AARP and the Ad Council Encourage People in Their “Pretirement” Years to Take Key Steps Toward Saving
WASHINGTON ─ According to a recent AARP survey, 61% of older adults are worried they will not have enough money to support themselves in retirement, and 20% of older adults have no retirement savings at all. To help people plan for retirement and boost their financial security, today the Ad Council and AARP are launching new public service advertisements (PSAs), titled “The Pre-Game,” to raise awareness of free retirement planning resources at ThisIsPretirement.org.
AARP research shows that 47% of American private sector workers, and 52% of Black working adults, lack access to a retirement plan through their employer. Additional research shows that just 49% of Black women have retirement savings, compared to 61% of U.S. adults overall. The new PSAs provide information on how to access retirement savings tools and ultimately, to close the retirement savings gap.
The PSAs tap into the pastime of card games as a metaphor for preparing for one’s future. It features a woman in her Pretirement years -- portrayed by award-winning actress Vanessa Estelle Williams -- laying out a game as she encourages audiences to play their cards right by planning for retirement. Viewers are directed to ThisIsPretirement.org to start building their retirement plan and work their way to the win. The PSAs were developed pro bono by Kitchen Table, a full-service creative marketing agency.
“We know that planning for a secure retirement takes intention and initiative but some may not always have the resources at their disposal to take action,” said Shani Hosten, Vice President of Audience Strategy at AARP. “This is Pretirement provides steps for people to take now to build a more secure financial future and accomplish goals like paying off debt and building an emergency fund.”
"Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming -- especially if you don't know where to start," said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. "This is Pretirement helps people to set up goals and work their way to the win with retirement savings though resources, personalized insights and actionable steps everyone can take to plan for their financial future. We're so proud to partner with AARP and Kitchen Table on this powerful new work to reach important audiences."
“This work speaks to the very mission Kitchen Table was built for – so we all have a seat,” said Gabrielle Shirdan, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Kitchen Table. “The campaign represents the return on impact that’s possible when there are passionate partners like this at both ends of the table – to create a more evenly cut deck in culture so we can all win. The campaign is rooted in the fact that Black women are less likely to report having retirement savings compared to US adults overall. Even when the cards are stacked against us, it’s vital we focus on the end game for our future and the generational wealth that can leave a legacy.”
The This is Pretirement campaign is a part of AARP and the Ad Council’s ongoing partnership focusing on helping adults close their retirement savings gap. Since its July 2017 launch, this effort has received over $181 million in donated media support. The new creative work will appear in donated media nationwide in TV, radio, digital, out of home, print and social-optimized video formats.
Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.
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