I am one of the four customer faces on the latest PensionBee marketing campaign. It is such an honour and a privilege to have been chosen to be their spokesperson, campaign model and ambassador. I want to share the story of how it all happened.
2016 was the year when Mrs Mummypenny started to get noticed and I became a bold voice in the personal finance world. PensionBee were also new the money scene, founded in 2014, and launched to the public in 2016 with big ambitions to grow quickly. They spotted me on Twitter and we connected.
My Personal Story – My Pensions Mess
PensionBee gave me a wonderful helping hand with my pensions mess. I had no idea how much money I had, if it was anywhere near enough for retirement, what fees I was paying and where my money was invested. I had a lot to learn!
PensionBee consolidated my various pension pots from different employers and I was finally comfortable with how much I had. Where my money was invested, my fees and I could add to it as and when I could afford to.
This was where our partnership began. I have written many articles for PensionBee, some on my website and other pieces on the PensionBee blog. I am most proud of articles highlighting women pension issues, The gender pension gap being a huge issue.
There has been appearances in lots of video work and a previous bill board campaign in 2017. Again brilliantly ran by Builders Arms, the same agency at the most recent campaign.
Fast forward to now
And a meeting just before Christmas 2019 where Jasper, Chief Marketing Officer and I sat eating mince pies and drinking coffee. Jasper was showing me the new re-branded logo designs for PensionBee and we talked about the work we could do together during 2020.
What I love the most about this partnership is the collaboration. I feel part of the team, and when you are self-employed this is an invaluable feeling. I love the brand and all that it stands for ethically and customer wise. Most of all I am proud to have my money for my financial future in a PensionBee pension. We talk ideas for content and it feels like a joint decision about what goes live. I often come up with ideas, send them over and we go for it. The spending diary posts and videos from 2020 Lockdown are a perfect example of this. A collaboration with Faith Archer, founder of Much More With Less and PensionBee.
The 2020 PensionBee marketing campaign
Jasper mentioned a huge billboard, digital and TV campaign that I ‘might be perfect for’. A few weeks later it was all confirmed and I was booked in to be one of the customers featured in the campaign.
Between Jan and March Jasper and team shared story boards and ideas and I could see the ideas starting to form. It was exciting.
The photoshoot locations were chosen and I was booked in for a day in Manchester on 19th March, lockdown was announced and started just four days later! Perfect timing to get the shoot done before many months of staying in.
The shoot day was such fun. I got the train to Manchester and walked to the Builders Arms Manchester base location for hair, make up and wardrobe. It was the same team as 2017 with Natalie Armin on wardrobe and Paula Maxwell hair and makeup. This is totally the best bit of a campaign shoot. Choosing the clothes and I ADORE having my hair and make up done.
Natalie and I loved the first outfit of a denim jumpsuit, but the rest of the team didn’t, there wasn’t enough movement! Instead I changed to this beautiful Zara silk dress with denim jacket and statement PensionBee yellow handbag.
Off we went to Manchester library for the shoot location. Here is a shoot still with the mosted wonderful photograher Johnny Oakes taking the pictures. I am stood on the box for some photographic magic, as you will see in the final shot.
Lockdown happened
And then the world shut down, and we were beyond grateful to have gotten this campaign shot and in the can just before we had to stay put inside for months. The campaign went live early July with digital media and a TV ad. Yes you can see me on TV talking pensions!
The Billboard campaign goes live Sept/Oct time. Be sure to look out for me across the country on huge bill board, take pictures and tag me on Instastories or Twitter!
Me, a Billboard Model?
I never would have thought back in 2013 when I launched Mrs Mummypenny that it would lead to this incredibly successful business that I run today. And that I would be a star of the PensionBee marketing campaign on billboards and TV adverts! Who could have guessed?
I did know back then that the business I was setting up was needed and nobody else was doing it then and even now nobody else is doing it now like I am. Mainly because no one is me, right, no one else shares my experience and knowledge.
If you have a glimmer of a wonderful idea, a business idea in something you are passionate about, go for it. Set it up as a side hustle, do your research, go for it, it could be your route to financial freedom.
This is a collaborative post with PensionBee.
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