NEW YORK, NY—Two in five households headed by Americans age 55-64 have no assets saved for retirement, according to the National institute on Retirement Security.* To help address this savings shortfall, AARP and the Ad Council are launching a Saving for Retirement campaign to empower people to take control of their financial futures. The integrated PSA campaign, created pro bono by FCB New York, will remind consumers they have already demonstrated the financial savvy it takes to tackle this challenge, and a new interactive online resource at AceYourRetirement.org will provide personalized tips to inspire them to take action.

“Retirement planning can sometimes leave people anxious, confused or even paralyzed,” said Debra Whitman, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer, AARP. “This campaign will break down retirement savings into easy, actionable steps for all Americans.”

A recent survey conducted by AARP revealed that Americans are getting the most out of every dollar in many areas in their life, with 92 percent engaging in money-saving hacks, such as comparison shopping, couponing, and signing up for customer reward programs. However, fewer Americans have taken this penchant for saving and applied it to their retirement. For example, only a quarter have completed easy retirement savings strategies such as increasing their annual contributions to their retirement savings by even one percent or rolling over any old employer-sponsored retirement plans. And nearly three out of 10 Americans are essentially leaving free money on the table by not contributing enough to their employer-sponsored retirement plan to maximize company match.**

The creative strategy for the PSAs was informed by the insight that Americans are resourceful when it comes to getting the most out of every dollar in their day-to-day life, but often fail to demonstrate that same confidence when it came to getting the most out of their retirement savings.

"For people who find their retirement savings so complicated that they can’t see how to have additional impact, this campaign will serve as a ‘cheerleader,’” said Gary Resch, Executive Creative Director, FCB. "The creative asserts that they've already cleared far trickier financial hurdles in their life, and that they're more than equipped to handle this one."

Taking an encouraging and empowering tone, the PSAs celebrate financial milestones and successes these savvy consumers have already aced—from home ownership and vacation planning, to financing a child’s education—and urge them to apply that same financial know-how and gusto to get on track with their retirement savings with tips from AceYourRetirement.org.

To inspire people to take action, AceYourRetirement.org breaks down the retirement savings process into easy, actionable steps. After answering a few questions about their savings and goals, each user will receive a personalized Action Plan that highlights three practical next steps. The recommendations cover a wide range of topics, such as how to get the most out of a workplace retirement plan, how to turn a hobby into a source of income during retirement, or how to have a conversation with family members about getting on the same financial page.

“Though saving for retirement can seem intimidating, this campaign can help people recognize just how financially savvy they can be,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “We are thrilled to partner with AARP and FCB New York to help people better their financial futures.”

The new creative will run in donated time and space, per the Ad Council’s model. They are available in TV, radio, print, outdoor and digital formats nationwide.  

To receive your personalized retirement savings action plan, visit AceYourRetirement.org.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

About The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a nonprofit organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver crucial messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit AdCouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.

About FCB
FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global, fully integrated marketing communications company with a heritage of creativity and success dating from 1873. Based on a deeply developed understanding of diversified local markets and global cultures, FCB focuses on significantly changing consumer behavior to the benefit of its clients, its people and society. With more than 8,000 people in 109 operations in 80 countries, the company is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). Learn more at www.FCB.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@FCBglobal) and Facebook (FCB Global).

DATA SOURCES:
*NIRS analysis of 2013 Survey of Consumer Finance; http://www.nirsonline.org/storage/nirs/documents/RSC%202015/final_rsc_2015.pdf

**AARP/Ad Council survey, 2017. The study was conducted online in GfK’s Omnibus using the web-enabled “KnowledgePanel,” a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the US general population, not just the online population. The study consisted of 1,507 nationally representative interviews conducted between June 2-4. 2017 among adults aged 40-59, with a household income of $40k-$99k who are currently employed/not retired. The margin of error is +/-2.5 percentage points.