QUICK FACTS
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Industry: Financial Services
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Offices: 46 in 26 states
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Crisis Trigger: Online “scam” accusations amplified by Google AutoComplete
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Impact: 63% decline in college recruiting, restricted campus access, valuation at risk
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Results: Recruitment rebounded +54%, negative search results neutralized, successful acquisition by Foresters Insurance
THE CHALLENGE
First Investors Corporation (FIC), a privately held, 80-year-old financial services company, relied heavily on college graduates to fuel its salesforce. The business model required a constant influx of new recruits to offset high turnover, driven by long hours, low pay, and tough competition.
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By 2009, this model collided with a new digital reality. Disgruntled former employees began posting negative reviews on Jobvent.com, Glassdoor, and other forums. They accused FIC of being a “scam” or “pyramid scheme.” Google’s AutoComplete algorithm amplified the damage by suggesting “First Investors scam” as a top search query.
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FIC’s low-profile branding approach left little positive content online to counteract these narratives. Wikipedia edits backfired when detractors sabotaged the company’s attempts at self-correction. By early 2010:
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College recruitment had fallen by 63%
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Campus placement officers restricted FIC’s access
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Branch managers were frustrated and losing confidence
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Senior executives faced an urgent need to preserve valuation ahead of a potential acquisition
THE STRATEGY
To address FIC's reputational and financial crises, Highlander Consulting designed and executed a pragmatic “ready, shoot, aim” approach. The strategic goals were clear:
1
Triage the brand crisis
by redirecting negative search traffic and countering online attacks.
2
Establish legitimacy
through authentic testimonials and third-party platforms.
3
Restore confidence
among employees, branch managers, placement officers, and regulators.
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4
Lay the groundwork
for sustainable brand equity and a successful acquisition.
EXECUTION HIGHLIGHTS
Online Reputation Triage
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Launched FirstInvestorsScam.com to redirect “scam” searches, featuring direct outreach from the company president.
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Embedded “scam” within FIC-generated content to control SEO outcomes.
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Negotiated with Glassdoor to remove two damaging reviews from Google’s first page.
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Engaged with detractors in online forums to present alternative perspectives.
Establishing Legitimacy
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Produced authentic testimonial videos from sales representatives (15,000+ views).
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Expanded the company’s presence on LinkedIn and Glassdoor to signal transparency.
Restoring Confidence
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Implemented consistent internal communications to reassure branch managers.
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Conducted in-person outreach with placement officers at key campuses.
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Compiled testimonial videos into an inspirational conference presentation for top reps.
Building Bridges
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Launched JobVeritas.com, a blog featuring real career experiences of recent graduates.
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Secured articles in campus newspapers to explain careers in financial services and build media credibility.
Root Cause Mitigation
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Initiated reforms in the recruitment process to address legitimate grievances driving online negativity.
THE RESULTS
Within six months:
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Recruitment rebounded +54%, negative search results neutralized, successful acquisition by Foresters Insurance.
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Negative “scam” references were largely removed from Google’s first page.
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Campus restrictions were lifted, restoring access to talent pipelines.
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Branch manager morale improved dramatically.
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Regulators took no action, preserving operational continuity.
In January 2011, FIC was successfully acquired by Foresters Insurance. The company preserved its valuation and emerged from the crisis with a stronger digital presence.
LESSONS LEARNED
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Algorithms amplify risk: Google AutoComplete accelerated the crisis, showing that reputational damage can be algorithm-driven.
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Silence creates vulnerability: A low-profile brand strategy left a vacuum that detractors quickly filled.
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Speed outweighs perfection: Rapid, imperfect action stabilized the situation better than delay.
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Authenticity matters: Real voices—testimonial videos from employees—proved more credible than corporate messaging.
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Fix the root causes: Sustainable recovery required addressing legitimate internal grievances, not just optics.
REPUTATION IS ALGORITHMIC
In today’s AI-driven environment, brand resilience depends on proactive visibility, speed in response, and authentic storytelling. The First Investors case demonstrates that silence online is no longer neutral—it’s a risk.
It's a brand risk that can be managed.
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Is your company prepared for algorithmic reputation risk?
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