SuperRatings’ first conference, A Day of Confrontation, turned out to be just that for a few of the industry’s more sensitive eyes and ears. One of the more entertaining sessions of the day, ‘The XY Factor’ presented by Amanda Stevens, highlighted to the audience the neurological differences between men and women and how funds can embrace those to market more effectively to different members.

While no surprise to most, it was interesting to hear that women process information more emotively (and in doing so use on average 10,000 to 12,000 more words each day than men), and so respond to marketing that tells a story. One of the best ways to get your brand noticed, Stevens said, is to get it into the “Friday night dinner party conversation”. Funds should wake up to this. After all, women make up 80 per cent of all consumer expenditure, with women aged between 25 and 40 the fastest growing wealth accumulators.