Even Cartoon Guys Plan for Retirement: The Principal Financial Group Bids Farewell to “Eddie” with Launch of #SeeYourRetirement Campaign

DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Principal
Financial Group^® bids a fond farewell to the illustrated
star of its decade-long marketing campaign. Eddie, the “every man”
cartoon character at the center of The Principal’s advertising since
2005, officially retires at the end of 2015. The Principal^®
celebrates Eddie’s hard work, resourcefulness and prudent financial
planning with an integrated send-off campaign designed to encourage
people to #SeeYourRetirement.

As Eddie makes the leap from work to retirement to reap the benefits of
his financial fortitude, The Principal prepares to launch a bold new
brand in 2016 that better reflects the global nature of its business and
culture.

“For a decade, Eddie has circled the globe demonstrating how The
Principal can help people achieve financial security,” says Beth Brady,
senior vice president and chief marketing officer of The Principal.
“When he was introduced in 2005 as part of our advertising campaign,
Eddie stood out in the sea of sameness in financial services
advertising. He was relatable to everyone and he helped simplify the
complex.

“The Principal’s business has evolved over the last 10 years. So, too,
must our brand positioning. In 2016, The Principal will launch a new
global brand that better reflects our culture and the global nature of
our investment management business aimed at helping people around the
world live their best lives.”

The #SeeYourRetirement campaign kicked off Sept. 21, 2015, on multiple
digital platforms including:

• Twitter, BuzzFeed, Mashable, Pandora, Trip Advisor, Yahoo, CBS Sports,
  Flipboard, and Hulu, among others
• Exclusive financial services partner for the news/financial section of
  the new Apple News app debuting with the Apple iOS9 launch for iPhone
  and iPad
• Meredith digital properties including Better Homes & Gardens,
  Martha Stewart, Parenting, Shape, Every Day With Rachael Ray, Midwest
  Living, and more

Often, the first step to planning for an ideal retirement is to
visualize it. As part of the campaign, The Principal is encouraging
people to share their own retirement visions via Twitter using
#SeeYourRetirement or by visiting www.principal.com/SeeYourRetirement.
Some of the submissions may be selected for illustration by professional
artists and shared on social media.

The campaign, which celebrates Eddie’s good work and financial
discipline, also features stories from everyday people about their
retirement aspirations. Regardless of age, retirement is a time of
opportunity to reap the benefits of saving, planning and a life
well-lived.

To learn more about how to plan for your retirement, visit www.principal.com.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group^® (The Principal^®)¹
is a global investment management leader offering retirement services,
insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers
businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of
financial products and services, including retirement, asset management
and insurance through its diverse family of financial services
companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500^®,
the Principal Financial Group has $539.9 billion in assets under
management² and serves some 20.1 million customers worldwide
from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United
States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

¹ “The Principal Financial Group” and “The Principal” are
registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member
of the Principal Financial Group.
² As of June 30, 2015.

Contacts

Principal Financial Group
Erica Jensen, 515-362-0049
jensen.erica@principal.com