Latest news with #AdvertisingStandardsAuthority
Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
I'm sick of old people clichés on TV – last time I checked we're living rich, fulfilled lives
Are you an older person? Do you feel 'bombarded' by adverts for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids? Ah, bless. I have every sympathy, why when I become… wait, these commercials are aimed at the over-55s? That's me! Seriously. Me! I'm not dependent and defenceless, I'm not about to cark it. And even if I were, it wouldn't give me any peace of mind knowing my casket is all paid for. I need that money for flamenco lessons and overpriced restaurants that only sell small plates. I've still got a teenager at home for pity's sake – and no, she's not my grandchild. But in the eyes of today's proverbial Mad Men, I'm fair game for both funeral plans and weaponised skincare products that promise to 'fight' sign of ageing and banish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles – because why on earth would anyone want to look like a (whisper it) midlife woman. According to a poll by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), older people are fed up with being 'reduced to outdated stereotypes' depicting them as lonely and vulnerable. And it's not all in their (our?) minds. More than a third of the UK population believes that older people are 'negatively stereotyped' in ads which depict them as 'lonely, purposeless or powerless'. What an indictment. Maybe our contemporary Don Drapers and Peggy Olsens could remind themselves how times and generations have changed by catching up with current television shows, which have evolved – and are all the better for it. It's chastening to know that in the rebooted Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was 55, and her friends Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York were 54, making them around the same age as Rose, Dorothy and Blanche in the early seasons of The Golden Girls. I know, right? In this new research, people of all ages said they wanted to see more 'authentic and realistic' portrayals of older people, avoiding binary depictions of pensioners as 'always being wealthy or grumpy'. Bring back the classic Renault Clio adverts, I say, where Nicole kept finding her Papa getting up to French mischief in Aix en Provence. That's how ageing ought to look – and not a Werther's Original in sight. Given that Ofcom figures show 82 per cent of Baby Boomers watch television compared with 48 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds, the whole industry needs to pivot. We need more series like the fabulous Last Tango in Halifax – would anyone dare tell the magnificent Anne Reid she was in need of a stairlift? Or what about Vera? DCI Stanhope (played by Brenda Blethyn) outwitting criminals and whippersnapper colleagues alike for 14 years. Losing her marbles? Aged 79, she had more bloomin' marbles than the British Museum. Admittedly she was a bit grumpy – but crucially, she wasn't just grumpy. And it's the retrograde one-dimensional tropes that advertising needs to axe. It seems crazy in this day and age but in mainstream commercials, an old person is still regarded as visual shorthand for 'out of touch' and 'in need of care'. That's why I hollered with joy when a friend recently sent me a video from Instagram featuring a catwalk show of stunning elderly models sashaying down the runway in jaw-dropping pleated dresses. It was, quite simply, joyful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WAM | AI Cats, Ads & Art (@wearemidjourney) Only afterwards did we both realise it had been dreamed up by AI. It was both impressive and alarming. After all, what does it say about the creatives dominating the advertising sector when artificial intelligence has a clearer – and saliently, more creative – vision of the future than they do? Older people are quite rightly cavilling at being lazily written off as hopeless and socially isolated. And that needs to be reflected in commercials as well as in programming schedules. Think of Rip Off Britain, fronted by the redoubtable Gloria Hunniford, now 85, with a roster of other high-profile women of a certain age. And who could resist the humour and charm of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing? Bob Mortimer is 66 and Paul Whitehouse 67. I wonder how they would react if a bloke in a cardigan turned up on the banks of the River Frome trying to flog them a couple of shower chairs? The BBC's new crime caper Death Valley, which debuted last month, has proved to be a ratings winner. Its star? Timothy Spall aged – pass the commode! – 68. I really do hope this new survey will give advertisers pause and mark a real sea change. And not just advertisers; woe betide the next politician who next describes older voters as a 'demographic time bomb' as though their very existence were a threat to the young. The 'othering' of a huge proportion of the electorate won't wash these days. It's insulting and reductive to start offering us funeral plans at 55 – and not just now and then but in every ad break on daytime telly – when many of us are immersed in the most rewarding peak of our careers and the rest are planning the next footloose-and-fancy-free chapter of our lives.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Older people ‘bombarded' with ads for funerals, care homes and mobility aids
Older people say they are being 'bombarded' by campaigns for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids by 'out-of-touch' mainstream advertising, a study has found. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said more than a third of the UK population (35%) agreed that older people tended to be negatively stereotyped in ads, with other depictions such as forgetfulness, frailty or not being able to use technology also seen as potentially offensive. While not offensive, depictions such as older people always being wealthy or grumpy, or ads that showed them doing extreme and unrealistic activities, were found to be cliched and irritating. Almost half (49%) said ads using humour at the expense of older people were likely to cause offence. Some 44% believed that older people were either underrepresented or not represented at all in ads, particularly in categories like fashion, beauty, technology and household goods. Respondents also raised concerns about how ads were targeted, saying they felt 'bombarded' by promotions for end-of-life services such as funerals or cremations, life insurance and care homes. The ASA's report, based on focus groups and a survey of 4,000 UK adults, said older people were not only living longer but also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities and the economy for longer. However, many of those surveyed said that advertising too often painted a 'very different and outdated picture'. The watchdog said ads showing older people as lonely, purposeless or powerless could be harmful – especially for those aged 75 and over, for whom these portrayals reinforced fears about ageing and social isolation. It also flagged beauty ads that suggested ageing must be 'fought' as potentially harmful. In particular, women aged 65 and over recognised the potential for these ads to cause harm to the self-esteem of women of all ages. The ASA said the findings suggested the ad industry may be 'out of touch' with the reality of ageing. Instead, the public wanted advertising to focus on individuals rather than their age, and portray a diverse range of later-life experiences. The ASA said: 'When ads show older people as vibrant, capable and real, they help rewrite the story of ageing and how we perceive older generations. 'Not only this, but older people represent a significant market with substantial spending power, making them a vital audience for brands that want to stay relevant. 'While we're not currently proposing any new rules, we're hoping that by sharing this research, advertisers will understand how some portrayals of older people are landing with the public today – and where there may be unintended consequences.' Kam Atwal, research lead at the ASA, 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 want ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today. 'This is a real opportunity for brands to embrace the true diversity of later life and take a leading role in challenging outdated perceptions.' Harriet Bailiss, co-head of the Age Without Limits campaign, run by the Centre for Ageing Better charity, said: 'We really welcome this excellent report from the ASA. 'We live in a society where ageism is the most common form of discrimination. We should all want that to end and we all have a role to play in making that happen. 'Advertising has such a powerful influence on society and can help bring about that change and be a force for good, as it has already been for changing other outdated perceptions.'
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Older people stereotyped as rich and grumpy in ‘offensive' adverts, watchdog says
Elderly people are too often stereotyped as grumpy, wealthy or forgetful in offensive and harmful adverts, a watchdog has warned. In new research carried out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), a third of respondents thought older people tended to be negatively portrayed in adverts. The survey of 4,000 people also found older people were being 'bombarded' by campaigns for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids. Depictions of the elderly as lacking purpose, frail, isolated and showing ageing as something to be fought were viewed as the most likely to cause harm, the survey found – given their potential to reinforce fears about growing older and social isolation. Adverts making jokes at the expense of older people, and those depicting them as forgetful or unable to understand technology, were seen to be among the most likely to cause offence, or else to be irritating to viewers. The ASA's report said older people were not only living longer but also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities and the economy for longer. However, many of those surveyed said that advertising too often painted a 'very different and outdated picture', while the watchdog said its finding suggested the advertising industry may be 'out of touch' with the reality of ageing. Instead, the public wanted advertising to focus on individuals rather than their age, and portray a diverse range of later-life experiences. One advert highlighted by the watchdog as 'a good example of the subjectivity of humour and its link to offence' was a TV ad for Strathmore Foods, in which an elderly man is proudly cleaning his car only for it to be hit by a muddy football. The man is seen to lose his temper with a child who shouts: 'Oi grandad, give us my ball back', before the screen cuts to him contentedly tucking into a McIntosh of Strathmore ready meal, with the punctured football placed next to him on the table with a knife sticking out of it. Describing the award-winning advert as 'polarising', the watchdog said: 'Several [focus group] participants enjoyed the humorous tone taken in the ad. Not only did it go some way to show older people still have a sense of humour, but also that older people still have 'spirit' or 'feistiness' that is not usually shown in ads. 'However, others felt the humorous tone and portrayal could cause offence as it reinforced stereotypes of older people as grumpy and intolerant of younger generations. The focus on the older man living alone and eating a ready meal, was also felt to imply that all older people are lonely and isolated. 'There were other, underlying concerns about the themes in the ad including intergenerational conflict, knife crime and vindictiveness.' Another advert viewed as potentially harmful by focus groups was a LinkedIn ad in which a woman is interviewed about what her son does for work, saying: 'He says he sells clouds, he works in a cloud company and sells clouds to other companies that want clouds ... He says they're invisible. Maybe I shouldn't have let him play so many video games.' A voiceover then says: 'Parents don't get B2B. LinkedIn does.' The watchdog said the focus on the woman in the advert was 'entirely on her age' and felt 'demeaning with potential to impact an older person's confidence and societal views toward older peoples' ability to use tech'. While the focus group participants acknowledged that extremes seen in adverts could be representative of the lives of some older people, these portrayals were not considered accurate reflections of the lives of most older people, the watchdog said. Other extreme depictions highlighted by focus groups were adverts showing older people as: either physically inactive or taking part in extreme sports; either universally poor or universally wealthy; or, for women, either 'frumpy and unfashionable' or 'airbrushed and 'youthful' looking'. The ASA said: 'When ads show older people as vibrant, capable and real, they help rewrite the story of ageing and how we perceive older generations. 'Not only this, but older people represent a significant market with substantial spending power, making them a vital audience for brands that want to stay relevant. 'While we're not currently proposing any new rules, we're hoping that by sharing this research, advertisers will understand how some portrayals of older people are landing with the public today – and where there may be unintended consequences.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Older people ‘bombarded' with ads for funerals, care homes and mobility aids
Older people say they are being 'bombarded' by campaigns for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids by 'out-of-touch' mainstream advertising, a study has found. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said more than a third of the UK population (35%) agreed that older people tended to be negatively stereotyped in ads, with other depictions such as forgetfulness, frailty or not being able to use technology also seen as potentially offensive. While not offensive, depictions such as older people always being wealthy or grumpy, or ads that showed them doing extreme and unrealistic activities, were found to be cliched and irritating. Almost half (49%) said ads using humour at the expense of older people were likely to cause offence. Some 44% believed that older people were either underrepresented or not represented at all in ads, particularly in categories like fashion, beauty, technology and household goods. Respondents also raised concerns about how ads were targeted, saying they felt 'bombarded' by promotions for end-of-life services such as funerals or cremations, life insurance and care homes. The ASA's report, based on focus groups and a survey of 4,000 UK adults, said older people were not only living longer but also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities and the economy for longer. However, many of those surveyed said that advertising too often painted a 'very different and outdated picture'. The watchdog said ads showing older people as lonely, purposeless or powerless could be harmful – especially for those aged 75 and over, for whom these portrayals reinforced fears about ageing and social isolation. It also flagged beauty ads that suggested ageing must be 'fought' as potentially harmful. In particular, women aged 65 and over recognised the potential for these ads to cause harm to the self-esteem of women of all ages. The ASA said the findings suggested the ad industry may be 'out of touch' with the reality of ageing. Instead, the public wanted advertising to focus on individuals rather than their age, and portray a diverse range of later-life experiences. The ASA said: 'When ads show older people as vibrant, capable and real, they help rewrite the story of ageing and how we perceive older generations. 'Not only this, but older people represent a significant market with substantial spending power, making them a vital audience for brands that want to stay relevant. 'While we're not currently proposing any new rules, we're hoping that by sharing this research, advertisers will understand how some portrayals of older people are landing with the public today – and where there may be unintended consequences.' Kam Atwal, research lead at the ASA, 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 want ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today. 'This is a real opportunity for brands to embrace the true diversity of later life and take a leading role in challenging outdated perceptions.' Harriet Bailiss, co-head of the Age Without Limits campaign, run by the Centre for Ageing Better charity, said: 'We really welcome this excellent report from the ASA. 'We live in a society where ageism is the most common form of discrimination. We should all want that to end and we all have a role to play in making that happen. 'Advertising has such a powerful influence on society and can help bring about that change and be a force for good, as it has already been for changing other outdated perceptions.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Older people sick of lonely and vulnerable stereotype - and feel 'bombarded' by TV ads for funerals, study finds
Older people feel they are 'bombarded' by adverts for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids, a new study by the advertising watchdog has found. The elderly are fed up with being 'reduced to outdated stereotypes' depicting them as lonely and vulnerable in TV ads, according to the poll by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). More than a third of the UK population believe that older people are 'negatively stereotyped' in ads which depict them as 'lonely, purposeless or powerless'. And Brits are concerned about how ads are targeted at them, with people aged 55 and over feeling 'bombarded' by promotions for 'funeral or cremation services, life insurance and care homes', especially during daytime television. Beauty ads that suggest people have to 'fight' ageing were singled out by the public as 'potentially harmful', in particular for the 'harm to the self-esteem of women of all ages' they can cause, the poll of more than 4,000 Uk adults found. One male respondent aged between 65 and 74 told researchers: 'I think [ads about looking young] are very patronising. It's saying that you should admire to look young when frankly, I embrace my wrinkles and bald head.' People of all ages told researchers they wanted to see more 'authentic and realistic' portrayals of older people, avoiding depictions of OAPs 'always being wealthy or grumpy', for example. The study says: 'While Britain may have an ageing population, growing older today looks very different from a generation or two ago. 'Older people are not only living longer, but they're also continuing to lead full, active lives, contributing to workplaces, families, communities, and the economy for longer. 'But people in our study told us that too often, advertising paints a very different and outdated picture.' The ASA has previously banned ads that were 'likely to cause offence on the grounds of age' - including a billboard ad for electronic cigarettes depicting an older woman and younger man that suggested this was socially unacceptable. However the independent body, which regulates all forms of advertising in the UK, said that while it was not currently proposing new rules, it had carried out the research to better inform businesses of public opinion around portrayals of ageing. Kam Atwal, research lead at the ASA, 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 want ads to better reflect the varied lives older people lead today.'
