A penny for your thoughts? - Desjardins Insurance's Augmented Reality-based videos put fun back into Retirement Planning

MONTREAL, Oct. 29, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Who says retirement planning can't be fun? That's the challenge that prompted Desjardins Insurance's  Group Retirement Savings division (GRS) to create the newest addition to its award-winning financial education program, your way, plain and simple.

For the last several years, GRS has been developing educational tools presented in different media to engage their plan participants. Their experience has shown that participants are more engaged if they're given several choices for how they want to learn about their plan. The latest iteration is a series of Augmented Reality-based videos starring Penny, a wise little six-year old who helps the viewer become more financially literate. 

"Financial education has always been part of our DNA. We know that everyone learns differently and that's why we offer participants more choices for how they want to learn about the value of planning for retirement," said Éric Filion, vice-president of Development, Marketing and Investment Strategies, Group Retirement Savings, Desjardins Insurance. "The more comfortable they are with accessing educational information that resonates with them, the more engaged they become. Yes, it's a gimmick, but it's fun. We wanted to add a new twist to retirement planning education. Augmented Reality is a really flexible tool and we saw the potential."   

What is Augmented Reality (AR)?

AR uses a pre-programmed target image to launch different messages. Once the AR application is activated and pointed at the target image, it takes the user to a dynamic message with graphics, sounds, games, animation, etc. Another cool thing about AR is that it's flexible. Target images can be printed on almost anything — a T-shirt, marketing give-away items, postcards, printed pages in newspapers, magazines, posters, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Try it yourself:

1. Simply download an app called your way Desjardins to your iPhone, iPad or Android. 
2. Next, print out a Penny Dollar, launch the app and then hold your device over the image and watch Penny come to life.
   Penny will ask you what you'd like to learn. Several "Pennies", like the coin — each featuring a financial and retirement planning topic — will appear over her head. Touch one that interests you to launch the video.

Click here to learn more about the your way, plain and simple program.

About Desjardins Insurance

Desjardins Insurance has been offering a wide range of life and health insurance and retirement savings products to individuals, groups and businesses for more than a century. As one of Canada's five largest life insurers, they oversee the financial security of over five million Canadians from offices across the country. Desjardins Insurance is part of Desjardins Group, the country's leading cooperative financial group. Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company.

SOURCE: Desjardins Financial Security

(for journalists only): Sarah Twomey, Public Relations Advisor, Desjardins Group, 416-926-2700 or 1-877-906-5551, ext. 5592015, [email protected], [email protected]