Older people ‘bombarded’ with ads for funerals, ASA finds
Almost half (44%) felt that older people are underrepresented or not represented at all in categories such as fashion, beauty, technology and household goods
Many older people feel misrepresented and overlooked in advertising, saying they were frequently “bombarded” by adverts for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids, according to new research from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The findings come amid changing demographic trends, with people in the UK living longer and remaining active in work, family and community life well into later years.
However, the ASA’s research, which is based on a survey of more than 4,000 UK adults, suggests that advertising has not kept pace with this shift.
Among the key findings, 35% of respondents agreed that older people are negatively stereotyped in advertising, while 49% said humour at the expense of older people was likely to cause offence. Almost half (44%) felt that older people are underrepresented or not represented at all in categories such as fashion, beauty, technology and household goods.
The public expressed a desire for more authentic portrayals, with people across age groups saying they want to see real older individuals featured in ads, rather than characters defined by age. Those aged 55 and over were more likely than younger respondents to agree that “age is just a number” and to report feeling “comfortable in their own skin”.
Kam Atwal, research lead at the Advertising Standards Authority, 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is a real opportunity for brands to embrace the true diversity of later life and take a leading role in challenging outdated perceptions.”
Although the ASA is not proposing new rules at this stage, it hopes the research will encourage advertisers to consider the impact of their portrayals of older people.