2006 News Releases

• Denotes Company’s Evolution Post Merger; Meeting Changing Consumer Needs with Leading Investment Products
• Unveils Powerful, Moving Platform: “The Future is Yours,” Empowering Consumers to Fulfill Their Life Promises
• Incorporates New Strategy with Mix of Traditional and Contemporary Media

Boston – John Hancock Financial Services today announced a major multi-million dollar campaign that illustrates the evolution of the John Hancock brand following the successful completion of its merger with Manulife Financial. Included in the campaign will be the launch of the company’s first new brand platform in a decade, embodied in a major advertising effort.

The new platform resulted from a comprehensive internal review of the brand and extensive external research among consumers and financial intermediaries conducted after John Hancock’s April 2004 acquisition by Manulife Financial.

“Our research showed that the John Hancock brand remains one of the best known, most respected and trusted in the industry,” said Donna Driscoll, Senior Vice President, John Hancock Brand Management and Corporate Communications. “It also proved to us that we have the right offerings at the right time to address the emerging needs of the ‘Baby Boomer Plus’ (40-70 year olds) population, who are seeking solutions for managing their assets that appeal to their steadfast optimism. As such, we are taking a new approach to spotlight the brand’s evolution that reflects both the strength of our organization and its relevance to the world around us.”

That ‘new approach’ kicks off today with an ad campaign that positions John Hancock—which combines its trusted legacy in the insurance world with a wider range of top performing, innovative investment products—as empowering Baby Boomers Plus to fulfill their life promises, assuring them that “The Future Is Yours.”

“The Future is Yours” Provides Powerful Platform Both Externally and Internally
“The Future is Yours” platform leverages John Hancock’s legacy of creating emotional ads that articulate the human condition in a highly individualized style. The ads build on prior work—intimate vignettes of people telling their personal stories. The move away from fear-based to positive, upbeat messaging underscores how far the John Hancock brand has evolved.

“John Hancock knows people make promises to themselves and their loved ones—particularly about the future. The hopefulness and optimism inherent in these promises is powerful. That is what today’s John Hancock stands for—understanding life promises and empowering people to fulfill them,” said Ms. Driscoll.

The platform messaging also is being embedded throughout the John Hancock organization including Human Resources, Community Relations and Recruiting.

“The Future Is Yours’ reflects the brand attributes of our organization today. Our employees not only understand what an optimistic, innovative and contemporary company we are, but also live it in their daily jobs. We believe those attributes work for our consumers as well,” said Ms. Driscoll.

An Innovative Strategy to Reshape Perceptions Through New Mix of Media
Boston-based Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos created 30-second television spots that will debut on cable television, specifically lifestyle and news programming on stations including MSNBC, ESPN and Discover, among others, beginning Monday, October 2. The media strategy establishes a new level of continuity along with broad reach, using multiple media that reflects a progressive approach.

The company will also advertise during college football on network television. Utilizing a truly contemporary medium, spots will be heard on both XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Print publications such as Kiplinger’s, Money Magazine, and Conde Nast Traveler will feature full-page, four-color ads. Also included are ads in The Wall Street Journal, which will appear on the front page of the Personal Journal section. Online advertising is also a part of the mix and initially will run on Yahoo! Finance’s “Opening Bell.”

“Our goal is to reach as many targeted consumers as possible and shape their perceptions of what our brand is all about,” said Ms. Driscoll. “To that end, our media strategy is to extend a broad reach, advertising in a diverse mix of select traditional and new media and to be highly visible wherever today’s consumers get their information. We believe this strategy will have a significant impact on deepening consumers’ understanding of the John Hancock organization and brand.”

According to Ms. Driscoll, the initial advertising spend will be in the $25-35MM range, beginning in Q4 2006 and running through 2007, which in effect doubles the ad spend of the same timeframe a year ago. The campaign will place greater emphasis on the new company’s extensive line of investment products and services, including 401(k) plans, variable annuities and a renewed focus on mutual funds—products geared toward helping the Baby Boomer Plus population, in particular, manage accumulated assets.

“We still provide the security of protection products, but today’s John Hancock has a much more extensive line of top investment products and services that can help consumers fulfill their promises to themselves and their loved ones and thus be assured that the future is theirs,” she said.

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
John Hancock is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$370 billion (US$332 billion) as of June 30, 2006.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock today offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.

Long Term Care Insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117

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Contact:
ROY ANDERSON
Phone: (617) 663-4746
E-mail: rvanderson@jhancock.com