Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O’Neal are encouraging people to elevate their retirement savings game in a new PSA.
Featuring characters and footage from the upcoming film Uncle Drew, the public service announcement is part of AARP and the Ad Council’s “Saving for Retirement” campaign. Its message: many Americans approaching retirement age haven’t saved enough money in their 401k or other retirement accounts.
To make up for savings shortfalls, the ad encourages workers in their forties and fifties to create a “personalized action plan” at AceYourRetirement.com.
“The latest research shows that only one-third of current retirees are very confident in their ability to live comfortably throughout their retirement,” Debra Whitman, executive vice president and chief public policy officer, AARP, said in a statement.
“We’re pleased that Kyrie Irving, Shaquille O’Neal and the other Uncle Drew characters are joining our campaign to urge Americans to take a few simple steps now that will greatly improve their prospects for a financially secure retirement,” she added.
Wondering what a basketball-themed movie might have to do with retirement? Us, too.
Irving, who plays Uncle Drew in the film, is a former playground basketball legend. He’s recruited by a down-and-out streetball manager who recently lost his team to a rival and is looking for redemption. The manager and Drew go on a roadtrip to round up Drew’s old teammates—played by O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller and Lisa Leslie—to fill the new roster.
The catch? All the players are around retirement age. One lives in a retirement home. Another might be legally blind. Exhausting every cliche, most of the team is silver-haired.
In spite of it all, based on the Ad Council’s message, we predict the team’s skills shine through in the end. The PSA tells Americans that just like Uncle Drew aces his basketball game, they can ace retirement.
“The character of Uncle Drew is a perfect testament to the fact that we all have the potential to achieve so much—no matter our age or situation,” Lisa Sherman, president and CEO, the Ad Council, said in a statement. “Over 300,000 people have already taken action to get on track since this campaign launched last summer, and we’re thrilled to partner with Lionsgate in continuing to share this empowering message.”
Uncle Drew hits theaters June 29.
https://youtu.be/zkGcZd_C4_0
With more than 20 years serving financial markets, John Sullivan is the former editor-in-chief of Investment Advisor magazine and retirement editor of ThinkAdvisor.com. Sullivan is also the former editor of Boomer Market Advisor and Bank Advisor magazines, and has a background in the insurance and investment industries in addition to his journalism roots.
