A call to check ageism in ads

To understand ageism in brand marketing, Gen S Life scanned 50 ads earlier this year and found them underrepresenting the older age groups. It’s now asked Leapfrog Strategy Consulting for a wider study to prepare a charter that can help sensitize ad agencies and marketers on the subject

MUMBAI: Trust advertising industry veteran Meenakshi Menon to relentlessly pursue what she sets her sight on. Having launched an online marketplace Gen S Life that offers products and services for the 60+ community, she’s turned her attention to redefining how the older adults are portrayed in advertising as perpetuating any negative stereotypes has consequences.

Advertising shapes attitudes and it can be a tool to change the narrative around older adults. “On-screen stereotypes can change real-world behaviour,” says Menon, founder, Gen S Life.

Advertising shapes attitudes and it can be a tool to change the narrative around older adults. “On-screen stereotypes can change real-world behaviour,” says Menon, founder, Gen S Life.

To understand ageism in brand marketing, Gen S Life scanned 50 ads earlier this year and found them underrepresenting the older age groups. It’s now asked Leapfrog Strategy Consulting for a wider study to prepare a charter that can help sensitize ad agencies and marketers on the subject.

Ad industry regulator, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) already has a code in place for depicting the elderly in advertising. It states that no advertisement shall be permitted which derides any individual or groups on the basis of age. If an ad does so, it can be processed for a violation of the code.

Having said that, there has been marginal progress in some ads over the years. In 2021, HUL’s tea brand Brooke Bond Red Label emphasized there’s no age barrier to learning in an ad featuring sexagenarian actor Neena Gupta karaoking. Ads from Reliance Digital and Friends adult diapers have also stressed positive ageing. “More brands today recognize the value, independence and vitality of senior citizens. However, these portrayals still tend to be exceptions rather than the norm,” Kapoor says. Many brands continue to rely on reductive tropes where the elderly are shown as dependent, technologically inept, or as a source of comic relief, she says. “This imbalance contributes to a skewed perception of ageing and misses the opportunity to reflect the diversity and vibrancy of today’s older population,” Kapoor adds.

Ageism is widely prevalent and has, unfortunately, been normalized in society. Gen S Life’s preliminary analysis of 50 ads by top brands shows that when a senior is the primary subject, the physical portrayal of the character is negative. The character is overweight, frail or balding. “While this was our dipstick research, the findings are largely similar to a comprehensive survey done by the UK advertising body. That study also found that older people are negatively stereotyped in ads,” Menon says.

“If we can get rid of stereotypes around frail, tech-challenged grandparents, we will effectively, over time, make the fit, healthy and tech-savvy grandparent the norm,” she adds.

Ageism in advertising is a pity since the middle and the upper middle class salaried Indians have the financial freedom to enjoy life after sixty with owned homes, no EMIs and propensity to spend on food, travel and shopping. An earlier Gen S Life and YouGov survey showed that 43% of seniors are employed and 27% are working full-time, with a significant number in the market for new devices and cars.

It’s high time ads eschew ageism, as a CII-BCG study pegs assets controlled by Indians in the 50+ age group at $1.5 trillion by 2030, underscoring the economic potential of this segment. Besides, progressive advertising can boost sales. A Kantar-ASCI study found that ads that broke stereotypes lifted short-term sales by 32% and brand equity by 51%. “I strongly believe that a positive shift in advertising will be good for business. The societal shift will also increase the number of brands that are catering to this cohort,” says Menon.

Gen S Life hopes ASCI revises its guidelines on the depiction of the elderly in ads to focus on their financial independence, healthy ageing, active lifestyles and storylines that reflect their aspirations.

Clearly, there’s a pressing need to review how the older cohorts are shown in all media – films, TV or advertising. “The entire industry will need sensitization and tools on what to do to get the portrayal of seniors right,” Menon says.