TSX/NYSE/PSE:MFC / SEHK:945
For Immediate Release
May 09, 2013 / With Pictures

Manulife Singapore launches an interactive Retirement campaign to raise awareness and educate Singaporeans on retirement planning

Singapore –In addressing Singaporeans’ growing retirement concerns, Manulife Singapore has recently launched a retirement-themed campaign that includes a retirement microsite and calculator to help customers understand the importance of retirement planning. According to the Manulife Investor Sentiment Index, despite Singaporeans’ early head start in planning for their retirement, 57 per cent of Singaporeans are pessimistic on whether they can achieve their retirement goals. At the same time, 52 per cent of Singaporeans do not think that their personal savings alone can sustain the desired lifestyle they want at retirement. Although saving is the key component in Singaporeans’ retirement planning, there is a gap between the current financial health of Singaporeans and what they hope to achieve at retirement.

“The Manulife Investor Sentiment Index clearly points to the need for retirement planning and Manulife is here to address Singaporeans’ retirement needs. Planning for retirement is not just about the cash you save from your monthly income. It is just as important to put your money to hard work because inflation can erode the value of your savings,” said Annette King, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Singapore.

Manulife’s campaign focuses on three core groups – a young family, mature family and pre-retirees. The campaign builds on the pertinent question of continued security and comfort which makes consumers ponder whether they have sufficiently planned for retirement to maintain their lifestyles into the future. The campaign includes out of home (OOH) displays, an interactive Retirement microsite and calculator, a retirement contest on the Manulife Singapore Facebook page, advertisements on print and on various digital platforms such as Yahoo!, Channel NewsAsia, and on a Straits Times application for iPad, iPhones and Android.

Manulife Singapore launched the Retirement microsite - www.manuliferetirement.sg with the theme - “Never Lose Sight of Your Retirement” which aims to create awareness and educate consumers about retirement. Customers can use the calculator to calculate if they have a shortfall in retirement, and seek solutions to bridge this gap through a suite of retirement products that Manulife offers. The island-wide campaign has the key message – “Secure today, secured tomorrow” with Manulife Retirement Solutions.

The campaign, which runs till June also, introduces the “RetireRight – Do You Know?” contest on the Manulife Singapore Facebook page- www.facebook.com/manulife.singapore. By answering three true or false questions, participants will have a chance to learn more about retirement planning and one lucky winner will walk away with a Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE. QR codes leading to the Facebook page can be found on platform door panels and posters at Tanjong Pagar, Yishun, City Hall, Bras Basah and Habour Front MRT stations.

“It is a widely known fact that retirement is a main concern for Singaporeans. Manulife aims to educate consumers through our self-help retirement microsite where they can calculate their retirement gap, gain valuable information on retirement planning and tap the expertise of financial advisors to maximise their savings through investment to achieve their desirable lifestyle at retirement,” added Ms King.

Manulife Singapore has further increased its suite of retirement products with the launch of a third income paying fund, Manulife Income Series – Asian Balanced Fund which targets to offer regular payouts of 3.6 cents (SGD)* per unit per annum or 0.3 cents (SGD)* per unit per month. The Manulife Income Series of funds provide customers a regular stream of income. Other retirement solutions include ManuRetire Secure, the first investment-linked plan for retirement in Singapore that guarantees the value of your investment at 80 per cent of the fund’s highest historical unit price.

*The making of such distribution may be determined by Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. in its sole discretion. There is no guarantee, assurance and/or certainty that any distribution will be made and if distributions are made, such distributions are not in any way a forecast, indication or projection of the future or likely performance/distribution of the ILP Fund. The making of any distributions shall not be taken to imply that future distributions will be made. Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. may also vary the frequency and/or the amount of the distributions made.

Additional Note to Editors: The press release should not be construed as an offer, advice or recommendation to the purchase of retirement products by the general public. Consumers who are interested in retirement products should approach a financial representative for financial advice before making a commitment to purchase the plan.

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About Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$555 billion (US$$547 billion) as at March 31, 2013. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on

the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

Media Contact:
Cindy Cheng
Manulife (Singapore) Pte Ltd
68338162
/ Shakun Raj
Manulife (Singapore) Pte Ltd
68338120

Campaign Pictures

Harbour Front MRT Station embellished with the Manulife Retirement-themed
campaign.

Manulife Retirement microsite – www.manuliferetirement.sg can be found on the Straits Times application.

Poster at Bras Basah MRT Station. Manulife’s retirement campaign focuses on three core groups – a young family, mature family and pre-retirees.

www.manulife.com.sg