GNer aged 50 or over? Take our survey - £100 voucher to be won

I can’t stand adverts. End of. I record itv programmes in preference to bbc ones so I can whizz through the adverts. There is nothing I would buy unless I wanted or needed something regardless of whether it was advertised. The ads on words with friends are mega annoying too, especially when you can’t ‘x’ them off.

I agree with much of what has been said . However, one other thing that I have noticed in adverts recently is how ever so slightly off ( lewd, crude, the ugh! too much feeling they give). For example, the tena ads where she has a momentary picture of a bottom stuck in the air as she rides a bike, or the one who has an oops moment on a trampoline - and none of them genuinely are old enough to have the oops moment!

Then there is the Quick Quid ad where the boy comes out complaining the boiler has broken down and his mum says " OK you will have to smell today" - ugh! Haven't they heard of boiling a kettle and washing in the sink?

A lot of ads are no longer funny or the humour is cruel. Its almost as if those who do marketing have no sense of humour.

As for the equity release, life insurance and funeral plan ads, don't get me started.

I am tending to switch off with adverts these days. They just miss the mark with me. Even things I buy like cars.
I get myself a nice little car every three years or so ( OK I am extravagant but isn't that what the manufacturers want?) . I usually get a Mazda but its in spite of the advert rather than because of it.

I used to get the Renault Clio ( and I loved the papa and Nicole ads - I tolerated the 3 cm bigger suggestive ones but now????? . They wont sell me a Renault that way.

I would love a new kitchen but it wont be a Wren - not after the abiding image of the bloke with the longest of beards singing some soppy song about not wanting to let go of the cabinets to me - he can keep them.

Then there is the new Tesco advert with that horrible ( Northern - Gordie?? accent telling me how I would like taggie in my bellie! Oh, give me strength. Turns me off ( I don't like pasta anyway).

Same goes for many adverts.

I am finding it difficult to think of any I actually like anymore.

I get fed up with being told how I can look younger all the time. The anti-ageing creams, shampoos, how to dress younger, how to be active all the time doing anything and everything. I just want to be myself, look the age I am and do whatever I fancy doing whether its sitting reading a book or going for a walk round the park. I don't wan to be told what I should look like, what I should be doing. I just want to be myself.

Most ads pass me by as they are so boring, whenever I can I fast forward through ads. The ones that catch my eye are amusing, or funny.

Treat us like individuals not imbeciles!!!

I hate the noisy ones which shout and the ones with gyrating pop song singers. Also, the ones which put down another product such as the one which says they are better than another secondhand car company. Can't remember who they are.
I sometimes remember the visual or audio of the advert but invariably have no idea what it's for.
For example, I quite like the 'Right, said Fred' take off but when my friend asked me who it is for, I couldn't tell her!

The patronising tone used in many adverts with lisping childlike voices are a big switch off along with bossy "buy this right now voices". I feel adverts mostly come over just too phoney. They should look for a straightforward honest approach and cut all those funeral adverts right down. Who really wants to watch them or even jump for joy at the chance of a lump sum payout once they are dead and gone.

Oh dear.

The opinions of the "person making the highest contribution in this house" are likely to be radically different from mine, especially on the spending of disposable income and on filling in surveys requiring this amount of personal information.

Not Gransnet's fault, but I couldn't do it. I found the comments section (above) very interesting, though and agree with most of what's there.

I agree with all of the above and will attempt the survey, but suspect I will feel the same as many other commentators.

I hate the targeted marketing to the over 55s for disability scooters and hearing aids!

the adverts I hate to see are the ones about funerals, they never seem to make sense.. why would you tell your daughter at her baby shower all about your funeral plans.. not the right time or place methinks... most adverts based on funerals and life cover seem to be the same... depressing for the family they are telling... not a fan

send a clear message to say what you are advertising ,half the time I am left wondering what has just been adverltised

No junk mail adverts for a start, no chairs that help you stand up or stairlifts please. When we do need them we will no doubt be much older than over 50.

No silly assumptions that we are already retired, or have endless time on our hands.

pinkjj27 , good post.

So many folk have said it all already. We are all different, one size doesn’t fit all so stop making assumptions about us!

pinkjj27 I know exactly what you mean, and completely agree with you. It is the assumptions that are made about us, usually patronising and demeaning ones, made as soon as they see the grey hair, the lined face, or the date of birth.

I am starting to kick and scream and when I was put on a 'vulnerable customer' list by my energy supplier, just because I was over 60, I did just that and complained to the chairman and any senior manager I could get and email address for. I am now off the list.

I know it has benefits and I would certainly sign up if I had any problems, but it was the assumption, over 60 = vulnerable that is what I was complaining about.

I have done survey but I REALLY don’t like being asked my income and I was asked to tick what matter to me and when I ticked what matter to me I was told the question wasn’t correct I find that is what is wrong no one care what matters to me.

Why does age have to be a factor ? The concept of gender is changing and becomimg outdated why is age still a major form of identity, like gender, it is a social construction.
I find adverts that are aimed at the over 50s very patronising, Helen Mirrin trying to convince me she uses an off the shelf brand, whatever . Age is often seen as a dirty word for example the plantur shampoo advert where they actually whisper the words over 40s like it’s something to be ashamed of. The assumption of marketing is that unless its incontinence pads, joint pain or funeral plans then there is no point in marketing to us, We don’t shop in New look , we don’t buy on line, we have no idea about technology we don’t work, we do not contribute and we do not matter. Well we have an aging population and we are major contributers and far more savvvy than given credit for .
I look around at young girls and many of them are very overweight , drinking heavily and smoking , self harming, full of Botox where does the assumption younger is more beautiful healthy come from?

I am deeply offended by all those cosmetic ads that constantly harp on about them being anti-aging and that using them helps you look younger.

The inference is that aging is something that is unpleasant and ugly and to be avoided. In fact the relentless march of time is something that no-one from new born babe to centenarian can avoid. Keeping well and healthy and looking good at any age (not for your age) is something to be advocated but this harping on about trying to look young all the time is offensive.

I have to laugh at the toothpaste/toothbrush TV ads where all those earnest looking 'dentists' try to convince us they're not actors. In magazines, the creams that supposedly improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles feature girls of about 20 years old! Either that or the celebs have had a fair bit of work done!

I agree with all that has been said. I hate the advert for equity release where the sly eyed guy is having a conversatipn with his well dressed wife. Very middle class. Yuk

I got caught by that OldMeg, then realised it was a question that asked me to tick three items in the list below and I had ticked all that applied to me. The message telling you the question was unasnwered was unhelpful, it should have said filled in incorrectly.

Tried to complete the survey, but it insisted I hadn’t answered a certain question, I had! Gave up.

I really dislike the use of celebrities in advertising, if anything it totally puts me off the product, Why do advertisers use so called celebs to endorse an array of health and beauty products (hair and nail vitamins, volume shampoo and conditioner), when the truth is that I too could have long glossy healthy voluminous locks, with the help of good quality hair extensions and my own personal hairdresser/stylist.

The only adverts I really watch are the Lloyds Black Horse ones because I just love watching the horse. No idea what the voice over is though. I’m not listening.

My bugbear is the advert for life insurance, the smug older woman is n her '70’s kitchen,
im pretty sure most of us have modern kitchens.