Golden years, wise mentors, and old fools: an updated typology of older characters in British TV advertising

Olsen, Dennis and Scott, Charlotte (2021) Golden years, wise mentors, and old fools: an updated typology of older characters in British TV advertising. The Journal of Aging and Social Change, 11 (2). pp. 83-94. ISSN 2576-5310

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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a media content analysis of character types employed for adults aged 50 years or over in contemporary UK TV advertising. Picking up on pre-existing typologies in the UK, a total of eight distinct character types are identified in our 2020 sample, including the Golden Ager, Perfect Grandparent, Mentor or Legacy, Comedic, Coper, Celebrity Endorser, Happy Couple, and Jane or Joe Public. The study concludes that the observed broadening of character types reflects a reduction in ageist views within UK advertising, and that recurring themes of, for example, romance are starting to break with long-standing ageist taboos.

Item Type: Article
Identifier: 10.18848/2576-5310/cgp/v11i02/83-94
Additional Information: This manuscript was accepted for publication in The Journal of Aging and Social Change on 24/04/2021. The final version of the paper will be available on the Common Ground Research Networks website at https://doi.org/10.18848/2576-5310/cgp/v11i02/83-94.
Keywords: Image of Aging, Advertising Research, Typology, United Kingdom
Subjects: Graphic arts > Advertising
Film and television > Television
Social sciences > Communication and culture
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Dennis Olsen
Date Deposited: 22 May 2021 09:38
Last Modified: 06 Feb 2024 16:05
URI: https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/7894

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