Photo of older woman in a check shirt looking sceptical

Media panel ‘flabbergasted’ at marketing’s age bias

Marketing to people aged 55 and over shouldn’t be all about retirement, grey hair and anti-ageing. Instead, brands should remember their spending power, and better target their advertising.

Published: 17 August 2024
  • national
  • 17 August 2024
  • Mumbrella

Speaking on a panel at the recent Mumbrella360 marketing conference, Channel Nine’s Karl Stefanovic and Deborah Knight joined Lisa Day, director of Nine’s Powered, and Michelle Newton, head of cultural forecasting at Fiftyfive5, to discuss the age bias in marketing’s obsession with youth.

People aged 55-64 have the strongest financial foundation, dominating weekly household spending and supporting younger generations, which in turn drives the economy. However, they are often overlooked in marketing.

“The world desperately wants us to believe that growing older is about losing,” Day said. “But we believe it’s about winning. More freedom, confidence, experience and adventure. People are growing bolder, but the targeted advertising doesn’t reflect this.