Ohio Savings Program

Client: CitiStreet
Project: State of Ohio Retirement Savings Program

The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) hired CitiStreet as the recordkeeper for their enhanced Deferred Compensation Program. OPERS was changing the format of this retirement savings program, and adding a new “choice” feature that allowed members to elect to participate in one of three plans. All existing OPERS participants (over 160,000 members) had until June, 2003 to choose which plan they wanted to join. CitiStreet hired Lindsay Hill Design to create an enhanced collateral package that would be mailed out to all existing OPERS participants.

Goal: The goal of the package was to have 12% of existing OPERS participants elect a choice by June, 2003. Lindsay Hill Design needed to create a package that included all of the lengthly Plan information, yet made the call to action prevelant. All of this had to be accomplished within three months. Through information-gathering sessions, it was determined the package needed to accomplish the following objectives:
• Provide members a sense of empowerment; the power of choice is now theirs
• Ensure that members understand a Plan election must be made by June, 2003
• Appeal to members, conveying the value of the retirement planning benefit valuable
• Support the theme that OPERS will always be a trusted partner for a secure future

Solution: Lindsay Hill Design created a design theme for the collateral package based on the multitude of inventors who came from Ohio. The tagline “Reinvent your future” speaks to the ingeniousness throughout the history of the state, as well as the new opportunities offered through the Plan enhancement. The campaign theme supports the opportunity members have to refocus and rejuvenate their retirement planning efforts.

Results: By May, over 22% of existing OPERS participants had made their Plan election. Members felt the information was appealing and easy to follow and the phone representatives received many favorable comments from OPERS members. This campaign won an award in 2003.