A new report has suggested that beauty companies are missing the mark when it comes to advertising geared at Baby Boomers; with an astonishing amount of older women being said to ignore advertising all together.
The report – Elastic Generation: The Female Edit – was put together by JWT London Innovation Group, and is urging brands to remove ageist stereotypes from commercials.
The study begin: “Women in their 50s, 60s and early 70s are active, engaged and involved. Pillars of family, community and society, nothing they do is motivated by their age. It’s time for brands to take age out of the equation.”
The report found that:
- 72 per cent of women aged 53 to 72 ‘don’t pay attention’ to advertising
- 91 per cent wished marketers would treat them as people and not stereotypes
- 71 per cent suggested “they were still a kid at heart”
- 73 per cent felt upset that they were patronised in relation to technology
Further, it was reported that when it comes to cosmetics, 68 per cent that have a daily beauty routine said they use products to feel their best, not to look younger. It was also found that 81 per cent failed to recognise themselves in advertising aimed at their consumer group.
Speaking on the results, European director of JWT Innovation Group Marie Stafford, said: "When it comes to communications, brands are missing the mark. Back in 2015, our panel told us that it seemed all brands want to talk to them about is the end of life and physical decline: stairlifts, funeral plans and hearing aids. Their feelings today have not changed.
"Our collective understanding of what later life looks like remains woefully outdated. Age no longer dictates the way we live. The women of the ‘Elastic Generation’ are at the vanguard of this change, which is creating possibilities for brands to better meet their needs and support their ambitions."
