Paul Flowers’ Post

Have you noticed that seniors rarely appear in ads? This article provides some thoughts about why they are being excluded! #Advertising #LongevityEconomy #Seniors https://lnkd.in/gHGdDpiU

AGEISM IN ADVERTISING For as long as I can remember, I’ve been irritated by marketing and advertising campaigns that subject older people to ageist, patronising and sometimes truly offensive messaging that would earn a fat slap (in colloquial Afrikaans, snotklap) if delivered in person. A case in point: my wife and I regularly watch a late-night UK television series that could conceivably be aimed at a mature audience with time on its hands. It's thoroughly enjoyable... good acting, intelligent plots and credible characters. The accompanying advertisements, presumably informed by extensive research into audience demographics, are less impressive. Here’s the problem: the advertiser is a company that sells walking aids and other equipment to elderly people. That’s perfectly fine, but the voice-over raises my hackles every time. It’s a woman who speaks slowly, with forced warmth (if you hear it, you’ll know it), as if to a mentally challenged audience. Anyone who’s confined to a wheelchair will know exactly what I mean. Why am I rabbiting on about this? Because I continue to see ageism in advertising everywhere… in magazines, newspapers and on television, and it still annoys me. Stereotypical portrayals of older consumers persist across the media, and the people behind the ads are apparently ignorant of the fact that older people control a major slice of stock markets everywhere, have masses of disposable income, are keen to spend on things and experiences they enjoy (yes, including the latest consumer tech), and are demonstrably not gaga. For some nuanced opinions, check out this article by Mediacat magazine: https://lnkd.in/euisW9xy Could a magazine aimed specifically at oldies be viable? It could indeed, and there are some very compelling examples, some better than others and some not available to the likes of us. In the latter category is a very good publication with what may be the world’s most boring title: “AARP The Magazine”. Published by the American Association of Retired Persons, it has a readership of over 38 million. Yes, million. In the UK, I decided a magazine called “The Oldie” might be a good option after I paged through a copy on the newsstand. I ordered a trial subscription but quickly cancelled after realising it was a self-indulgent pudding of boring anecdotes, pointless reminiscences and shameless name-dropping. * Full disclosure: In November last year, I wrote an article about the importance of preserving memories and submitted it to the editor of The Oldie, Harry Mount. He rejected it via his iPhone in four minutes flat, a new record for me. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that this prompted me to cancel my subscription. * The accompanying image does not represent my exercise regime. I’m not insane.

The problem with advertising that targets seniors is that most of the people creating the ads don’t understand the senior consumer. Here’s an article that explains why advertisers have trouble engaging this lucrative market segment. #LongevityEconomy #Advertising #Elderly https://lnkd.in/gqJqUymc

Paul is absolutely correct that ads geared towards senior market really need to show a better understanding of that age group. I'll add this: it's not just about advertising. It's ALL your marketing to older adults (and/or their #B2B experts). Those materials include #blogs, #case studies, even #LIposts. You also need to consider a "younger" segment. As I learned from amazing #aging guru--Jon Warner--years ago, those of us with "#senior" focus really should add in adults ages 50-64; they have a ton of the buying power. #seniors, #boomer #marketing, #economy, #marketing

With political ad fatigue rising, many brands are rethinking their strategies during this contentious election season. iSpot recently surveyed over 24,000 U.S. consumers to gauge the impact of increased political ad spend on brand advertising. The results provide valuable insights for navigating the challenges of advertising in a highly polarized environment. Explore how these findings can help you adapt your strategy and make informed decisions during this pivotal time. https://bit.ly/3zjanJV

Interesting article about why brands shouldn’t go dark during the election cycle. For us, interestingly it’s been more food and supermarket brands on Gourmet Ads that have opted to go dark this year whereas no brands on Healthy Ads. This is super important for us as a company as all Political ads are now banned in the US on Microsoft Advertising / Xandr now. #politicaladvertising #advertising #uspolitics #programmaticadvertising

Is Ryan Reynolds the number one secret to advertising success? These scores from Mint Mobile are so impressive that it begs the question! Mobile ads consistently outperform those of competitors, resonating deeply with consumers. With their consistent and recognizable style, they effortlessly boost brand visibility and drive sales. Check out the scores from Mint Mobile, and learn how to create a top-performing ad on the Zappi blog: https://lnkd.in/e5g-9AsV PS. My fave Ryan Reynolds quote for parents of young kids: “These days, I think of blinking as taking tiny little naps all day.” #advertising #consumerinsights #ryanreynolds #parentinghacks

Is your current marketing strategy robust enough to support the upcoming surge in ads and expenditures for the next five months? AdImpact reports a staggering $180.1 million in political ad spending over the last two weeks, bringing the total spending for this campaign cycle to $3.15 billion. 📊 To put this into perspective, this surpasses the $2.61 billion spent at the same point during the 2020 cycle, marking the most significant difference between the two years since the conclusion of the primary season in the spring. 🚀 #MarketingStrategy #AdSpend #CampaignInsights https://lnkd.in/eJ8vSCkq

On the surface, you might be tempted to think that the same ad strategies for Assisted Living are also the best approach for advertising Independent Living. These two worlds may both cater to seniors, but their needs, lifestyles, and the advertising tactics needed are completely different! Check out our latest blog post for our thoughts on appropriately advertising these two care types. https://lnkd.in/eXQVsEh6

Good news for advertising agencies, brands and, one can only hope, for society: new research shows that inclusive, progressive themes in commercials are good for short-term AND long-term sales. The bottom half of the internet might get a bit grim and grimy with people who can't cope with change, can't deal with diversity on-screen and get all pissy about pronouns, but... ·        62% of buyers are persuaded to buy by inclusive advertising ·        15% of buyers are more loyal to brands that advertise with an inclusive message ·        Short-term sales are boosted by nearly 3.5% in response to progressive advertising ·        There's a long-term lift of more than 16%. Most of us (thankfully) want our brands to espouse positive behaviours, tolerance and acceptance. Of course, we also want them to mean it. But either way, while there might be some noisy backlash here and there (whether from those complaining about something they've decided is 'woke', or from those who are unconvinced that a brand believes and embodies every progressive position they take), I think overall a positive message has a positive effect. Maybe, just maybe, on viewers' behaviour and attitude, as well as on the company's sales. The full report comes out later this month, apparently, but the initial overview is now published. I'll link to it in the comments. #advertisingcampaigns #progressiveadvertising #inclusivity