In with the Old: Why Companies Are Using Older Models in Their Advertising

For decades, older women had been ignored as a demographic target by the fashion and advertising industries who were busy catering to the coveted 18-to-34 demographic. However, lately, we’ve seen an increasing number of fashion brands feature women over 50 in their runway shows, magazine spreads, TV ads, and billboards. Does this mean an end to an advertising era that originated back in the Mad Men days when age defined interest? Perhaps, but not only.

In recent years, some of the biggest fashion brands have been using models over 50 in their marketing campaigns. Back in 2014, Donatella Versace featured Madonna, who was then 55, in her spring line, making a powerful statement about women being themselves and “how we can do what we want, and get what we want, and do so for all of our lives.”

This bold move of a beautiful and powerful woman in her 50s taking the spot of the typical in-demand 25-year-old model shifted the status quo and was picked up by a number of big designer brands. Today, we can see some of the most famous fashion houses and retailers use older models in their presentations and campaigns. And brands from other industries like Wildz are following in their steps, too.

It would appear that the advertising industry is finally paying attention to an age group of women that had been ignored in the past. Millennials are not the only ones who are interested in fashion, luxury goods, and an active lifestyle. Today, older women have not only the means but also the desire to look and feel good and live life to the fullest. They are healthier than in previous generations and have more time and means to spend not only during their retirement years but even before that.

As companies now realize the commercial potential of women in the over-50 bracket, they want to feature models that will look like that targeted demographic. These models show an attitude that’s different from chasing youth and perfection; instead, they look like real women who are enjoying life.

This turning of the tide in fashion and advertising has also ushered in a new era for influencers. When you look at social media platforms from a few years ago and compare them to today’s feeds, a change in style and aesthetic becomes instantly evident. There has been a new wave of influencers who are reinforcing a new, natural, unfiltered aesthetic and providing an honest insight into their lives. Today, fashion and beauty influencers over the age of 40 are not a new concept, as people on social media are already looking for more authenticity and less airbrushing.

In the new big data paradigm, all age groups can influence the cultural zeitgeist. Today, 34 percent of the US population is aged 50 and over, with these numbers rapidly increasing as the baby-boom generation ages. Similarly, people over 50 now make up 40 percent of all consumer spending in Britain. Naturally, brands are waking up to this demographic group’s potential and are realizing that women’s interest in fashion and style doesn’t just end when they reach a certain age. But these changes in advertising and social media also portray a more profound message – one of representation and empowerment.

Photo Credit

Image by Russell Clark from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Awais Dar

Awais is passionate to write about health, tech , education , finance as well as for business fundamentals.