Spending habits, fitness regimes and future lifestyles in the spotlight with #FutureFWD

L/R Bailey Schneider & Sarah Ravenhill.

L/R Candice Bresler & Michael Olivier.

L/R Tommy Blake & Thoban Jappie.

Three weeks in and the Glacier by Sanlam #FutureFWD retirement campaign is already having a profound impact on the three young influencers who have been paired up with three like-minded retirees.

Through this novel approach, the campaign aims to help make retirement real for young South Africans. To help them understand what this future they’re saving for could actually look like. And for the three influencers, sharing the daily realities with the retirees they’ve each been paired with, has already made them reflect on the realities of their own futures.

Radio personality and lifestyle blogger, Bailey Schneider (32), says: “Retirement was not something I’d given a lot of thought to, but after spending time with Sarah (Ravenhill), it has shown me that retirement doesn’t mean ‘old’ or that your life is nearly over, it's a whole new part of life that opens up.”

For Candice Bresler (29), a public relations executive and food blogger, the reality that she’s not yet saved for her retirement is creeping up on her. “I realise it’s quite naive of me not to have given this more thought. Chatting to Michael (Olivier) has made me relook at my current spending habits and financial health. Thinking of the financial implications of retirement actually has me quite scared,” she says. Bresler’s current situation is contrary to that of her retiree counterpart who started saving at the age of 24.

Like many others, social media entrepreneur, Thoban Jappie (42) was of the opinion that he’s young and invincible. He confesses, “The reality is that I’m getting old, fast. I’m going to try to implement and stick to a regular exercise routine and a healthier diet. Tommy (Blake) has opened my eyes to the fact that I need to make exercise a priority, to ensure that in my #FutureFWD I’m healthy and active.”

The campaign has already reached more than 1.5 million people on Facebook and Twitter and over 22 000 people have engaged with the content by reading, commenting and sharing posts. Says Zaida Essop, head of marketing at Glacier by Sanlam: “We’ve watched the pairs get to know one another while the campaign explored the retirees’ lifestyles. The next phase of the campaign will delve deeper into some of the daily challenges that the retirees face such as health and financial matters, providing further valuable insight into the reality of retirement.”

• To follow the journey like the #FutureFWD Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FUTUREFWDSA, visit the Glacier website: www.glacier.co.za/personal/retirement or follow the campaign on Twitter: @glacierbysanlam

• To follow Bailey Schneider on her blog, go to www.vanillablonde.co.za/p/about-bailey-schneider.html

• To follow Candice Bresler on her blog, go to agorgeouslife.co.za/discovering-the-realities-of-retirement-with-futurefwd/

• To follow Thoban Jappie on Instagram, go to instagram.com/thobanj/