Preparing for Generation D

They are 75 million strong.  They hold nearly $27 trillion in assets.  When it comes to investing, they are active, with higher levels of income.  And they’re usually well-educated.  Accenture calls them “Generation D,” because what sets this group apart is their “deeply digital lifestyle.”

Theirs is a demographic based on behavior, not by age.  Accenture stumbled upon Generation D last summer while conducting a survey of current and future investors.  The group is a hybrid, made up of “Skeptical Millennials,” “Jaded Gen-Xers,” and “Trusting Boomers.”  The common thread is that “Gen D members typically use multiple devices in a given week to manage financial accounts, look up investment information, and pay bills.”  They use social media, and they do their own investment due diligence on the Internet.  Accenture says Generation D is a “vitally important group of investors.”

That’s the good news.  The bad news is the conclusion of another Accenture survey conducted at the same time – financial advisers aren’t reaching these investors.  They need to remedy this neglect by using online educational tools and resources to connect with Gen D, and integrate social media into their overall communications strategy.

But how important really is social media to building a financial advisory practice?  Just ask Chris Hughes, one of the co-founders of Facebook.  Hughes was the one who designed Barack Obama’s digital strategy for his first election campaign.  Obama’s use of social networking, podcasting, and mobile messaging helped win him the White House.

One of the worst casualties of the financial crisis was the erosion of trust between investors and their financial advisors.  Engaging Generation D on digital platforms is a golden opportunity for advisors to repair the rift, and reap the rewards.

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Fifty Shades of Ag Investing

Agriculture as an asset class has gained major traction with investors of shapes and sizes in the last few years. Institutional investors’ allocations to agriculture are expected to grow from 1% of portfolios to 5% in the next five years according to industry estimates. That increase in investment is sorely needed. According to UN estimates, by 2030, the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water. In short, the population of the planet is growing faster than its food and water supply. To learn more about the coming shortage click here.

(Photo: thegreenpages)

The metrics alone are cause for urgency, and our research shows that investors are paying attention. But with so many entry points into agriculture investing, investors are still forming their strategies.

Many institutional investor players have entered the game with farmland investments, although some are turned off by lofty valuations in the U.S. or lagging yields abroad. Others are pondering agribusiness private equity plays, both domestic and in emerging markets poised for growth.

The research is clear – there is an abundance of investment opportunities in ag across the food chain, from inputs to row crops; farms or packaged goods; grain elevators or disruptive technologies. In a relatively untested industry, investors are hungry for tried-and-true agriculture investing strategies.

Our AgReturn series, which released its agenda this week, gives investors the inside scoop on the myriad opportunities in agriculture, including commodities, farmland, biotech, crop protection and many others. This is a comprehensive view of an overwhelming space that highlights true success stories in an industry some have worried is the new cleantech.

This year’s AgReturn speakers have accomplished a lot in ag recently. They’ve debuted the hottest non-Facebook IPO of the year; sold portfolio companies to major corporate agribusinesses; or set the stage for governmental agriculture policy.

It’s a feast for investors who are hungry for opportunity. Click here to see a bit more about the November program.

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