Ageing is a truism of life. But advertisements often tend to overlook this critical aspect. There are plentiful examples of stereotypical portrayals of older people. Senior citizens are often seen lingering in the background as a space filler. A silent patriarch in a car commercial, a dutiful grandmother as a symbol of tradition in a jewellery advertisement and a physically unfit uncle in a health food promotion. Or, look no further than a technologically-challenged couple in an advertisement that drives home the point of the yawning generation gap in a subtle celebration of regressive consumer behaviour.
These examples underscore a lack of dynamic roles for senior citizens in brand promotions.
The missing demographic
A study, conducted by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in partnership with Kantar and Unstereotype Alliance, revealed a disturbing trend. Less than 4 per cent of advertisements feature older people.
Can the advertising industry stop patronising senior citizens and look beyond outdated stereotypes? Can it look beyond portrayals of them as fragile, technologically-challenged, or, worse, as the moral compass for younger generations? Can it treat them as multifaceted individuals with a zest for life?
These are moot points for brands and advertising professionals to ponder.
India is at the cusp of a socio-economic revolution. Senior citizens are embracing discretionary spending — on holidays, fashion, entertainment, beauty, etc — like never before.
They are pampering themselves with the attention and love they have long deserved. They are discovering new brands and products. They are reinventing themselves to be in sync with the changes. Usually, they have more disposable income than an average 30-year-old.
Yet, they are strikingly underrepresented in ads, pointed out Manisha Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Secretary-General of ASCI in a LinkedIn post.
This is a missed opportunity not just as far as representation in advertisement is concerned but also for brands to engage with an audience that is both able and ever willing to spend. Senior citizens are not just a relic of the past. For businesses, they represent both here and now and the future.
Karishma Changroth, a founding member at Talented and an award-winning brand strategist, highlighted that underrepresenting senior citizens is a failure to recognise their economic power, which, inadvertently, hurts a brand’s revenue potential.
Brands that recognise the opportunity can attract the attention and wallet grab at the earliest to nurture an engaged and loyal audience for a long-term. When this audience feels seen, they are extremely loyal to a brand. Spends aside, inclusivity also elevates a brand’s reputation. A consumer ought to see senior citizens as more than comic relief or a public service announcement (PSA) for a healthcare brand.
Rutu Mody Kamdar, the founder of Jigsaw Brand Consultants, cited the irony in the advertising industry. “The industry is obsessed with projecting youth as an aspiration. But it has failed to notice that the real aspiration for many lies in embracing and celebrating their stage of life. This disconnect makes much of today’s advertising irrelevant to the demographic that holds the purse strings,” she said.
The creative case
Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO and co-founder of TheSmallBigIdea, observed that though inclusivity could be the bedrock of storytelling, advertisers must steer clear of any kind of stereotypical portrayal.
He suggested that a lot of brilliant narrative opportunities exist for brands to tap into the equation between Generation Z and their grandparents.
An advertisement put out by Indian online food ordering and delivery firm Swiggy is a classic case in point.
The advertisement, featuring an elderly couple called Shailja and Pradeep, implies the narrative of celebrating senior citizens beyond stereotypes. By showcasing empty nesters rediscovering love, joy, and companionship through shared experiences such as food and badminton, the brand seeks to portray the couple as dynamic individuals living life to the fullest.
Challenges: Industry perception
N. Chandramouli, CEO at TRA Research, a consumer analytics and brand insights agency, argued that the reason advertisements use fewer older people is that the yesteryear generation doesn’t want to see themselves in the light they are being portrayed, unless they are weak and infirm and are depicted in a healthcare setting.
The contradiction is that while they are the demographic with the largest pool of disposable income and their committments and liabilities are behind them, they refuse to see themselves in that light. They like to see a 40-50-year-old representing a 60-year-old.
Advertisements aim to multiply a brand’s sales. Chandramouli appeared unconvinced if the 60-year-olds would find their age group representing them all that flattering.
The older generation is getting stereotyped because most of the advertising, especially digital, is targeted at the younger lot. The Gen Zs are driving 40 per cent of consumption in the country. Amid this scenario, it’s difficult to bring an older person into the advertising ecosystem. “Imagine, I’m making an advertisement for headphones. It’s difficult for me to get someone who is 60-plus into that ecosystem. You only have a 30-second video to communicate the brand’s message. How do you do it?” Chandramouli said in a riposte to the argument.
Elderly demographic bulge
India’s senior population is projected to account for roughly 20 per cent of the total population by 2050. An audience of this size — with about half a century of life experiences each — cannot be considered a monolith.
Advertisements should avoid pushing narratives of anti-aging and instead celebrate vitality and individuality. Avoid portraying them solely as caregivers or nostalgic individuals looking back on their prime, according to Kamdar.
Changroth stressed the need for representation baked into pitches, briefs, and campaigns. “Onboard senior consultants-copywriters, designers and strategists, who can infuse authenticity to the representation. Stop using data as a shield for lazy stereotypes. Instead, invest in qualitative research to understand senior citizens’ desires, habits and aspirations that help you look at the actual cultural, emotional and financial impact they can have. Recalibrate the industry perception,” she suggested.
Hope springs eternal among a section of brand strategists.
Senior citizens are not a fringe demographic, but will jump on the mainstream bandwagon soon. Perhaps, time for advertising professionals to wake up and smell the coffee.