AXA Equitablerecently released the latest episode in its “Retirement RealityShow” video series, which uses interviews with real people toexplore retirement preparedness issues.

Discretion Winter, director of external communications at AXAEquitable, said the idea for the series came last year. AXAEquitable publishes research on retirement and has subject-matterexperts speak about it, but they wanted to try something new thatwould support their research efforts.

“We thought ... why don’t we go out and talk to real peopleabout what financial independence means to them,” Winter said.“What they had to say was very interesting and compelling, and wethought it was worth sharing.”

In the latest video, launched just in time for National Retirement Planning Week, vacationers on LibertyIsland in New York are asked how much time they spent planningtheir vacations versus planning their retirement. (View the videoat the end of the article.) Other videos have explored themes suchas protecting retirement and having income throughout the course of retirement.

Five videos have been released so far, but there’s no cap on howmany are to come.

“We don’t really have a number in mind,” Winter said. “It’s onlylimited to the number of people who are willing to share theirstories with us.”

Video was the best medium for the message, Winter said, becauseit’s the perfect way to tell a three-dimensional story.

“It allows us to go out and listen to people,” she said. “Ithink unfortunately we don’t often seen financial servicescompanies listening to people or talking to them. Since video is sothree-dimensional, it allows us to show AXA Equitable listening topeople and hearing what they have to say.”

Winter added that many AXA Equitable advisors find the videosuseful in their practice, emailing them to their clients or showingthem during prospect presentations.

“People are really struggling with these issues, with the moneythey may have lost in the market downturn, they’re struggling withtheir defined benefits going away,” she said. “A lot of people arejust seeking connections and advice, and this is one way for themto get those connections.”