News and Insights

Brand Strength: A Crucial Factor for the Successful Private Equity Firm

82% of PE professionals view private equity firms
having a strong brand as ‘very important’

Competition is stiff in the private equity middle market today, and the industry landscape has already vastly changed compared to two, let alone five years ago. To stand out amidst an increasingly crowded landscape, private equity professionals are identifying the need for a strong brand as an increasingly crucial factor for success in today’s PE landscape. In fact, 82% of PE professionals in SuperReturn and BackBay Communicationsjoint study view private equity firms having a strong brand as ‘very important.’

Brand strength naturally boosts brand awareness, and the ability to source deals, raise funds, and draw in LPs. These survey results support what Grady Campbell, a full-service strategic branding agency, has helped private equity firms achieve for years. As private equity branding experts, Grady Campbell understands the value of brand strength within the PE middle market, and specializes in transforming private equity brands and driving PE firm growth through a holistic approach to design, social media, and best branding practices.

67% of PE professionals see brand strength as
a key factor for deal-sourcing success

“For years, Grady Campbell has focused on leveraging the importance of brand strength to build better private equity businesses, especially in the middle market,” said Kerry Grady, Founder and Principal of Grady Campbell. “The results of this study prove that our approach to private equity branding and marketing is a winning strategy; one that can be counted on to deliver consistent growth and greatly boost deal-sourcing efficacy.”

Brand strength is especially crucial given recent moves in the private equity space to expand the asset class to new pools of investors who have historically not had access to private capital and have low awareness of the field. It’s no wonder, then, that 86% of respondents said that the need for a strong brand has increased over the past two years. Strong branding within the private equity space strengthens firms’ value propositions and heightens awareness of one’s firm to stand apart from the rest, even amidst seismic changes to the state of the middle market.

Brand strength is crucial when fundraising,
according to 59% of PE firms

67% of the survey’s respondents saw brand strength as a key factor needed for generating awareness among CEOs and management teams for deal sourcing purposes. 59% also saw brand strength as crucial in raising awareness among LPs and placement agents for fundraising, and 56% rely on brand strength to attract intermediaries, such as investment banks, for deal sourcing.

Despite the clear signs that brand strength is a make-or-break factor in private equity today, the report shows that nearly half (47%) of the private equity firms surveyed described their brand awareness as ‘fairly weak’ or ‘not very strong.’ The majority (67%) are planning to increase their investments in marketing and communications with e-mail communications, thought leadership content, conference speaking, case studies, social media and media relations all set to be primary areas of focus.

47% of PE firms have ‘fairly weak’ brand awareness.
Grady Campbell can ensure your firm isn’t one of them.

Concerned about your firm’s brand strength? We’re here to help. With decades of experience in elevating private equity brands, Grady Campbell can help your firm gain the competitive edge in the private equity space today. Learn more at gradycampbell.com.

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