Investors seeking to learn more about guaranteeing their retirement income now have a new online resource that helps demystify today's generation of variable annuities and for-fee optional living benefits, Prudential Annuities announced today.
The new website features an educational video, simple navigation, and consumer-friendly language about the company's Highest Daily Lifetime(sm) 6 Plus optional living benefit.
As part of an aggressive digital advertising strategy to simplify variable annuities and accompanying optional benefits, the website and video are designed to encourage consumers to contact their financial professionals. Prudential Financial's (NYSE:PRU) domestic annuity business' new site targets motivated investors in or nearing the critical years before and after retirement - the period Prudential calls The Retirement Red Zone - who are focused on finding ways to protect their retirement income.
Responding to investor needs
"Our research confirms that many investors are unaware of the kinds of guarantees variable annuities with optional living benefits offer today, and investors are telling us they are clearly interested in learning more from their FP, especially in this unsettled market environment," said June Amori, vice president, Prudential Annuities Marketing.
An eight-minute video delivers information to online visitors in bite-sized chunks, which allow all investors, regardless of their investing experience, to understand how the guarantee works, before they explore the details with their financial professionals.
"Financial professionals are using the video and site to help educate clients and prospects," Amori continued. "We're seeing a consistent trend that shows the video is an effective tool for motivated consumers looking to protect their retirement income."
Preliminary results confirm that investors are responding well to the site's content. Following a soft launch in June, the site has seen more than 22,394 unique visitors to date.
"In today's social media environment, investors and financial professionals expect an interactive and engaging online experience, but they also need their web-based resources to explain topics in simple, easily understood language," said Jennifer Grazel, vice president, Prudential Digital Advertising. "The site uses product-specific messaging and integrated media to create a program that is unique and cutting-edge in the annuities industry.
"We're pleased with the traffic that we've generated so far, and expect to build on our numbers substantially with the launch of our multimedia campaign later in the year," Grazel added.
Marrying marketing and advertising, the company sends consumers to the website through a major digital advertising campaign. Prudential Annuities has also made the video available to financial professionals on CD for use as a tool with their clients.