The Nexus of Innovation and Validation

Massing PR's Publicity-driven Branding model successfully supported Volante Technologies during its startup phase, when few people were aware of it.

By focusing on strategic positioning, highlighting its technology vision and leveraging key client wins as powerful third-party validation, the campaign helped this emerging fintech company establish a credible market presence and lay the groundwork for its long-term growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Startup fintech Volante Technologies faced visibility headwinds in a competitive sector dominated by large, established competitors.

• Massing PR formulated a purpose-oriented campaign focused on enabling efficiency and modernization to showcase Volante’s strengths and position it as a strategic partner.

• The media campaign highlighted major client wins and demonstrated the value that Volante delivered to its clients.

• This early campaign provided a solid foundation for Volante’s later growth.

Founded in 2001, Volante Technologies needed to break into the highly competitive and risk-averse financial services industry. The company specializes in data management and complex messaging solutions, a field dominated by large, established players. 

Massing PR was engaged to build a brand identity and a market position that would showcase Volante's unique value proposition:

a "platform agnostic" approach that could seamlessly integrate with and leverage existing infrastructure. 

The objective was to prove that a new company, with agile technology, could offer significant value to large, mid-tier, and buy-side institutions without requiring a costly and disruptive overhaul.

Massing PR’s strategy was to elevate Volante from a technology provider to a strategic partner. The campaign was built on the core principle that a company's purpose—in this case, enabling financial institutions to achieve greater efficiency and modernization—is best validated through authentic, external recognition. This included:

• Spotlighting Marquee Client Wins: Instead of just promoting the company’s product, the campaign focused on the business outcomes for clients. Deals with The Vanguard Group and ICI/ADP were treated as a form of powerful, third-party validation. Media materials emphasized client quotes that highlighted specific benefits like reduced costs, shortened project development times, and improved efficiency.

• Highlighting an Innovative Approach: The messaging positioned Volante as a nimble and innovative company that worked with, rather than

against, a client's legacy systems. The coverage of Volante hiring Doug Payne from State Street was used to reinforce the company's commitment to the buy-side market and its ability to attract top-tier talent.

• Generating In-Depth Coverage: The campaign aimed for in-depth articles, not just newswire pickups. It secured placements in highly-respected trade publications including Securities Industry News, Wall Street & Technology, and Finextra, which provided a credible platform for Volante’s message to reach decision-makers. 

A quote from a Massing PR representative even appeared in an article in Ignites: Mutual Fund Technology, helping to explain Volante's role in linking disparate systems and reducing operational dilemmas for funds.

The Massing PR campaign was a resounding success, providing the crucial early-stage publicity needed to establish Volante's credibility and set the stage for its long-term success. Achievements to note:

• Marquee Client Adoption: The company secured and publicized major client wins, including The Vanguard Group, which selected Volante for data management after an "exhaustive and comprehensive evaluation.” This was a powerful endorsement that generated widespread coverage.

• Demonstrable Value: The media coverage repeatedly reinforced Volante's model-driven approach which provided tangible business benefits, such as a faster "time to market," reduced development costs, and enhanced STP solutions for clients including ICI/ADP.

• A Solid Foundation for the Future: The successful media campaign during this period laid a foundation that supported Volante’s continued growth, including its recent success in payments modernization and a $66 million strategic investment round. 

The campaign demonstrated how a strategic communications partner can be instrumental in turning an innovative idea into a credible, market-leading brand.

• Strategic Positioning: Massing PR positioned Volante as a visionary solutions partner, an agile alternative that enables financial firms to leverage their existing infrastructure rather than replace it.