The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is aiming to raise awareness of the risk associated with investment hype, by taking an innovative approach to cinema advertising. It has commissioned a unique advert linked to ‘Dumb Money’, a new film profiling the GameStop episode.

The FCA’s advert has been created to help consumers understand the impact that hype can have on investment decisions and encourages them to carry out careful research if tempted by an opportunity they find online. The advert is part of the FCA’s ongoing InvestSmart campaign.

Running during the premium ‘Gold Spot’ the advert leverages sensory deprivation in the cinema for optimum impact – lights down, a blank screen and an engaging voiceover. The voiceover starts to talk about a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make some serious money’. It is then revealed that the anonymous tipster is in fact typing in an online forum, before the advert ends with the FCA’s call to action: ‘Don’t Get Played’.

The FCA is supporting the main advert with digital screens in cinema foyers, and geo-targeted display ads – tailored to people who have visited cinemas, alongside ads in contextual locations online, where the target audience research investments. This makes the connection with audiences both before and after the film and reminds them what they should do before they invest.

The InvestSmart campaign encourages consumers to make better-informed investing decisions that suit their financial circumstances and attitude to risk.

‘Dumb Money’ is based on the true story of the GameStop share price episode. In early 2021, US video game retailer GameStop found itself at the centre of a speculative frenzy between major professional investors and small-scale individual investors. Hyped by tips on web-based message boards, individual investors bought large volumes of shares in a perceived ‘David v Goliath’ battle with professionals who expected the share price to fall.

With massive volumes of shares changing hands daily driven by rumours, the share price fluctuated wildly for months, leaving some investors, large and small, severely out of pocket. UK-based investors opened over 1 million new trading app accounts during the first few months of 2021, half of these in January alone.