NOW: Pensions were looking for retained support across their public affairs and communications agenda. This included campaign support across the launch of a hard-hitting report on the “under-pensioned”, designed to facilitate amendments to policy.

Strategy & Execution

H/Advisors Cicero form a seamless extension to the NOW: Pensions communications and public affairs team. Contact is frequent and the reporting line is straightforward and near instantaneous, with single sign-off provided by the policy lead on each space. NOW: Pensions and Cicero maintain both regular email and phone contact for day-to-day activity and communication through WhatsApp to react to immediate crises, urgent events or time-sensitive actions. When several NOW: Pensions communications staff left the business, account executives from Cicero swiftly stepped in on a secondment basis to help fulfil needs.

With a deep understanding of every ongoing workstream., H/Advisors Cicero were able to apply our significant experience of pensions policy and related media knowledge to plan and execute the launch of the ‘underpensioned’ report.

NOW: Pensions have demonstrated how to engage media and policymakers effectively under the remit of a single campaign. Whilst it is not everyday people consider their pensions, the topic has a considerable impact on the welfare of millions of people, and is best addressed at the legislative and regulatory level. That does not mean that you cannot make the topic engaging. Our approach has always centred around making pension jargon digestible and accessible, which in turn, makes it more palatable to news readers

Adam Taylor, Managing Director, Corporate Communications

Results

NOW: Pensions has significantly increased its profile as a business. The “underpensioned” report was a stunning success. Now: Pensions exceeded all objectives set by the campaign, with 183 pieces of coverage (a 186% over-delivery), 11 of which were national (83% over-delivery), 36 pieces of trade coverage (500% over-delivery), 127 pieces of online coverage (154% over-delivery) and nine broadcast interviews (a 350% over delivery).

The campaign as a whole generated 4.7 million social media impressions across owned and partnership content, an 840% increase on KPIs.

NOW: Pensions then went on to present two policies to HM Revenue and the minister for pensions. If introduced, these policies would generate an additional £1.2bn in annual pension contributions and see an extra 2.5 million people access a workplace pension.

The term “underpensioned”, promoted by H/Advisors Cicero to policymakers and the media, has entered industry parlance and prompted the launch of multiple Government consultations on policy change.

If you wish to discuss any of the issues mentioned in this article, please contact Adam in H/Advisors Cicero’s UK Corporate Communications team on adam.taylor@h-advisors.global