Older people are ignored and invisible to society

The advertising industry’s lack of interest in old people reflects a societal failing, says John Hearne.

People aged over 55 ignore adverts, because adverts ignore them, according to research by a Dublin media company, Mediavest.

It’s a conclusion that’s difficult to contradict. Sit through any television ad break, or flick through any newspaper, and the faces that you’ll see smiling out from the ads are not wrinkled. Unless the ad is for hair dye, there are no grey hairs. You’ll rarely see someone over 55 in a car ad, while, unless you’re Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell, fashion tends to pension off its models long before they hit 30.