What they were up against.

With millions of baby boomers headed for retirement, Transamerica wanted to increase their market share in the variable annuity category. The market was crowded with parity products, and distinguishing their offering wouldn’t be easy. Most importantly, wholesalers needed a compelling message and delivery tools that would capture the attention of financial advisors and help them motivate boomers to take a more active role in their retirement planning.

Boomers are not saving nearly enough to offset longer life expectancies and the disappearance of vehicles like traditional pensions, which are being replaced by IRAs and 401(K) programs. Statistics show that 48% of boomers are not on track to be able to afford basic expenses in retirement. We needed to find a way to change what people consider “retirement” to be.

What we did to help.

Yamamoto created a comprehensive communications strategy centered on the notion of the Retirement Boomerang. We used a familiar boomerang metaphor: “Decisions you make today will come back to help you. Or hurt you.” This positioned the financial advisor as a solution. “It’s not about luck. It’s skill.” The boomerang theme was leveraged across a variety of channels and mediums. The campaign lived through testimonial videos aimed at financial planners, print advertising and PR. We supported the campaign through the creation of sales and promotional materials, scripted presentations, client workbooks and event planning resources. We even created a full-surround launch at a national sales event, featuring the world boomerang champion.