Whether a brand’s story is told in local cities or across the world, we are at its side. The journey to the intersection of insightful thinking and your business growth starts the minute we rev the engine.
Water & Wall is an award-winning marketing and communications agency whose best work exists at the intersection of inspired thinking and your business growth.
OUR SERVICES
In every engagement, we tailor our clients’ unique communications strategy to align with their overall business goals.
FRAME
we are stewards of your brand
- Communications audit
- Competitive analysis
- Reputation management
- Message development
CREATE
we are writers and storytellers
- Branding
- Data driven storytelling
- Editorial content
- Design services
ENGAGE
we connect people with ideas
- Media relations
- Digital marketing
- Social media management
- Executive visibility
We only apply a given service if it gets clients on track to achieve their goals and we do this across the entire financial ecosystem: from asset management to RIAs, blockchain to crypto, consulting to accounting and more. We’re experts at designing integrated plans that serve as roadmaps…
WHERE ALL SIGNS POINT TOWARDS RESULTS.
We’re business people first, communicators second.
Here’s a handful of the many friends we’ve made along the way:
OUR WORK
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WEALTH
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WEALTH
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WEALTH
We love a challenge and people love a good story rooted in rich history. Cue Arnhold LLC, a $4.5 billion family office and investment management firm.
For Arnhold LLC, we had the privilege of guiding a storied name in financial services across Europe, dating back to World War 2, and in the US through a comprehensive branding process to help establish their family office headquartered in New York.
In a months-long process, Water & Wall developed a full suite of branding and business development materials to support Arnhold’s launch, including a messaging hierarchy, logo, pitch book, business cards and letterhead.
WHEN DESIGN COMPLEMENTS THE TRADITIONAL
WHEN DESIGN COMPLEMENTS THE TRADITIONAL
WHEN DESIGN COMPLEMENTS THE TRADITIONAL
For ETF investment manager, WBI Investments, an appetite for creativity helped us succeed together. We implemented an integrated communications program, for the $2 billion U.S.-based asset manager, that combined journalist engagement, social media amplification, research, podcast production, and an enhancement to the firm’s creative branding materials.
Traditional media relations was at the core of this program, with the Water & Wall team introducing WBI to print and broadcast journalists, securing meaningful coverage for its client. The earned media was complemented by owned media, which in this case comprised two primary assets – product brochures and a podcast.
For the podcast, Water & Wall led the pre-production strategy, from content, to scripting to distribution plans once WBI produced the podcast.
Water & Wall also designed marketing storyboards for WBI’s exchange-traded funds. Our design work earned us an opportunity to develop visual concepts for their quarterly magazine and forthcoming proprietary advisor-focused robo tool.
The keys to success here were an enthusiastic leadership team and expert client-side marketing support.
MEET THE MANAGERS
MEET THE MANAGERS
MEET THE MANAGERS
We routinely secure high-profile media coverage that showcases the people behind successful investment strategies, who are in many cases as fascinating as the strategies themselves.
Recent examples include ALPS subadvisor, Smith Capital, for whom we developed an earned media engagement strategy to draw investor attention to their Total Return Bond and Short Duration Bond Funds. Since incorporating these in the broader ALPS program, Water & Wall secured opportunities for founder, Gibson Smith, as the featured source in top-tier print and broadcast media coverage, and Smith Capital’s assets have grown to $1 billion to date.
Elsewhere, our work for Resolute Investment Managers. At a time in our business when positive earned attention is difficult to come by for even the best performing funds, we secured a profile in Barron’s on the best-in-class American Beacon Sound Point Floating Rate Income fund.
Finally, Business Insider named Lori Heinel, State Street Global Advisors Deputy Global CIO, to their “100 People Transforming Business” list. Each year, Lori is featured as commentator on major business broadcast networks and in top-tier print outlets dozens of times as the team leverages her thinking and its journalist relationships to raise her profile.
These assignments are representative of a key service offering on the communications side of our business that will be critical to our asset management clients’ business growth going forward.
THE ADVISOR’S ADVISOR
THE ADVISOR’S ADVISOR
THE ADVISOR’S ADVISOR
ETF Securities, a $20 billion global asset management firm, retained Water & Wall to develop a content marketing program targeting financial advisors, a segment of the wealth management industry with which we’re deeply familiar. Our work included the creation of a suite of print collateral and video content to educate advisors on the merits of investing in commodity ETFs. A major component of our strategy was to write the sales materials in a way that made them intelligible to end-clients, while marrying that with thoughtful design and execution, allowing advisors to pass along to clients for educational purposes. The visually enhanced, story-driven content achieved extremely high engagement rates, giving ETF Securities an advantage over its commodity fund competitors.
DARE TO BE FEARLESS
DARE TO BE FEARLESS
DARE TO BE FEARLESS
There are few communications and marketing campaigns in the institutional financial services community that reached as many people as Fearless Girl. For so many, she has become a to drive positive change well beyond business. From the start, our client, State Street Global Advisors, had grand ambitions of being a leader in influencing change among the global corporate ranks. Simply put, together by securing earned media with a focus on North America, we would set the foundation for future asset stewardship priorities with a focus on gender diversity in business. We would convey the message that women should have a far greater presence in the board room and in the C-suite than they do now.
On the day we introduced the statue of that little girl challenging the Charging Bull (note: now she’s outside the New York Stock Exchange), we saw hundreds of media outlets around the world cover the story. One outlet in particular, Business Insider, ran a story read by nearly two million people within hours of publication. Since then, State Street spokespeople have appeared on and in every major broadcast and print business news outlet in the world to discuss the asset managers ongoing effort.
Today, the Fearless Girl remains a powerful and everlasting symbol, and we’re proud to have been the agency driving the media coverage behind this icon.
FROM MICRO TO MACRO
FROM MICRO TO MACRO
FROM MICRO TO MACRO
NEPC, a $1 trillion institutional investment consultant, is among the best examples of a long-term partnership that resulted in client business growth and an expansion of an integrated marketing and communications program that included traditional journalist engagement, branding, and visual storytelling.
Prior to engaging Water & Wall, the Boston-based firm had no consistent public presence in its 30-year history beyond incidental trade media coverage. The first assignment: raise awareness for the Endowments and Foundations Practice, an established presence in their space with no public voice. Within a year, the firm’s top executives were featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, New York Times, Financial Times, among key trade publications. That work expanded not only to owning media relations for other practice areas within the firm – pensions, private wealth, healthcare, among them – it also led to the development of a research series that included in-depth surveys and graphic design.
The effort earned us the opportunity to redesign NEPC’s pitch book, which we overhauled with new messaging and compelling visuals that helped the firm win new business.
By the time the program entered its third year, we were responsible for 80 percent of their content. What’s more, they walked into a meeting with a potential client, who complemented NEPC on their recent news story, the best validation for our work there is.
PRIVATE (EQUITY) PROPERTY
PRIVATE (EQUITY) PROPERTY
PRIVATE (EQUITY) PROPERTY
Water & Wall began working with Cresset Capital in September 2019 just as the firm surpassed $6 billion in assets under management. Though it had a foothold in the private investment market and an exemplary reputation as stewards of institutional, family office and high net worth assets, Cresset had embarked on a new journey into a rarified corner of the real estate world – Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ).
Cresset tasked Water & Wall with developing a comprehensive messaging and earned media strategy to draw positive investor attention to their QOZ fund, and to inform audiences on the investment and social and benefits of QOZs.
Since inception, our efforts has secured coverage in more than 50 articles showcasing Cresset as a leading voice in the QOZ space, with regular coverage in Bloomberg News, The Real Deal, Financial Planning, GlobeSt., REFI, and other local, trade and top-tier outlets
7
Number of years
with a focus on ESG
10
Awards won
honoring our work
100
Brands
we've worked with
95
% Conversion rate
on earned media
MEET THE TEAM
FROM THE BLOG
Podcast: What to Do When the Story You Are Told Just Doesn’t Add Up
Podcast: What to Do When the Story You Are Told Just Doesn’t Add Up
Keeping Hope Alive
Keeping Hope Alive
Mothers deserve more than a once-a-year holiday—especially moms who have endured hardships. That’s why Water & Wall sponsored a week-long 5k virtual charity run, spanning from Mother’s Day, May 9th through May 16th, in partnership with a charity near and dear to our heart: Providence House.
For more than 40 years, this Brooklyn-based non-profit has provided housing and other support measures to homeless, abused, and formerly incarcerated women. Providence House also assists women in the justice system who would otherwise be awaiting trial at Rikers Island—New York City’s main jail complex.
“It’s well documented that the conditions on Rikers are quite horrific,” explains Providence House executive director Danielle Minelli Pagnotta. “It’s traumatizing for the people there as well as their family members—particularly for children whose mothers are in custody.”
Providence House consequently seeks to diminish the approximately 280 women currently on Rikers through its transitional housing program, known as an “ATD”—”Alternative to Detention.”
With eight homes across Brooklyn and one in Westchester County, Providence House’s trauma-informed approach helps women prepare to navigate their lives after justice involvement or homelessness. This is achieved by helping them advance their education, cultivate job skills, and obtain the long-term employment needed to secure permanent housing.
“Many of these women have experienced severe trauma, including domestic violence or sexual assault,” notes Minelli Pagnotta. “We aim to provide care in a way that doesn’t cause further harm while empowering them to move forward in a stable and meaningful way.”
Coping Through Covid
Despite challenges brought forth by the Coronavirus pandemic, Providence House maintained its logistical operations with minimal disruption. However, social distancing mandates forced it to abandon the traditional in-person gatherings it relied on to generate significant chunks of its charitable donations. So, last year the organization pivoted to a virtual fundraising drive that ultimately inspired this year’s virtual 5k road race, letting participants run (or walk) in a geographically isolated manner in compliance with CDC guidelines.
“This was something new to us, but it had two main benefits,” asserts Minelli Pagnotta. “One was obviously our ability to raise money. But it also let us build in some physical activity and motivation with our staff and our residents. It’s just amazing what a little bit of sunshine and fresh air can do after the year we’ve had.”
A Natural Partnership
Like many of the best collaborations, the alliance between Water & Wall and Providence House emerged organically, building on the charity’s existing relationship with our creative director, Katie Colleary, who has done pro-bono work for Providence House for more than 10 years and who designed the logo for the race’s official T-shirt.
“Katie very willingly said ‘yes,’ when we asked for her help with the logo,” recalls Minelli Pagnotta. “And the agency took it a step further by becoming a sponsor to help underwrite the cost of the event, and forming their own team, inclusive of many staffers. For that, we’re forever grateful.”
The nearly $30,000 Providence House raised from the event will help hundreds of mothers and families over the coming weeks and months. Giving back to our communities has always been important to us and our employees, and it was great for everyone to come together for this fantastic event. To all who donated and lent their support, THANK YOU!!!
You can learn more about Providence House, as well as make a donation, at https://www.providencehouse.org/donate.
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The Books We Keep
The Books We Keep
Is this our agency book case or a trophy case? Either way, we’re keeping what’s on it…just in case.
Each year-end the internet fills with gift-guides and roundups, such as the Water & Wall favorite New York Times 100 Notable Books yearly list. Inspired by the best books of 2020, we bring to you today “The Books We Keep,” a handful of books chosen by Water & Wall staff that we’ve enjoyed this year, years past, and will continue to love for years to come.
Let us know if any of these are your favorites too or drop us a comment to tell us your favorite five. And if you’re gifting any books this year, we’d like to recommend shopping at stores like Books are Magic, Rizzoli, Marcus Books, or others at Bookshop to support small business and local bookstores this year.
Alaina Hay
I tend to only keep books that remind me of specific places, ideas, or people. I usually give books I’ve loved away – I want everyone around me to read them! I kept Where the Crawdads Sing for pluff mud. Delia Owen’s 10-year master-piece brought me home to the Carolinas each time I turned the page; I could smell the marsh. F. Scott Fitzgerald is for my infatuation with stories. His books sparked my love for reading. A Tale of Two Cities for the reminder that you really can’t judge a book by its cover. I dreaded reading Dickens’ classic, but thanks to a required high school reading list, I quickly tore through page after page. Edgar Allan Poe is for my grandma. She has a beautiful collection of his on her bookshelf, so The Complete Tales and Poems is my mini New York City version.
Andrew Healy
Music, food and soccer are some of my favorite things in the world, and you can’t get much better than Bob Spitz’s The Beatles, Fever Pitch (please read every Nick Hornby book immediately) and Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. I was genuinely upset when I finished each one. The Things They Carried is one of the most powerful and well-written books I’ve ever read, and On the Road is an absolute American classic and this is my father’s old copy.
Casey Sheets
Toni Morrison’s Beloved I’ve read a handful of times and each time I love it more. With Exhalation, Ted Chiang shares a collection of science fiction short stories with “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” being my favorite piece. Every time I read Murakami I think, “this is the book where I’ll finally understand Murakami.” I never quite do and that is why I cannot get enough. A Wild Sheep Chase was my intro to the author and this copy happens to be a gifted first edition. Stephen Fry’s Mythos is an excellent retelling of Greek myths full of humor and suspense. Finally, David Mitchell is another ‘take me into a new world’ favorite. (He’s said Murakami is a huge influence, so no surprise for me here.) Utopia Avenue takes you through the life and times of a psychedelic British band set in the 60s, complete with scenes from their interactions with greats like Syd Barret and Jimi Hendrix. A must for any lover of rock music and captivating storytelling.
Jesse Chen
If you pick up anything this winter, I recommend I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman, and The Opposite of Loneliness, and also for good measure Trick Mirror if you’re the one person left who hasn’t read it. I’m a sucker for essays and these represent some of the funniest, well-written, thought-provoking ones I’ve read—pieces that punch you in the gut with that feeling of being seen and understood, that make you laugh and tear up and immediately send your friend a quote demanding they read the whole thing. When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities is a must for all my fellow poets, and I’m not just saying that because I share a name with the author. Finally, if you live in New York, and talk about leaving New York, or have friends who have left New York, or you left but dream about coming back, read Joan Didion’s “Goodbye to All That” and then read the Goodbye to All That essay collection, and perhaps find yourself falling in love with this city all over again.
Katie Healy
The Revenge of Analog is film and record players and print magazines… tell me everything David Sax! Saint Marks is far from dead, when you read about its decades of gritty history (Saint Marks is Dead), and thanks to Hank Green for adding aliens to some of my other beloved NYC streets in An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. Kim Gordon (Girl in a Band) is my guitar-wielding Mom Goddess, and when you combine music and time travel you end up with my #1 favorite book of all time, Mo Daviau’s Every Anxious Wave.
Lisa Boyce
First off, I love The Great Gatsby and I’m not afraid to say it! I’m a sucker for gorgeous prose and creative structure, which explains my Nabokov and Nelson picks. Fun fact: the first time I read Pale Fire, I only read the poem, which is (spoiler alert) not where any of the actual story is. I read Bluets in a coffee shop and gasped out loud at every other line. The last two are a bit more personal connections, in addition to being great books. Stephanie Danler (Sweetbitter) graduated from my MFA program and this book was a beacon of inspiration while I was working on my thesis, and Colson Whitehead (The Nickel Boys) was one of my creative writing professors in undergrad. (I try not to think about the fact that this two-time Pulitzer Prize winner has read the one time I decided to attempt sci-fi.)
Matt Kirdahy
Wonder Boys was my “I saw the movie first” moment then read the book five times. Casino Royale is the first and best James Bond story. Did you know Bond had a three-inch scar on his face? Where was that in the movies? The World According to Mister Rogers is a daily hug made up of the simplest and most essential thoughts. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry makes me feel like I’ve got the IQ to be an astronaut. The Dictionary. I open it daily, as the distressed binding lets on. If only I retained all of what’s inside. I guess then I’d be an astronaut.
Scott Sunshine
I love to travel. I love to cook. And I love to come home and relive my journeys through local dishes made in my own kitchen.
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