Older people say they are being “bombarded” by campaigns for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids by “out-of-touch” mainstream advertising, a study has found.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said more than a third of the UK population (35%) agreed that older people tended to be negatively stereotyped in ads, with other depictions such as forgetfulness, frailty or not being able to use technology also seen as potentially offensive.
While not offensive, depictions such as older people always being wealthy or grumpy, or ads that showed them doing extreme and unrealistic activities, were found to be cliched and irritating.
Almost half (49%) said ads using humour at the expense of older people were likely to cause offence.
Some 44% believed that older people were either underrepresented or not represented at all in ads, particularly in categories like fashion, beauty, technology and household goods.
Respondents also raised concerns about how ads were targeted, saying they felt “bombarded” by promotions for end-of-life services such as funerals or cremations, life insurance and care homes.
The ASA’s report, based on focus groups and a survey of 4,000 UK adults, said older people were not only living longer but also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities and the economy for longer.
However, many of those surveyed said that advertising too often painted a “very different and outdated picture”.
The watchdog said ads showing older people as lonely, purposeless or powerless could be harmful – especially for those aged 75 and over, for whom these portrayals reinforced fears about ageing and social isolation.
It also flagged beauty ads that suggested ageing must be “fought” as potentially harmful.
In particular, women aged 65 and over recognised the potential for these ads to cause harm to the self-esteem of women of all ages.
The ASA said the findings suggested the ad industry may be “out of touch” with the reality of ageing.
Instead, the public wanted advertising to focus on individuals rather than their age, and portray a diverse range of later-life experiences.
The ASA said: “When ads show older people as vibrant, capable and real, they help rewrite the story of ageing and how we perceive older generations.
“Not only this, but older people represent a significant market with substantial spending power, making them a vital audience for brands that want to stay relevant.
“While we’re not currently proposing any new rules, we’re hoping that by sharing this research, advertisers will understand how some portrayals of older people are landing with the public today – and where there may be unintended consequences.”
Kam Atwal, research lead at the ASA, said: “As a society, we’re living longer, richer and more varied lives.
“Our research reveals that some of today’s portrayals of older people in advertising are not being received positively, and that the public want ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today.
“This is a real opportunity for brands to embrace the true diversity of later life and take a leading role in challenging outdated perceptions.”
Harriet Bailiss, co-head of the Age Without Limits campaign, run by the Centre for Ageing Better charity, said: “We really welcome this excellent report from the ASA.
“We live in a society where ageism is the most common form of discrimination. We should all want that to end and we all have a role to play in making that happen.
“Advertising has such a powerful influence on society and can help bring about that change and be a force for good, as it has already been for changing other outdated perceptions.”
