IBM - "IBM On Brand"

Created with agency VSA and production company Thinking Machine, its new campaign, “Not Just the Facts,” is a smart departure from category norms.

FactSet, a global financial digital platform and enterprise solutions provider, has unveiled a new campaign that demonstrates how, when it comes to the facts, context is everything. 

Titled “Not Just The Facts,” the campaign shows what happens when members of the investment community are pelted with increasingly absurd and irrelevant facts. The ending reminds viewers that getting just facts—without context or personalization—is useless.

“The premise is comedic, but the point it makes is 100% true: The investment community is overwhelmed with information,” said FactSet CMO Jenifer Brooks. “FactSet provides our clients with industry-leading breadth and depth of data through an intelligent platform that ensures they’re getting not just the facts, but also the context they need to make the most of these facts.”

For more than 40 years, FactSet has been creating flexible, open data and technology solutions that help investors make crucial decisions; today, FactSet serves over 206,000 investment professionals worldwide. Building on this momentum, FactSet was ready to come out with a strong, differentiating point of view to build awareness of its offerings.

“The best way to stand out is to do something really memorable and different, and FactSet really embraced that with this campaign,” said Kim Mickenberg, Associate Partner and Executive Creative Director at VSA. “There’s a misconception that B2B advertising has to be less interesting and emotional than consumer-facing ads, but the truth is that B2B buyers are people, too—and people love to laugh.”

The spots were directed by Thinking Machine’s Docter Twins, who worked closely with the broader team to ensure an excellent shoot. 

“You know it’s a special project when the entire crew is enjoying each take just as much as the agency and client,” said Matthew Docter.

“We got involved early on because Kim’s scripts were so good, and we couldn't have asked for a more creative collaboration,” Jason Docter added. “The teamwork on set kept us nimble and enabled us to capture a lot in a single shoot day.”

“From the start, we were inspired by FactSet’s story, the clarity of their point of view, and their willingness to do something really different in the space,” said Mickenberg. “We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with FactSet and our collaboration with Thinking Machine, and we couldn’t be more excited about the work.”

The campaign is rolling out across digital, streaming, and CTV this week.