WATERLOO, ON, Oct. 19 2007 – Manulife Financial’s Canadian Division has been honoured with five best-of-show awards in the annual Insurance & Financial Communicators Association (IFCA) competitions held earlier this month in Dallas, Texas.
Manulife’s Canadian Division took home five best-of-show honours, plus seven other mentions for its marketing communications to individual and group clients and advisors across Canada.
The IFCA brings together 700 communicators from more than 225 life and health insurance companies from across North America.
“The quality of marketing communications from our company is consistently excellent and we’re honoured by this recognition for work by our Canadian Division,” said Paul Rooney, president and CEO of Manulife Canada. “Among keys to effective sales support for our advisors and maintaining our reputation in the marketplace are clear and consistent communications and this recognizes a broad and high level of achievement.”
IncomePlus wins
Central to several of the awards was a broad-based marketing campaign to support the launch of IncomePlus, Canada’s first guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit product launched in Canada a year ago. In less than 10 months, IncomePlus generated more than $2 billion in sales and remains a leading product innovation in the Canadian marketplace aimed to assist Canadians to prepare and protect their retirement savings.
Manulife Investments received best-of-show honors for its IncomePlus Boomer video and another for its combined ad campaign to support the product. Manulife Investments magazine called Solut!ons, distributed to advisors and their clients across Canada, plus an integrated advisor support program known as WealthStyles, also won best in show recognition. Manulife Group Savings and Retirement Services also received a best-in-show award for a total rewards kit that explained benefits for a corporate client.
In the United States, Manulife’s John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. and its businesses also received a number of awards for its consumer and advisor communications.
About the Insurance and Financial Communicators Association
The Insurance & Financial Communicators Association is an international organization dedicated to the ongoing professional development of its members in life insurance and related financial services communications. Founded in 1933 as the Life Advertisers Association, the organization was renamed the Life Communicators Association in 1984 to reflect its broadened scope. And members voted to rename the association again, in 2003 as Insurance & Financial Communicators Association to more closely represent their changing industry. For further information, please visit: http://www.ifcaonline.com.
About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$410 billion (US$386 billion) as at June 30, 2007.
Manulife Financial is one of only two publicly traded life insurance companies with ‘AAA’-rated insurance subsidiaries, the highest rating for financial strength at Standard & Poor’s Rating Services.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.
