The annual launch of the John Lewis Christmas advert is deeply embedded in our family’s Christmas countdown calendar. It’s now a fully-fledged tradition, as much a part of Christmas as carol services, baking mince pies with the girls and making hazelnut brittle. This year’s ad was a classic, one of the best in recent years in my opinion (although my girls didn’t think so). It had everything: a heart-warming festive tale, a maybe-or-maybe-not imaginary friend, and a song written by national treasures of the past (The Beatles) sung by one from the present (Elbow’s Guy Garvey).
The advert tells the story of a little boy who is at first scared by the monster under his bed but who ends up making friends with him. It works so well because the monster under the bed is something we all remember from our childhood. It’s a phase we like to think we grow out of as we get older. While the monster might not be under the bed anymore, for some of us it can still be present in our lives, just in a different shape. We all harbour fears and apprehensions – those that it’s easier to pull the duvet over our heads and ignore. But as our young protagonist in the John Lewis advert found out with his new friend Moz the Monster, it can be far more rewarding to face up to your fears and confront them head on.
The gift that keeps on giving
Taking stock of where you are in life and taking control of your financial and legal affairs can be a bit like this. We all know we should do it, we know there will be benefits to addressing the issue, but there always seems to be a reason to put it off. The longer issues stay unacknowledged, the bigger the monster gets and the less likely it is that we are going to want to face up to it.
If you do one thing for yourself this Christmas, reflecting on what is important to you and your family and then taking control of your financial and legal affairs will be one gift that genuinely keeps on giving.
Joining together
A few days after seeing the John Lewis ad, I found myself walking down Oxford Street in London, past their flagship store (many of the Progeny team know that I love shopping!). There was a huge Moz the Monster display in the window and tourists and Londoners alike were queueing up to pose for photos. Meanwhile, the ad also dominated social media on the day it was released, and for many days after. It’s not just a TV ad, it’s a sophisticated, well-coordinated, multi-faceted campaign that brings everything together to make the most powerful impact.
At Progeny Group, we’re big subscribers to this joined-up approach. Our goal is to provide the unique combination of goal-based advice, financial planning and legal services to ensure your wealth helps you live well today and is protected for generations to come.
You may be an individual seeking to preserve and grow your personal and family wealth; or may need a particular investment solution to meet your individual ambitions. You might need some private legal advice for succession or estate planning or setting up a trust; or you may be the owner-manager of a business who needs joined-up advice on all your corporate legal affairs. Whether your Christmas wish list contains just one or any combination of the above, we can help as well as Moz the Monster.
Focusing on people
John Lewis launched this new style of Christmas advertising a decade or so ago and it was revolutionary. No one was doing this, but it became so popular and powerful that almost every other similar retail brand advertising on our screens has now adopted a similar approach. They saw the way forward and did something that no one else was doing at the time.
We are doing the same with our unique approach. Our ambition is to create the first multiservice professional business, where we provide the perfect individually-tailored, professional package designed specifically to meet each client’s goals. We are uniquely placed to address the complex needs of private clients, corporates and family offices. We believe this is the way forward.
The ads often tell a story about a character with real-life human needs and acknowledge that we’re all different in what makes us tick and what we want from life. We adopt the same approach with our clients. It’s important to us that we really get to know them and understand their personal, family and business goals and aspirations. Through these strong personal relationships, we offer the thoughtful guidance to help them grow their wealth and protect their assets in the years ahead, or to put in place their plans for handing over to future generations of their family. We put people, our clients, at the heart of everything and make their goals the driving force, supported by quality service and the bespoke structuring we provide.
Giving and receiving
Ensuring your affairs are in order will give you tremendous peace of mind. This is the Progeny Christmas present. Come and talk to us. Unwrap the present and see how we can help in the New Year and ensure that by next Christmas and throughout your life you attain peace of mind for you and the generations to come.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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Please remember that the value of investments and income from them may go down as well as up and you may not get back the amount originally invested.
This article does not constitute financial advice. Individuals must not rely on this information to make a financial or investment decision. Before making any decision, we recommend you consult your financial planner to take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation and individual needs.
