To help illustrate the vital role of a financial advisor in the planning process, Sun Life Financial (TSX:SLF) has released several video sketches that provide Canadians with an entertaining take on financial planning.

Running on sunlife.ca and YouTube, the videos were created by Second City Communications, the corporate marketing services division of The Second City.

“Underlying these light-hearted videos is the message that obtaining financial advice is important,” said Kevin Strain, senior vice president, individual insurance and investments, Sun Life Financial Canada. “Meeting with an advisor or finding information online to help educate you doesn’t cost anything and the results could mean a world of difference to your personal financial plan.”

The short sketches take place in a fictional newsroom with a cast of characters reporting on the day’s events. In one vignette, a field reporter takes a poll of “people on the street,” with interesting responses on if they have an advisor. In another, the weather reporter is adversely affected by some bad financial news. And just in time for this weekend’s big football game, a sportscaster calls a player’s perfect financial play.

According to the Sun Life research, Canadians who have access to a financial advisor feel more confident about their retirement than those without. Sixty-seven per cent of working participants who had an advisor believe their retirement will be as comfortable as they expected compared to 57% who didn’t have an advisor.

“It’s clear that Canadians see a real value in the professional advice they receive when it comes to retirement and financial planning,” says Strain.

“Our goal with these webisodes is to talk to consumers about financial planning in a way that relates to them. We want to encourage them to take that next step to seek the advice of a financial advisor and build a plan that will help them obtain lifetime financial security.”

IE