Old is cancelled - The Ageing Myths, Money and Marketing Special

About This EpisodeBy 2050, 2.1 billion people on Earth will be over 60. That is one in four humans globally, and one in three in Europe and North America. So what does that actually mean for how we live, how we are perceived, and how brands are (badly) trying to sell to us? In this episode we dig into some genuinely surprising survey data on aging stereotypes, generational attitudes, and the enormous economic power that the over-55 cohort holds -- power that marketers are largely still failing to tap into.Key TakeawaysEvery generation thinks "old" starts just far enough away from their current age to feel safe -- Gen Z puts it at 61, boomers put it at 72Boomers are statistically more progressive on gender roles and trans rights than Gen Z males, which runs completely counter to the narrative we are fedOnly 8% of global ads feature a mature adult in a primary role, and when they do, it tends to be elasticated trousers, funeral plans, or Saga cruisesOver-55s are highly brand loyal and driven by quality, customer service, and peer reviews -- not advertisingThe silver economy is worth $330 billion now and heading to $680 billion by 2035, yet brands are still largely ignoring itRetirement is no longer a single life stage -- researchers are now segmenting older adults into four behavioural tribes: Simple Contentment, Strivers, Strugglers, and Chill IndulgenceTimestamps00:09 – Opening stat: 2.1 billion people over 60 by 205000:45 – When did you first think someone was "old"? And when do you think it starts now?03:30 – The Ipsos Attitudes to Aging survey: 24,000 people, 32 countries, and what each generation actually said05:30 – Millennials think old age starts at 65; Gen Z puts it at 6106:30 – No age is too old to get married or start a degree -- what the data says about perceived capability08:00 – What would you still be doing at 80? Driving, mobility, and why stopping the car shrinks your world11:56 – Exercising into your 80s and what functional fitness actually looks like13:00 – The Silver Marketing Association survey and a preview of their July report14:20 – AI and technology: older adults are less scared of it than younger generations15:30 – The gender roles surprise: boomers more supportive of stay-at-home dads than Gen Z males18:40 – The Andrew Tate manosphere effect and what it might be doing to Gen Z survey data20:00 – If you had to work until 70, what would you do? (Record shop gets a mention)22:30 – The silver economy: $330 billion now, $680 billion by 203524:42 – The midlife men and brands survey: how over-55 males actually make purchasing decisions27:03 – Only 1.5% of TV characters are over 65, and 92% of ads cast younger adults29:26 – Brand loyalty, what makes men switch, and why customer service matters so much31:47 – Why retirement is no longer one life stage and age is a poor segmentation tool33:30 – The four tribes of the silver economy: Simple Contentment, Strivers, Strugglers, and Chill Indulgence -- which one are you?https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-generations-report-2025https://www.ipsos.com/en/golden-years-golden-opportunitieshttps://www.ipsos.com/en-us/ipsos-ai-monitor-2024