Barclays Global Investors Canada Ltd. is launching a multi-faceted awareness campaign to show investment advisors that there is a new, smarter approach to fixed income investing, the company said Wendnesday.

The campaign includes TV, online and print advertising as well as a new microsite (http://www.ishares.ca/Fixed_Income) to help advisors understand that there are better approaches to fixed income investment products.

“Investors are looking for stability in their portfolios and a fixed return, but traditional fixed income products are difficult to access, and don’t offer enough versatility,” said Heather Pelant, Head of iShares, BGI Canada. “We want advisors and their clients to understand that there are alternatives to traditional investment tools such as bonds, bond ladders and bond funds.”

According to BGI Canada, iShares Fixed Income exchange traded funds provide immediate access, liquidity, easy diversification and transparency. They are also cost-effective, with MERs ranging from 0.25% to 0.40%.

“When considering the addition of fixed income products to their portfolios, investors and their advisors should ask themselves three key questions: Is the product easily accessible? Am I getting fair value? And is it truly diversified across industries and maturities to help reduce volatility?” added Pelant. “By launching this campaign we’re hoping to help advisors better understand their clients’ fixed income options.”

The iShares microsite provides detailed information as well as educational tools such as webinars on fixed income investing and white papers on managing risk, the importance of understanding fixed income indexes and the differences between traditional methods and ETFs.

The campaign is expected to run through May 2009.

IE