SERRIED rows of Aviva Life employees at their workstations on one of the giant open plan floors at Wellington Row, York, stopped to whoop and applaud.

They were cheering none other than themselves and why not? The huge research, project planning, management skills and creative energy that went into the latest Aviva television advertisement was theirs to praise as they watched a preview on a giant screen.

What is more, they passionately believed in the message of that conceived-in-York advert because it could genuinely offer lifetime advantages to people in Britain on the verge of retiring.

Have you seen it? It is part of a high profile campaign to encourage consumers to take action at retirement, shop around for their annuity and boost their retirement income by up to 20 per cent.

It features comedian Paul Whitehouse visiting a number of dilapidated houses in France, in search of an ideal home. Message: Clearly he is shopping around to find the best deal on a property, so why not shop around for the best annuity?

Hang on a second. Exactly what is an annuity? Don’t be ashamed to ask, says Sue Helmont, head of advertising media, who with Charlotte Kernohan, UK brand manager spearheaded the York team.

“Our research shows that 68 per cent of over 50s don’t realise that you have to turn your pension into an annuity – an insurance policy that provides guaranteed lifetime income – and that they can shop around for the best rate.

“We are confident that we can give people up to 20 per cent more than their existing provider, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime decision and once it is made there’s no going back.”

Sadly, she received too many inquiries from widows, who on the death of their husbands found that they had unwittingly taken out a single life annuity on which there was now no claim.

“So the advertisement advises people to shop around to get the best deal. The average pension pot is usually less than £30,000. It seems a lot but that equates to about £165 per month, which is not a lot to live on”

Sue and Charlotte travelled with the production company to Besalu, North of Barcelona, to film the advert on the two-day shoot which turned into a seven-day wait because of the Icelandic volcano’s eruption. “An accidental perk of the job.”