It got me to thinking. When I started in this business I asked what happened to people when they reached 40 – definitely old in my view then. They opened pubs and wine bars was the best response anyone could give me.
Advertising was and still largely is a young person’s profession. Other professions value the wisdom that comes with age but advertising isn’t one of them. Advertising values energy and creativity, two things believed to be associated with youth.
This isn’t necessarily true – the Economist for example identifies the creativity of “Late Bloomers”.
However it is still widely believed in the industry that youth rules.
And advertising puts little value on accumulated knowledge – one reason for the paucity of training programs in the industry.
It certainly makes me very aware of being over 50. And judging by the way some people my age in advertising dress and cut their hair I am not alone.
One result is I hate those ads on my Facebook page offering deals to those over 50.
(Don’t get me started on online “targeting”. You do not know me just because you have some data on me. I am not a number. I am a free man)
But things may be changing. As we boomers approach retirement with our amassed wealth (I wish) we become an important target and these young people just don’t get it. I don’t know who did the Grey Power ad but it wasn’t aimed at people like me and I’ll bet they’re too young to buy Grey Power.
As Rick Mercer perceptively notes the sub-text is that Grey Power customers are past it and that’s not me.
I’m equally sure that the people who wrote these next two ads – one for Sony Camcorders and one for Red Meat are. Of course, someone will tell me I’m wrong and they were written by 20 year olds but until then I’ll continue with my belief that people like me are still needed.
Sony Camcorder
Red Meat
If anyone knows how to make these images clickable please let me know. Thanks
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