ING Promotes Prudent Planning in Next Phase of Retirement Number Marketing Campaign

WINDSOR, Conn., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As last year's market events made clear, having a sound financial strategy in place is an important part of retirement planning.  With that in mind, ING is rolling out the next phase of its award-winning marketing campaign focused on your retirement number.  

The campaign, which first launched in 2008, underscores the importance of identifying the amount of money an individual needs to save in order to retire the way he or she wants.  Television commercials showcase people carrying large, bright orange retirement numbers throughout their daily lives.  An interactive microsite, www.INGyournumber.com, enables consumers to easily calculate their number.  In 2009, the advertising evolved to reflect the economic landscape and emphasize the importance of protecting that number.

This year, the campaign takes its next step by addressing the need for an individual to exercise more financial control through proactive planning.  A new commercial communicates the benefit of using your retirement number as the basis for establishing a plan to help achieve future goals.  

"Knowing your retirement number continues to be a clear, effective way for ING to connect with consumers," said Ann Glover, Chief Marketing Officer for ING Americas.  "While many people today want to take control of their personal finances, they may not know what to do or where to turn for help.  This year's campaign communicates the benefit of having a plan and using your retirement number to help better prepare for your financial future."  

ING's latest television spot features two neighbors who stop for a friendly chat.  One man is walking his dog down the sidewalk while carrying a bright orange retirement number -- the symbol of someone who has prudently thought about what they need to retire and has a plan to get there.

The second man -- who is up on a step ladder trimming his hedges -- has the word, Gazillion, perched next to him in sparkling purple letters.  When asked how to plan for a Gazillion, he admits to blindly throwing money at it and hoping for the best.  Ultimately, both men recognize the flaw in this approach.  The message to viewers is delivered in a humorous, but effective manner -- guessing about your retirement needs is not a practical way to reach those goals.  The narrator then explains how ING can help you find your retirement number and take steps to achieve financial freedom.

To view the commercial, visit www.ing-usa.com/us/sneakpeek2010.

Consistent with the other television spots in the ING retirement number campaign, the new commercial showcases the iconic ING Bench and encourages people to connect to the www.INGyournumber.com microsite. The site provides visitors with a guided, user-friendly experience to calculate their retirement number.  It also facilitates a connection with a financial professional, if consumers are interested, and contains resources and links to companion financial web tools.  These include www.INGCompareMe.com, a site that enables consumers to compare their personal finance behaviors and retirement savings progress to others just like them.  Another is www.INGForLife.com, a site that walks individuals through the different types of insurance and helps them gauge their needs.

Updates to www.INGyournumber.com in 2010 will feature custom news feeds with information that relates to the key themes of the campaign -- saving, protecting and planning for retirement.  This will continue to position the site as a valuable consumer destination for ongoing access to relevant retirement planning content.

"INGyournumber.com is just one tool in a suite of products, services and solutions we offer that can help make it easier for people to start thinking about building, protecting and planning their financial futures," noted Glover.  

The new television commercial will debut on February 12 during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and will run in conjunction with other spots in the ING campaign that address the importance of knowing and protecting your retirement number.  In addition to the two weeks of Olympics coverage, the ads will run on two financial networks -- CNBC and MSNBC -- and play during high-profile sporting events throughout 2010, including professional golf, professional tennis and college basketball tournaments.

The 2010 campaign will also incorporate new online banner ads on popular finance websites, including the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch, and FiLife.

About ING

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 85 million private, corporate and institutional clients in over 40 countries. With a diverse workforce of more than 110,000 people, ING is dedicated to setting the standard in helping our clients manage their financial future.

In the U.S., the ING (NYSE: ING) family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits and financial planning. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves approximately 30 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com/US.

SOURCE ING Americas