Case Study: Securities Commission of The Bahamas

Challenge: Educating the Public on Investment Fraud and Scams

The Securities Commission of The Bahamas (the Commission), which regulates the nation’s securities and capital markets, faced a growing threat from investment fraud and scams. In 2023 alone, scammers stole over $1 trillion from two billion victims worldwide, with digital schemes becoming increasingly sophisticated. Recognizing the urgency to protect and empower the public, the Commission sought to raise awareness and encourage greater vigilance against financial scams.

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Our Solution: A Public Awareness and Empowerment Campaign

We partnered with the Commission to design a campaign aimed at equipping the public with the knowledge to identify and prevent fraudulent schemes. When developing the campaign messaging, we focused on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging reporting of suspicious activity. The campaign’s primary goals were to educate people about fraud and scams, empower communities to report them, and strengthen public trust in the Commission’s role as a regulator.

ONWRD's Approach

Strategy‍

ONWRD developed a human-centric, comprehensive marketing and communications strategy for an integrated media campaign on investment fraud and scams. The strategy defined clear objectives, outlined implementation elements, established a media plan, developed a campaign name and tagline, and created the campaign’s narrative and messaging. Additionally, the strategy included direct marketing initiatives and designing the media plan. A strategy for social media and Google advertising was also developed, implemented, and managed and implemented to maximize the campaign’s reach. The result was a campaign that was approachable, easy to understand, educational, empathetic, empowering, and respectful of the cultural stigmas surrounding victims of financial schemes.

Tactics:

For the Investment Fraud and Scams Campaign, ONWRD employed a multi-channel approach across mass media, social media, direct marketing, and digital advertising.

Mass Media & Social Media:

• Print, television, radio, and out-of-home advertising were supported by weekly social media posts and polls to maintain audience engagement.

Direct Marketing

• Media interviews and speaking engagements were recommended with civic organizations and student groups, and Commission employees were encouraged to share campaign assets within their networks.

Digital Advertising 

• A comprehensive digital advertising plan was implemented across Google Ads and social media platforms. This phase included A/B testing to optimize performance and monthly reporting to track engagement, reach, and overall campaign effectiveness.

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Key Deliverables

ONWRD provided a range of marketing communications services to the Securities Commission of The Bahamas, including:

Marketing and Communications Strategy Document: 

• A comprehensive plan outlining the objectives, approach, media strategy, campaign narrative, and messaging.Project Management: 
• Coordinating with an external agency selected by the client and ensuring proper execution of the strategy.

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Results

The eight-week campaign exceeded expectations, driving nearly half of all website traffic to the Securities Commission’s informational page on fraud and scams. Social media and Google Display ads reached over 3.7 million people, resulting in more than 36,000 website visits from 22,000 users.

The campaign strengthened public awareness of investment fraud, helped connect new audiences with trusted resources, and positioned the Commission as a proactive voice in protecting Bahamian investors.

Client Feedback

The Securities Commission of the Bahamas praised ONWRD for:

• Delivering a professional, efficient, and frictionless experience 
• Maintaining a strong focus on success
• Working closely with them as a thought partner

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