Brands that are getting senior marketing right

Marketers love to talk about Gen Z, Millennials and “emerging audiences”. But there’s a group with bigger spending power, greater loyalty, and just as much appetite for new experiences – the over 55s.

In the UK, people aged 55+ account for over 60% of consumer wealth and more than half of discretionary spending, yet they appear in less than a quarter of UK adverts.

That’s a huge disconnect and a missed opportunity. Even those who are advertising to the over 55s are making easily avoided mistakes. Thankfully, there’s a few brands on the scene who are changing the narrative.

Best senior marketing campaigns

Saga: “Generation Experience”

Saga has long been known for over 50s products, including everything from insurance to holidays. But its recent “Generation Experience” campaign relaunched the brand’s tone and not only celebrated the over 50s, but actively challenged misconceptions about the elderly.

Rather than focusing on limitations, Saga highlights over 50s as discerning, sharp and savvy. The campaign looked to reframe older audiences as people who bring rich experience, showing that age doesn’t reduce life – it enriches it.

And Saga had the receipts to prove it. The campaign was underpinned by research which revealed that the majority (70%) of over-50s feel that representation of them is unfairly focused on age. According to a poll of 2,100 Saga customers aged 50 and over, two-thirds (67%) also say they are more likely to spend with a brand that embraces a positive view about life over 50, focused on experience rather than age.

Saga’s insight is clear: its customers feel 14 years younger than they are, and 91% say they want to try new things. The message? Age isn’t a barrier – it’s an enabler.

JD Williams: “Feeling more girlfriend than grandma”

In the fashion industry, youth tends to dominate. But in 2023, JD Williams flipped the script. Its “Feeling more girlfriend than grandma” campaign made waves by celebrating women in midlife and shone a light on the fact they’re stylish, funny, and unapologetically visible.

With lines like “No, it’s not my daughter’s – and yes, I still look hot,” JD Williams showed that fashion for women over 40 or 50 doesn’t need euphemisms or invisibility. It needs relevance, representation, and respect.

By putting older women centre stage, the brand built emotional connection and commercial edge. Once again, we’re seeing that representation is key when advertising to over 55s.

Doro: Aurora launch

Swedish tech brand Doro has long specialised in making phones that help people stay connected later in life but its new Aurora range takes that to a new level.

Rather than dumbing things down, Doro’s Aurora launch campaign speaks to independence and intuition. It highlights genuine frustrations older users face with mainstream smartphones and reframes them with wit and respect. The joke’s never on the user; it’s on bad design.

The phones themselves back this up with greater accessibility: louder sound, a help button, and an easy-view interface that makes sense, without sacrificing style or capability. And the marketing feels digital-first, proving that over-55s are just as active online as anyone else. Additionally, the ad appeals to both the end user and their likely more tech-savvy child, once again proving there’s more than just one audience when it comes to this kind of marketing.

Marketing to the over 55s

Getting senior marketing right is more important than ever. It’s clear that the over 55 audience isn’t just a demographic; it’s a dynamic, diverse and digitally engaged group with real influence and spending power. Brands like Saga, JD Williams and Doro prove that when you speak to this generation with authenticity, respect and creativity, the results follow.

For marketers, that means moving beyond stereotypes and recognising that age is not a limitation but an opportunity. Those who get it right won’t just tap into a lucrative market; they’ll build lasting loyalty with consumers who know exactly what they want, and have the means to go after it.

Harrison Carloss has worked in the over 55s market for over 20 years, developing and honing intelligent marketing strategies that appeal to older consumers. Speak to one of the team today to see how we can help your brand get senior marketing right.