign Design at VSA Partners. “By using a familiar reference—an AI assistant—to show the limits of generic AI solutions, we’re able to tap into the zeitgeist and make a clear point: Technology alone can only do so much. Ultimately, it’s the human expertise behind it that makes all the difference.”
The campaign films were directed by Matt and Jason Docter, known as the Docter Twins, who also helmed the earlier “Not Just the Facts” spots. Their cinematic yet comedic storytelling style carries through the new work.
“Collaborating with the creatives at VSA, the FactSet client and an incredibly talented cast has been a continually evolving, rewarding process,” said Jason Docter, Director, Thinking Machine. “We couldn’t ask for a better campaign to be directing.”
“Between the recurring cast and crew, the talented creatives at VSA, and the always welcoming client at the FactSet offices in Norwalk, CT, we’ve become somewhat of a makeshift family,” said Matt Docter, Director, Thinking Machine. “It feels like some kind of annual improv reunion.”
