How Over-70s Went From Invisible to Influential in Just 25 Years

It’s fair to say that the over 70 age segment has undergone somewhat of a makeover in the last 25 years. In just a quarter of a century, stereotypes have been ripped up and businesses view this age group in an entirely new light. There was a time when businesses wouldn’t target this age group; it was assumed they were offline, uninterested in technology and not prepared to spend on vanity products. To some extent, these assumptions were correct. But that’s certainly not the case today.

A 70-year-old today looks very different to the year 2000. They’re online for a start, healthier, digitally savvy and more culturally aware. In short, an elderly consumer is now far closer to a young 20-something in terms of behaviour than ever before.

A Generational Shift

In the year 2000, a now 70-year-old would have been 45 and in touch with technology and culture. In the next ten years, they’d adopt smartphones and social media. They’d be the first adults to experience being online outside of their home and see online stores replace bricks and mortar.

They’d also experience the boom in industries such as health, beauty and cosmetics; industries that were once thought of as a young person’s game. In contrast to their predecessors, they entered their 70s sharing many similarities with their children and even grandchildren which drastically changed the way they were viewed as consumers.

The Digital Senior Is Here

While older adults aren’t chronically online in the same way younger users are, 70-somethings are certainly active. And they’re not just purchasing, they’re consuming and influencing on the same platforms as millennials and Gen Z. The stereotype of over 70s not being able to use modern technology has well and truly gone. This makes them accessible to brands in a way they weren’t at the start of the 2000s, while older individuals are also now extremely capable of growing personal brands too.

There’s no better demonstration of the above sentence than Kris Jenner and her recent 70th birthday. Not only was the birthday much talked about in pop culture, but it demonstrated how an older adult can influence in a variety of different areas, including entertainment, beauty and fashion.

Redefining 70

The overall impact of being more in touch with modern culture means that a 70 year old today closely resembles a 50 year old of years gone by. It’s not uncommon for an over 70 to be physically active, to travel more and to seek out modern day health & beauty trends and so forth.

Perhaps the best example of how older consumers have redefined 70 comes from the aesthetics industry. Once an industry that would’ve overlooked this age group, is now actively targeting older individuals as a result of non-cosmetic and cosmetic surgery becoming more normalised among society, including older adults who are now open to procedures such as a facelift.

The Gap Between Generations Has Shrunk

From a business or marketing perspective, it’s important to understand that the behaviour of an individual in their 70s has never been closer to that of someone in their 20s. Individuals of all ages are now living in the same world so to speak, there’s no longer a clear divide between young and old.

Whether this makes things easier or harder for brands is open to debate. It’s harder to target a certain demographic when everyone is following the same creators and browsing the same platforms. But at the same time, reach is naturally amplified as a result of a more digitally active society.

What doesn’t need to be debated though, is the fact that older adults are providing a plethora of new opportunities to brands in a range of industries. Beauty brands have benefited from seniors being more open to undergoing new procedures, as already mentioned.

Fashion brands have reassessed if and how they target older age groups too. With no clear age limit on contemporary style, it certainly becomes more worthwhile.

Interestingly, this age group is also one of the most active travellers. Not only are they open to more frequent travel post retirement, they also seek out more luxurious opportunities thanks to higher levels of disposable income. The end result is a more profitable consumer.

In terms of the technology sector, it’s imperative that brands don’t overlook adults in the over-70 category. Those who have recently passed, or are about to pass this milestone, are more than open to using apps, wearing smart devices and completing tasks on mobile devices.

Final Thoughts

In just 25 years, a 70 year old individual looks very different. Online, they’ve gone from overlooked to influential. From a consumer standpoint, they’ve gone from forgotten about to dollar signs. But this is just the beginning, and it’s important to remember that in another 25 years’ time, today’s 45 year olds will also be celebrating their 70th birthdays, and potentially kickstarting a whole new way we look upon our elders.

Photo Credit

Photo by Matt Bennett on Unsplash

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.