Sue Bird Explores Untraditional Retirement Planning

Aug. 01, 2024

Retirement looks different these days. It’s unique for everyone and the old cliches no longer hold up. Not even for Sue Bird. The WNBA star, Olympic gold medalist and basketball icon is teaming up with Symetra yet again to show a real modern retiree on a journey to find her next adventure in a new series, “Plan Well, Play Well”

The brand’s first-ever content series and social-first campaign highlights the benefits of planning well for retirement in a fun and fresh way. Watch Sue learn and perform a hip hop tap dance routine with social media sensation and instructor to the stars Chloe Arnold, have a cake decorating contest with noted baking show judge Robert Lucas, and try her (allergic) hand at beekeeping with Mr. and Mrs. Bee Rescue, Jeff and Julie Russell. Check out the series teaser and one of the three long-form episodes here:

The brand, which is best known for offering retirement plans, employee benefits and life insurance products, tapped long-time creative partner and agency of record, Copacino Fujikado, to bring this new series to life with the help of Michael Call, the well-known reality TV producer and director.

With the goal of making financial products more accessible to those who have less historical connection with the category, women are the primary target for this new campaign with Sue providing a natural connection to women across the country embarking on their own retirement journeys. In addition to the long-form videos at the center of this initiative, the campaign also includes paid social and influencer elements. 

Symetra Chief Marketing Officer Trinity Parker said:

"Retirement looks different these days. It’s unique for everyone, even sports icons like Sue Bird. Our goal was to make financial products more accessible to a younger consumer in a fun, fresh way by showing a real modern retiree on a journey to find her next adventure."

 

Mike Hayward, Chief Creative Officer at Copacino Fujikado said: 

“Retirement used to mean rocking chairs on the porch. Symetra wanted to show what retirement is really about: discovering your next chapter. Sue Bird, while young for a retiree, represents what modern retirement looks like – seeking out your new passion. And as we look for new ways to engage with audiences, we’re excited to experiment with this new social-first approach - helping Symetra show up in a more casual environment and show a different side of both the brand and Sue.” 

 

Sue Bird said: 

“I was about to be 41 when I retired. All my teammates were 25 and younger, so I realized quickly I was going from an athlete who was considered ‘old’ to now 41 in the real world. So I get to be young again. It's really been exciting to see what interests me, what I'm into. Symetra’s helping me with that. It's been fun.”