Where have all the old folks gone?

Despite the increasing market size and purchasing power of older Americans, seniors seldom appear in advertisements.

According to the Journal of Advertising, older people are underrepresented in ads. The 2022 publication’s author noted that 66 studies were investigated to determine how often and in what ways older adults were portrayed. If seniors are considered 65 years and older, they represent 15%-28% of the populations in most developed countries. But most of the studies reviewed indicate that less than 10% of all advertisements included them.[1]

This was reinforced by a recent study by data platform Creative X that found only 4% of people cast in ads in 2022 were over 60 years old. And less than 1% of those 60+ were in roles that placed them in professional or leadership settings.[2]

Other findings mentioned in the Journal of Advertising included:

• Older women are generally underrepresented versus older men.
• Among those older adults appearing in ads, most were Caucasian.
• Those appearing in ads were generally in secondary or background roles.[3]

They are rarely pictured alone, and are usually depicted with other, younger actors or models. Not surprisingly, they most often appear at home or outdoors – often as grandparents.[4] And rarely in office or social settings.

As you might expect, the most common product categories for ads featuring older adults include health, hygiene, medical products, and food[5], not to mention walk-in bathtubs, reverse mortgages, and E.D. medications. This seems a bit short-sighted, as older Americans represent more than 50% of U.S. consumer spending!

So Why Are Older Adults Under-represented in Advertisements?

The Journal of Advertising suggests three main reasons why older people are overlooked and under-represented in advertising:

• First, early adopters in many product categories tend to be younger. This is especially true for technology products. Tech companies generally focus their marketing exclusively on younger consumers. (When was the last time you saw a smartphone commercial featuring older users?)
• Second, most ad creators are young. A 2023 Marketing Week advertising industry survey found 84.3% of respondents were under the age of 45.[6] Young advertising creators tend to consciously or unconsciously choose endorsers with whom they can identify. This tendency is compounded by stereotypical biases – or possibly ageism – that leads those younger ad creators to cast more youthful endorsers for their advertisements.
• Third, there is plenty of evidence that the attractiveness of endorsers can have a positive effect on consumers. This often impacts consumers’ evaluation of an ad, which in turn affects their opinions of the brand and ultimately their purchase intentions. Like it or not, older people are generally considered less attractive than younger ones – though age often plays less of a role when the endorser is a celebrity.[7]

What Older Endorsers Bring to Advertisements

There are certain qualities older endorsers bring to advertising. Older adults can convey a level of credibility, competence or expertise that might not be as quickly conveyed by younger endorsers. Examples include authority figures like doctors, professors, and business leaders.

And as mentioned earlier, there are many products and services that match up nicely with older endorsers, such as health services, age-fighting products like cosmetics and skincare lotions, or numerous luxury brands. A great example of this is CoverGirl’s decision to hire 70-year-old Maye Musk (who just happens to be Elon Musk’s mother) as the brand’s latest “face.”[8]

Marketers of luxury products – or any category of product that can appeal to older adults – would do well featuring endorsers that older adults can relate to. Seniors will take note of ads featuring other seniors. And seniors are not going away any time soon. They will remain productive consumers for years to come.

[1] Martin Eisend; “Older People in Advertising;” Journal of Advertising 2022, Vol. 51; No. 3, pp.308-322

[2] Katie Hicks; “Older adults are still underrepresented in ads, new study finds;” Marketing Brew; 8-24-2023

[3] Eisend

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “2023 Marketing Week Career & Salary Survey;” Marketing Week

[7] Eisend

[8] Michelle Warren; “Missing In Action: Why Is Advertising Ignoring Adults Over the Age of 50?” YOUAREUNLTD; 3-31-2023