3. The global obsession with youth is Concerns related to aging center less on
undergoing a transformation, as youth and physical beauty these days than on loss of
youthfulness become increasingly less tied autonomy. The potential for physical and
to chronological age. Rather than shy away cognitive decline is of widespread concern,
from growing old, more people are as are worries over long-term financial
embracing their later years and the unique security. For these reasons, people are now
satisfactions they’ll bring. wary of pushing the limits of longevity.
Consumption gaps are shrinking as people
How one ages—and even the manner in
in older age segments continue to enjoy
which one dies—is increasingly perceived as
and employ new technologies, products,
controllable rather than predetermined. This
and entertainment options. The traditional
means people are feeling more pressure and
notion of older people withdrawing from
responsibility for a satisfactory outcome.
consumer markets no longer applies.
3
4. “There have been three
great ages of death: the
age of disaster, the age of
disease, and the age of
decay.”
—Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics, University College London
4
5. What we’ll cover:
A Tempering of Our Youth
Obsession
No Shame in Growing Old
Staying Youthful Longer
Have You Hit Your Peak?
What Worries Us About
Aging
Rejecting a Century at
Any Price
Heading Toward a New
World Order?
Things to Think About
5
6. “Why is the society obsessed with
youth? Is it a media-created thing? My
grandma says in her times only older
people were taken seriously and highly
respected. So what happened? Why is
everyone so ageist nowadays? I find it
stupid big time.”
—Giselle, posting on Yahoo! India
A Tempering of Our Youth Obsession
6
7. “Society has grown much too youth obsessed”
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat
7
8. Nicole Victoria
Jennifer Jennifer Lopez, 42 Halle Berry, 45
Oprah, 58 Connelly, 41 Kidman, 45 Beckham, 38
Eva Jessica Michelle Pfeiffer, 54 Sarah Jessica Julia Roberts, 44
Longoria, 37 Alba, 31 Parker, 47 8
9. “I have had or would consider having cosmetic surgery
to look younger”
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat
9
11. Attitudes toward cosmetic surgery now more a
generational than a gender divide
“I have had or would “Cosmetic surgery has gotten out of
consider having hand; people should be more accepting
cosmetic surgery to look of how they look at every age”
younger”
26 18 10 63 68 76
1834 3554 55+
1834 3554
55+
22 19
66 68
Female
Male
Male Female
Showing % agreeing
strongly/somewhat
11
12. No Shame in Growing Old
“The big ideal is no longer aggressive anti-aging but smart aging based on
the intention to embrace aging and all that comes with it. People want to
tune their bodies with sports, fitness, and food and their minds with sleep,
love, books, socializing, etc. in order to age well.” —Euro RSCG Germany
12
13. I intend to fight aging every
step of the way; I’ll do
Which comes anything and everything I
closer to your can to stay youthful longer
point of view? I intend to age gracefully:
there is no shame in
Showing %
13 growing old
14. “I intend to embrace aging and all that comes with it”
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat
14
20. Average global life expectancy is now 67 ,
ranging from a low of just more than 39 years in
Mozambique to nearly 83 years in Japan
That’s up from just 40 years in 1800
As the lifetime scale has been elongated, virtually
everything about how we perceive youth and aging
has shifted dramatically
20
21. Start of old age: 71
Start of middle age: 48
Showing global survey averages 21
22. At what age do men/women hit
their _______ peak?
Showing global survey averages 22
24. Which aspects
of aging worry
you?
Most worried about loss of
autonomy and function
Showing % that are
moderately/very/extremely
worried
24
25. More than 6 in 10
worry they’ll run
out of money before they die
59% fear they won’t be able
to afford adequate medical care
as they grow older
Showing % that are
moderately/very/extremely
worried
25
26. “Government needs to do
more to protect and provide
for the elderly”
64 75 84
1834 3554
55+
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat 26
27. “In our new world, people are obsessed with the idea of lifelong
autonomy and mobility—and it is changing their relationship
with aging. It’s no longer enough to age beautifully and
gracefully; now we must age in such a way that we retain our
ability to do things, to contribute and be productive, and to
remain a vital part of what’s happening around us.”
—Marianne Hurstel, Vice President, Euro RSCG’s BETC
and Global Chief Strategy Officer, Euro RSCG Worldwide
27
29. Dying scares us less than living too long—
and it’s a fear that ebbs with age
“I worry about death
and dying”
1834 3554 55+
Showing % agreeing
strongly/somewhat
29
30. Would you take a pill
that would guarantee
you’d live to 100?
30
31. “I don’t want to live into my late 90s or
early 100s; I’d rather die younger, when I’m
less frail and have more independence”
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat 31
32. “I worry that new technologies and
medical advances will extend people’s
lives to the detriment of society and the
planet”
47 42
37
1834 3554 55+
Image credit: mom-and-dad-care.com
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat 32
33. 49% believe
physician-assisted suicide
should be legal
4 in 10 would consider
physician-assisted suicide if their
health deteriorated sufficiently
33
34. “I believe there is a life
after death”
Showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat
34
38. # of men and women
aged 60+ has
doubled since 1980—
forecast to reach 2BN
by 2050
Nearly 400MM will be
aged 80+ by that
year
38
39. “ For marketers, aging consumer
populations will provide plenty of
opportunities for products and services
intended to slow the aging process,
minimize physical and cognitive
declines, maximize self-sufficiency and
mobility, and make the retirement
years safer and more satisfying.
What matters to people today as they
grow older is retaining
capabilities…People want to be able
to think, to work, to move, to travel, to
stay connected, to keep learning and
discovering for the entirety of their
lifetimes—and they will welcome
assistance from all quarters.
39
”
40. GET NEW WORDING
FROM PDF
What newly invented
product and service
categories will be
required to meet the
needs of the aged?
40
41. With governments
perceived as
falling short in
terms of
protecting and
providing for the
elderly, what is
the optimal role
for corporations
and brands?
Is there an
obligation to help
people prepare
for their later
years?
41
42. GET NEW WORDING
FROM PDF
What role can and should
brands play in promoting
the care, life satisfaction,
and dignity of the aged
and infirm?
42
43. What are the
implications of
aging populations
on
communications?
To what extent will
digital
technologies
provide a pathway
to the oldest
consumer cohorts?
43
44. Where will the
greatest cultural
influences come
from in future
decades? Where
will we find new
epicenters of
innovation?
44
45. How will attitudes toward aging
evolve as people in their 80s, 90s,
and beyond become a larger
presence?
45
46. How can financial
services companies do a
better job of persuading
consumers about the
need to save more—and
from an earlier age?
46
47. How must workplaces evolve to
accommodate the growing number of
people who must earn money past
traditional retirement age?
47
48. What needs
to be done
to make
physical
spaces—from
homes and
stores to
public parks
and
museums—
more age-
friendly?
48
49. For more insights from Euro RSCG research—and to download the
“Aging: Beyond Youth Culture” white paper—visit www.prosumer-
report.com
And follow us on Twitter (@prosumer_report)
49
50. Select images courtesy of Creative Commons @flickr.com
_ 5: Roberto_Ventre _ 28: empty007
_ 6: dirkmvp41 _ 29: bengrey
_ 7: Stilettobootlover_83 _ 31: Dylan Parker
_ 8: Gary Hayes _ 34: irunandshoot
_ 9: eschipul _ 35: Alex Schwab
_ 10: Britta Bohlinger _ 37: MamaT
_ 11: hitthatswitch _ 40: m’sieur rico
_ 12: vitavida _ 41: Howard Lake
_ 15: istolethetv _ 42: Wanderlinse
_ 18: sean dreilinger; cdharrison; maximalideal _ 44: urban don
_ 19: garryknight _ 45: The Bode
_ 20: Violentz (age 48); The Suss-Man (Mike) (age 71) _ 46: Heart Industry
_ 25: Erik Starck _ 47: kirinqueen
_ 26: McBeth
_ 27: woodleywonderworks
50
