Advertising aimed at over 50s

I don't really notice adverts (perhaps kidding myself), but the ones that spring to mind are those advertising retirement villages (no way would I ever consider one of those), and those walk-in bath adverts showing a very glamorous older woman sitting in her bath on a seat, wearing her bathing costume.
For some reason, I don't identify with her either

I don't like being patronised by the likes of Michael Parkinson and Annette Crosbie telling us how little it would cost to take out an insurance plan to pay for our funerals!

What's the point of glamourous very young models with flawless peaches 'n' cream skin being used to advertise 'anti-wrinkle' skin creams for the 'over 50's'?

I hardly ever notice whether an advert is "aimed" at me or not. I either like the advert or I don't. I seldom watch them anyway, that's what record and ff is for .

Come to think of it, one drew my attention recently, it's for "white bread with the same amount of fibre as wholewheat", and the scenario is where a dad is making breakfast for his children, including a teenage daughter; and he is commiserating with her over a failed relationship, saying that she deserves someone better (and then goes on to describe the bread) full of goodness, blah blah blah, and then - he gives her a boiled egg with an image of the boy and she "knocks his head in" to smiles from her siblings and dad! I thought "Now imagine if that was a teenage boy who was being encouraged to do that to an egg with his ex-girlfriend's face drawn on it". Wrong, no matter which way you look at it.

Oh my Grannyknot you raise a good point, I hadn't thought of it like that, perhaps because DD is suffering a broken relationship and I guess I sympathised.

I HATE HATE HATE adverts aimed at older people. On the few occasions when I sit down with a cup of tea late on a winter's afternoon, happily about to watch a nice relaxing Poirot or Midsommer's Murder, what am I faced with? How to

make my will

Who to leave the money to

have a bath in a very ugly bath

sit in an ugly upright great-granny chair - and may even eject me when I am least expecting it!

sit on a seat that will make its way up my stairs at a snail's pace and wreck my lovely stairs

buy all sorts of older people gadgets such as folding walking sticks and weird contraptions that will ease my aching back - god only knows how you are meant to get them on if you have a bad back

go on cruises with lots of other old people

buy a home in a retirement village with lots of other old people

take a holiday in a lovely hotel for people over the age of 50 only

I know all these things are useful and informative to older people, but en masse they are downright depressing. Also I have no wish to be segregated from young people, I like to see a bit of life around me, so find retirement-only homes and holidays rather off-putting.

As a result I rarely watch any programmes in the afternoons. I tape them all and then can speed through the adverts. DBH says he resents all the balding cure adverts that are shown during the cricket. Even though he still has all his hair.

In complete agreement with all of the above posters. I very rarely watch daytime TV but on the odd occasion when I am confined to quarters I just feel very sorry for people (like one of my friends) who can do nothing else but watch TV in order to pass the time. It must be so depressing to be constantly reminded of the passing years and what is in store.
Am I right in thinking that adverts specifically aimed at children have been banned ? Can us who are a year or two ( ! ) older have the same consideration?

As Bette Davies said 'old age ain't no place for sissies'.

I do so agree with you janerowena . I don't want to be reminded of the inevitable I am too busy making the best of what I have for as long as I have it.

My friend's husband who is very sprightly was in the Post Office recently and the assistant asked if he had a moment to spare to answer a survey. He agreed and she started to try and sell him a funeral plan!

If she tries it on me I will tell her where to shove her stamps.

It's the junk mail that comes through the door that is totally wasted...straight in the bin.

Sick of seeing those implausible grey haired models in ads. I have never seen people like that in real life, particularly the men!
Noticed recently that Women and Home (someone gives MIL a subscription) had a couple of adverts in with real looking older people. One woman had wrinkles and did look over 50. The other was over an over weight nurse in the same age group. Revolutionary!

Yes, the junk mail too, straight in to light the fire!

NanKate that is awful!

Maybe you can buy PO saving stamps to go towards your funeral now?

The age group "over 50" is vast and very misleading.

I am over 50.
My mum is over 70 but still "over 50"
My gran is almost 100 but still "over 50"

Surely advertisers must recognize that we can't be lumped together as all the same?

It doesn't annoy me particularly but the old people in the ads are not old. Like the plus size models who are actually size 14, people in their fifties and sixties are supposed to be in need of disability aids and meals on wheels. They do use some ( the same!) elderly celebs and there is one amazing woman now in her eighties, I think, who has always been a fashion model. But I agree with janerowena that the daytime television commercials are the pits. I suppose they've done their research about who's watching in the afternoons but it is depressing.

I think the advert for a particular dental adhesive is silly. Showing a lady biting into an apple after applying said adhesive to her dentures. What I would like to see is the (probable) out-take of her removing the apple after sinking her teeth in and for them to come out, firmly embedded in the apple. .

Bee, I had a temporary denture at the top, one tooth on a plate, think Granny McPhee. Within an hour of having it fitted, it fell down when I was eating and I chomped on it and snapped the plate in half. The dentist accused me of lying!

Thankfully, as I said, it was temporary.

I don't watch tv in the day as DH has rolling news mainly Sky and I only need the news once a day. I have a problem that if I'm told I need something I know I will never want it, even a funeral plan. Also do people have dentures these days? I thought it was something that went out with my parents generation.

Stansgran, that's a good question. Unbelievable to think there was ever a "fashion" to have all one's teeth taken out and replaced with dentures. Or so my MIL told me.

I have all my own teeth apart from that one, it was an old crown from the 70s, that snapped off right into the gum. So I have a fake tooth there bridged on to the healthy one next to it. Long may it last.

I'd like to see real old people in ads rather than so called old. Ie, those of about 30-40

Having a quick flick through all your replies I don't think many of you would want to read my favourite magazine:

My first is in yes but not in no.
My second is in shoe and also in toe.
My third is in up but won't bring you down.
The penultimate letter can be seen in a frown.
Bring it all together as a plural you see
And the word in it's entirety comes from me
Making it, of course - - - - -

Tried to keep from being deleted for advertising myself.

But should this concern be reading these replies - I never read this magazine to the end in order to miss the advertising for 'Over50's' - all the aforementioned insurances, stairlifts, walk in showers, etc. etc! so they are wasted on me and probably many others.

O come on DEB you can"t leave us hanging, what is the mag?

YOURS!

I have never heard of it - which just goes to show what a brilliant job I am doing in staying away from advertising!

I do Yougov surveys - they must despair of me. I'm not sure why they even bother to include me actually. I occasionally get sent surveys for the over-50 housewife and I haven't a clue what they are talking about. Maybe I am the 'control'?

I am so good at ignoring adverts that I didn't even notice when my son's school used his photo in a full-page advert in the local paper.

first prize to Aka but now I am in danger of being deleted