The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released a report criticising the portrayal of older people in advertising, highlighting negative stereotypes and concerns about targeting of end-of-life services. The report found that many adverts reduce older individuals to outdated stereotypes, making them feel invisible.
One advert singled out was for Strathmore Foods, which showed an elderly man shouting at a child and eating a microwave dinner alone, implying loneliness and grumpiness. The ASA said such portrayals are offensive and behind the times.
A survey of 4,000 adults found that over a third thought people over 55 were negatively stereotyped in ads, and nearly half found ads showing older people as unable to use technology potentially offensive. Over a fifth believed depicting ageing as something to be ‘fought’ could cause harm.
Focus groups reviewed 34 ads from brands including Amazon, Cadbury, and LinkedIn. An ad with the strapline “Parents don’t get B2B” was considered most harmful, while a JD Williams ad saying “Feeling more girlfriend than grandma” divided opinion, with some seeing it as positive and others reinforcing negative ideals.
Nearly half of respondents said humour at the expense of older people could cause offence, and 44% believed older people were underrepresented in ads, especially in fashion, beauty, and technology. Concerns were also raised about targeted ads for funeral services and care homes on daytime TV.
Kam Atwal, ASA research lead, 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 wants ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today.”
