Advertising aimed at over 50s

When you consider 'over 50s covers an age range of 51 - 100 plus, one wonders whether anyone has actually thought about who the product is aimed at.

Why do we not have adverts for the 'under 50s', that is age range from birth to 50. Odd how nobody would dream of putting an advert for furniture in a child's comic.

The over 50s advertising uses too many glamorous youthful looking pensioners. They need to use real people! I don't actually pay much notice to any advertising but the over 50s ones are particularly annoying because they don't portray real life.

PS---- Think its an over 50's add as can't imagine any-one under 50 worrying about it

I have watched an advert loads of times where a very bubbly
lady is advertising something you put either in the wash or the dryer that keeps your washing fresh smelling in the airing cupboard, I recently noticed my clean washing in the airing cupboard smells a bit stale-------I need that product, but for the life of me it has never sunk in what it is, is it just me with a short attention span?

I agree with so much above but there was one as a while ago for keyless ignition and there was an effortlessly glamorous older lady (would have guessed in her 60s) in it. Wish we could be portrayed like that more often

I've just had a phone call from a polite young man who asked to speak to DH. I enquired why and it turned out to be some Government scheme to do with roofs. It bugged me that he wanted DH - I couldn't make a decision I'm a woman perhaps [or perhaps he thought I was a youngster ]. I was polite and said the Election could change everything and I wasn't interested! This sort of advertising is just as bad as tv ads in my view - and it also highlights sexism still exists!!!

I don't watch Tv at all so that isn't a problem. I listen to radio four so that is ok too. Some adverts i see in the paper, like the insurance ones annoy me. What gets me most of all though is that i get unending emails about planning my own funeral! How depressing is that when I am having my breakfast and feeling like I don't look TOO bad today How do they know I am nearing my demise? I am sure I didn't fill anything in to do with that.

Did the Grim reaper tell them? is he on commission? I am worried
now.

Oh I so agree with all the comments. The advert I hate most is the one for a Hotel chain which is 'adult only' where two women sit and chat about their husbands as if they are children while the husbands play on the putting green. It manages to combine so many prejudices in such a short time. Women not playing sport, men behaving like children, old people being some sort of separate group outside society the list is endless. I can't see how it could attract anyone to stay in the hotels. It makes me think I would never want to.

I feel advertisers today are so patronising in the way they depict older people.
The advert I absolutely hate is the one in the garden centre, where two women are discussing the fact that one of them has just purchased life insurance and she SMUGLY tells her friend (as she fills her trolley with plants) that the policy payout will pay for her funeral and it is so simple to organise. It is so patronising. Then the two smirking husbands appear to join in the conversation. I suspect some, young adverising copywriter sat at his/her desk, thinking, "Now what do old people look like? I know, gormless and not very bright, wearing frumpy clothes."
Just like Jaineainsworth, the one with the lady in a swimsuit in the bath really irritates me.It is so contrived. Who wears a swimsuit to have a bath?????
My husband and I got free tickets for an over fifties show. We foolishly thought it would be full of interesting stands. We were so wrong: retirement villages, hearing tests, pension advice, making a will, funeral bonds etc. etc. Older people today live a different life from our parents did. I remember my mum was an old lady at fifty. She wore frumpy clothes and stayed at home , as that's where a woman's place was, according to my father.
I am certainly not that stereotype older person I want to have fun.

And what truly p****s me off is being offered a biro as a free gift as if I had been waiting all my life for a pen. So patronising. I do wonder if the creators of these advertisments know anyone of the age they are aimed at. As a previous poster says 'over 50' can mean anything from my late mother in law who was still waterskiing when well into her 60s and with 2 new hips, to someone who is very frail. Would you offer David Attenborough a free pen with a funeral plan - somehow I doubt it. I can tell you now where I would put it.

I read that to a great mag with loads of info

I dont always recognise that adverts are aimed at a particular age group, so to speak. To me theyre simply adverts! Maybe I dont think of myself as old (at 51) yet so it goes over the top of my head and dont think too much about them frankly. The only one that bugs me a bit is the Loreal one with Jane Fonda showing how good you can look with this anti-ageing face cream, yet shes had plastic surgery including a facelift! Seems very hypocritical to me so to shoots itself in the foot as Id never buy it, but then I wouldnt buy something sold by a very young woman selling anti-ageing products either! Maybe Im not an "advertisers dream" lol

Love reading the blogs on Gransnet and I really don't identify with these adverts although I am "of an age" where they might start being useful. However my beef is with the advertisers themselves. My parents need a stair-lift but have so far resisted out of concern for the cost. They have found that NONE of the companies will give a fair indication of price range without first visiting the house. We all know that every scenario is different and the fact that the lift can be customised according to the stairway and the needs however no-one wants to be sat on their own living room with a salesman knowing that you cannot afford even the cheapest version! Just a "prices from...." would really help. Rant over. Any advice would be gratefully accepted.

I loathe all adverts aimed at older people, especially those with older models because however older people are portrayed the ones portrayed are a group in which I do not include myself.

For example retirement housing adverts either show cuddly granny types, plump, frumpy and with short grey curly hair or emaciated ladies with beautifully coiffed white hair, elegant clothes and pearls - and I do not remotely ressemble either group or identify with them.

Advertisers should realise that the older people get the more varied in appearance, interests, and life style as they get older so any advert including older models is going to ressemble perhaps 10% of the older population and repel the remaining 90%

The funniest one I saw was outside some extra-care retirement flats for the frail and disabled elderly being built locally. The huge board outside it showed these two seemingly extra fit young elderly with white hair and blinding white perfect teeth, seemingly standing on the deck of the yacht they were sailing around the world About as far from the demographic group the flats were built for as is possible.

Forgot to add another Pet Hate- Birthday cards with numbers. Why the heck would I want a card reminding of how old I am, whats to get excited about?

I never knew others felt like me
We have just upsized! Love it, we have suddenly come alive. We are painting and decorating ( I'm up the ladder doing the ceilings) got floors to put down. Garden is too big but we cope.
My hate is the term 'pensioner', why do we have to be put in a slot? I also run my own business and wish I started years ago.
This is a great topic but will the 'powers that be' take any notice?

Has anyone seen the adverts with a door in the bath, presumably to help you get in and out? What happens to the water when you open the door? Also the bed which lifts up at the top and bottom. You never see it with the bedclothes on. How do you fit them?

Never watch TV ads. I record anything on any channel that advertises & play it on delay later. Maybe occasionally around Christmas until I have seen JL & M&S ads- which are usually worth one watch.
Do only ancient people buy Radio Times?? I have always bought it- it's not a bad read usually- but it is now full of these patronising ads so I open it over the bin & shake them out before reading it. Same with WI magazine which is truly awful! The ads & flyers in there are unbelievable. I cannot understand how they aim to encourage younger members but send out these awful ads for clothes my grandmother would not have dreamed of wearing.
The other really annoying thing is that now the POSTMAN delivers loads of flyers with ( or sometimes instead of) our post.
I put these straight back in a postbox- marked 'not known at this address- please STOP depositing rubbish through my door'.
I am fully aware that I am turning into a crabby old woman about this but honestly! I buy my clothes from Joe Browns & DP mainly, I never go out without my slap on & I have 6 grandchildren. We don't HAVE to grow old 'gracefully'- I'm opting for totally DIS-gracefully!

Hi there,

I have found this forum very interesting.

I am from an arts charity, and i wondered whether people could tell me whether you notice advertisements for community projects or performances?

And, what would make you consider attending an art activity or performance?

In the local community where would you notice advertisement eg. tescos notice board?

Thanks.

Like Worlass...I agree with a lot of what's been said here, especially about all being lumped together.
On the cold caller though, and the 'pseudo sympathetic' spiels, I've just had one from what sounded like a very young man, who started by asking if I was having a good day.
'Yes', I replied, 'but I suspect that's about to come to an end'...
Undeterred, he went on to address me by my first name......
I'll leave my response to your imagination

Having read through the thread, I must say that I am in total agreement with the sentiments expressed. I resent being lumped together with half the population of the country as though we are one heterogeneous mass. In my small circle of friends, although we are approximately the same age, we have entirely different hobbies and attitudes towards many things. Never a dull moment!
I usually manage to avoid TV and magazine ads, but the phone pests still sneak through occasionally. Although I can appreciate that they are only doing a job, my hackles rise at the pseudo-sympathetic tone of the caller and the assumption that I am unable to manage my own life without 'help' from their expensive gadgets. I was actually asked in the introductory spiel of one caller if I had trouble taking a bath. I said, "No. Do you?" End of conversation.

The question should be "Do we really need to target the over-50s as though they are all clones?" and the answer is a resounding NO.

The over 50s include people of 50, 55, 60, 65 who are working fulltime at all kinds of varied jobs and juggling child-care for their children or grandchildren plus their elderly parents, people of 70, 75, 80 who have retired and are getting on with whatever interested them earlier, or whatever they now have time for, and may still be looking out for even more elderly parents, people of 85, 90, 95 who may (or may not!) have health problems and/or be in sheltered accommodation or in care.

Some of the over-50s are in excellent health, some have chronic or acute ailments. Some like sports and exercise, some can't stand them. Some eat traditional meals, some are vegetarian, some have to avoid certain foods. Some buy designer clothes, some buy chain-store or supermarket. Some shop at Asda, some at Waitrose, some at the corner shop. Some vote Tory, some Labour, some SNP, some UKIP. Some live in detached mansions with acres of grounds, some are in a high-rise flat with a smelly lift.

If you offer them well-designed and well-made goods at reasonable prices they will buy them, but which goods and which marketing will influence them to buy depends entirely on the personality, history, life-style and circumstances of the individual. Just treat them as intelligent and experienced human beings.

As with so many of you, I don't watch them, use these periods for , loo, making tea, pulling curtains , checking diary, or mobile, even f/book!
On puter I don't have home page, I use blank- reason is I can't stand jumping /flashing adverts ! Hurts eyes !
I constantly delete ads and things they think I would like to see on any, including f/b who then ask why I am deleting, which i ignore by closing! It doesn't always work, so then I turn off appliance ! For a period.
I personally believe all advertising should be banned -illegal !!
Thus a much sweeter world, well that is apart from info: one seeks or asks for, with libraries, and local booklets from counci
l delivered once or twice a year!
Also Google has the most info; anyone could possible want !! They are a frightening force, so much control over our personal information!!!
Even when I have not given it to them ! They have stole it from my computer!!
Google is now trying to take over tesco club card... Which has been a very good success ! But in case they do , I am closing my a/c and deleting my details !!!

I havent read the whole thread.

I realise that, althought I know I dont take notice of adverts in general, I certainly dont take specific notice of over 50's adverts. Even though I am over 50.
And the reason is, I have realised, because such adverts dont even apply to my own, very much in good health, mother. So I wouldnt dream of thinking that the adverts apply to me at all.

I think Warner's Hotels for older people have been reading this thread. They now show an incredibly annoying women with a permanent smile with boundless energy who is determined to meet up with everyone and is game for everything and never stops grinning or talking. The sort who says brightly 'Oh Look! It's raining! I do love a good ten mile walk in the rain! Come on, last one outside is a slacker!' I think I am turning into Grumpy Old Woman. But the truth is, no advert aimed solely at older people is ever going to make me feel happy.

Women (and men) can go grey at 17. Men can go bald at that age too. I know teenagers with bad backs. I know teenagers who are deaf. I know a disabled child who uses a walk-in bath and a stairlift. I know a man in his late 20s who bought one of those chairs that tilts you up and lets you out because he thought it was cool!

So why do all the adverts for those things show older people?