“Investing in the market always comes with headwinds and tailwinds—for 2024, our strategists predict a rocky start to the year but a return to the upward trend we’re seeing today as the year closes out,” said Andrea Zaretsky, CMO of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. “The reality is that it’s extremely difficult to time the market.”
Baby talk
The E*Trade baby debuted 16 years ago but hasn’t appeared at every Super Bowl during that span. He disappeared after the 2014 Super Bowl and didn’t return until emerging from the woods in 2022.
Since his comeback, he’s remained among the top half of all Big Game ads. His appearance ranked 10th among 66 ads in the 2022 USA Today Ad Meter. Last year, his ad ranked 21st out of 51.
“It’s never a walk in the park … but yes, we are grateful to have such an iconic spokesperson as the beloved E*Trade baby and his friends,” Zaretsky said. “The baby has played a key role in helping us connect with consumers, investors and traders over the years, and we are thrilled to welcome him back yet again this year.”
This year, E*Trade is hoping he will drive football fans to the brand’s Money Monday event Feb. 12. Offering potential investors up to $1,000 when opening an account, E*Trade has planned a day of financial education featuring a panel discussion with Morgan Stanley chief global economist Seth Carpenter—a veteran of the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve—and personal finance author and podcaster Nicole Lapin.
“To me, [the Super Bowl ad] was just a metaphor of just about competition and winning … and you’ve got to get in the game to win, as opposed to sitting on the sideline,” Murphy said. “This is about E*Trade being your partner in the win, which means planning out for your financial future with all of the tools and features that they give you.”
Trading up
Murphy noted that E*Trade’s baby has typically been reserved for big cultural moments like the Super Bowl. The rest of the company’s marketing calendar, however, has been dedicated to the function of the platform and making the case for E*Trade over competitors.
