Advertising fails the age test

Not only are the over-55s inadequately represented in TV advertising, but they are also much harder to please than younger viewers, according to new research from System1.

Why it matters

Wise Up!, a study from the marketing decision-making platform in partnership with broadcaster ITV, found that over 55s appear in just 23% of ads. But this group accounts for nearly one-third of the UK population; for 65% of TV impressions and 60% of the UK’s wealth, a recalibration of target audiences may be in order.

Key findings 

In addition to the visibility issue among older people in ads, there is also gender disparity: it was far rarer for older women to star in ads than older men.

Only 5 out of 56 ads experienced a higher score in terms of emotional response with older audiences compared to the general population, with some performing considerably worse with the older demographic. 

Older viewers had more complaints about ad length, generic content and lack of interest.

Key quote

“The older demographic is a massive commercial opportunity for brands, but too often they’re ignored or portrayed inaccurately. Wise Up! is an actionable playbook that brands and agencies can follow to develop creative that entertains audiences and contributes to long-term growth” – Jon Evans, Chief Customer Officer, System1.

Methodology

System1 analysed 2021’s top 1,000 ads by media spend in the UK, coding work from 422 brands based on age and gender. More than 50 were tested via its Test Your Ad platform, to measure emotional response among the general public as well as the over-55s and over-65s.

Sourced from System1, ITV