Is 70 the new 40? 70 people who turn 70 in 2015

As you may know, 'mature marketing' is one of my specialisms. The population of all developed countries continues to age - yet this megatrend does not receive the attention it deserves, due in part to the youth fixation of people working in marketing and business. 

One of the key tenets of  ‘mature marketing’  is that people who are ‘old’ do not conform to outmoded assumptions and stereotypes about how ‘old’ people should  look and behave.

If proof of this were needed, have a look at this random list of well-known people who will celebrate their 70th birthdays during 2015.

There are too many well-known names here to pick out a few at random. Although I can't help but blurt out: Debbie Harry?  The Fonz?  Helen Mirren?  In many cases, we think ‘how on earth can he or she possibly be 70’ - exposing our own ageism and prejudices without even thinking. In fact,  if it weren't itself such a cliché, one is tempted to ask if 70 is the new 40.

Many of these people are still active and at the top of their game. Others were heroes, at least one was God and a select few reached the dizzy heights of my bedroom wall (and in one case, ceiling).  

People who are not so famous are no different. We're refusing to grow old in the same way as our parents, too.  In fact, psychologists have proven that we get more diverse with age.  So why do so many businesses, and so much marketing, continue to treat older people as though they were, well, old? 
       
 If your business and marketing are still stuck in a timewarp of tired thinking and outmoded clichés about the UK's ageing population, perhaps we should talk.

No guarantee as to the accuracy of this information can be given. We apologise for any errors.

---