We haven't really changed...
History reminds us how much has changed with platforms, pace, and pressures, even if our timeless human motivations haven’t.
And when we talk about pensions… trust is lower, attention is fragmented, financial anxiety is higher and individuals carry more responsibility than in the past
When you look at the communications that shaped some of the most defining moments of the last century, a pattern becomes clear: the campaigns that succeed speak to shared values, not clever tactics. And in modern marketing — pensions very much included — that lesson is still the one that matters most.
Vintage posters and modern messaging
Falling down a history rabbit hole (as I normally do – but hey everyone needs a hobby) it has taught me a lot about perspective.
Strip back the old wartime propaganda fonts and vintage block colours from 1930s–40s posters and you’re left with messaging that still works today:
They created involvement.
They aligned personal behaviour with a shared outcome.
They made the individual feel essential to the bigger picture.
These campaigns succeeded because they tapped into something timeless:
People want to feel connected to something that matters.
Same playbook, different decade
Don’t believe me – fast forward several decades to public health campaigns.
From early NHS vaccination campaigns in the 1950s and 60s to the widely adopted “Catch It. Bin It. Kill It.” hygiene messaging, public health communication consistently leans on shared responsibility, clarity, and values people already hold.
The threads were unmistakable:
a call to protect one another, safeguard the future, and recognise our role within a collective effort.
And none of this is new.
So what does this have to do with pensions...
Everything.
Pensions are about:
- Planning for a future you can’t fully predict
- Owning your long-term wellbeing
- Supporting a system that serves everyone
- Making values-based choices with lasting impact
The best pension communication doesn’t rely on technical detail or jargon.
It succeeds when it taps into what humans have always cared about:
- Security
- Fairness
- Looking after family
Being part of something that stands the test of time
It’s no coincidence that some of the most effective pension behaviour‑change campaigns in recent years have echoed historic communication principles.
For example, the auto-enrolment campaign of 2012 gained 10 million active participants over a decade, angled as a consistent portable pot that followed you from job to job, helping people maintain their savings, but also played on the idea of breaking a complex issue as a way to educate employees that a pension belongs to them, not just another tax; it changed the public perception and made them take collective action.
“Know Your Pension” campaign in 2024: It united not just the public but also the industry. It’s been reported that 87% of those who saw it acted! The campaign combined simple, actionable steps with highly recognised partnerships in a time when influencers lead the public conversations.
The lesson: Speak to what people already believe
History teaches us that the most successful communication doesn’t manipulate people — it aligns with what they already feel, hope for, or value.
Modern marketing (and pensions, especially) benefit when we:
- Anchor messaging in shared values
- Make people feel genuinely involved
- Tie behaviour to a meaningful outcome
- Tell a story they already recognise as true
The tools have changed. The platforms have multiplied. But people remain wonderfully consistent.
If you want to shift behaviour today, make the message something worth caring about.
Abbie Parrott, Marketing Assistant
