In the world of financial services, dominated as it often is by the stuffy intricacies of tax, regulation and sometimes impenetrable jargon, it is pleasing to start the year with something thrilling for consumers.
The pension reforms are already creating a buzz among people who could be entirely unfamiliar with the likes of Isas, funds and annuities, and may help reinvigorate a belief in the idea of saving for retirement.
That will be seen in April and beyond, and it may be some years before the true consequences of the changes - good or otherwise - are revealed.
In future it could have huge consequences for the public finances, the working world and, most importantly, the lives of those in or approaching retirement.
This is all to come. But more immediately, it has been a delight to observe a product launch which appears to have been drumming up serious anticipation among regular Joes.
The pensioner bonds, tailored to those aged 65 or above, seem to have caused something of a stir.
The bonds, which require a minimum investment of £500, have terms of one year and three years respectively and promise an interest rate of 4 per cent for the longer period. And many suspect they are selling like hot cakes.
In the run-up to their launch this morning there has been some interesting hearsay that I cannot resist sharing, including rumours of grandparents being nagged by younger relatives who want pensioners to buy the bonds using their money.
And in an amusing turn, the bonds almost reminded me of Glastonbury tickets. People were urged to register for updates from NS&I before they went on sale.
And when the hotly tipped launch did go ahead, the NS&I website seemingly struggled to keep up with demand.
The NS&I chief executive Jane Platt has even made a point of placating those in a hurry to buy, saying: “We expect these bonds to be on sale for months, not weeks, and would like to reassure savers that there is no need to rush to invest.”
I do not make comparisons between the launch of a financial product and the delirious, headlong rush for festival tickets lightly. But perhaps the clamour is a sign that offering people favourable products is a way to engage them with their own financial welfare.
Considering the 4 per cent rate and the fact that some perceive growth as increasingly difficult to come by, any excitement around these bonds should be unsurprising. But it is certainly welcome.
As the new pension rules approach and people perhaps see a good reason to engage with their finances, what else can we do to keep them interested? And how do we protect consumers at the same time?
The concerns that consumers could make rash decisions or simply lose their pension savings in a bad investment have already been loudly voiced.
It is likely to be a year or two of innovation as companies adapt to the new reality of pensions - so let us hope the financial services industry will provide some answers to my questions.
