The portrayal of older characters in magazine advertising

Abstract

Older consumers have grown in number and affluence in the UK, but past research evidence suggests that they are less likely to be portrayed in advertisements than younger people. The wisdom of this approach has been questioned, particularly where depictions of older people feature caricature portrayals of infirmity. Older people today are more likely to be fit and active, and desire to see themselves portrayed as such in advertisements. Investigates whether UK advertisements feature older people, and the nature of that portrayal, and compares and contrasts the findings with past studies in the USA and UK. The results suggest that in UK magazines specifically targeted at older consumers, the advertisements do contain acceptable levels of older characters portrayed in a favourable manner.