Welcome to Francis Academic Press

The Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology, 2019, 1(4); doi: 10.25236/FSST.20190344.

A Study on Images of the Elderly in Advertising

Author(s)

Xiaochun Niu,  Gang Zhou

Corresponding Author:
Xiaochun Niu
Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Langugages, Dalian University of Technology 116024, China

Abstract

This article aims to study how well represented and portrayed the older people in print advertisements, how the manufacturers and marketers would like to utilize older persons in their advertisements, and consequently how these will affect the elderly’s self-esteem and societal attitudes toward them. To find out these, a questionnaire survey is conducted. And seven sets of model images of aging and older people are selected out of approximately 100 advertisements collected in current print media in the UK. Finally, 30 respondents are recruited. The results have confirmed the seven categories of elderly images in print ads. The findings also show that the respondents’ descriptions of either male or female elderly are in general positive. It concludes that the respondents’ positive attitudes towards the images of elderly in the ads designated have mirrored the advertisers’ positive attitudes towards the elderly.

Keywords

image, elderly, portrayal, advertisement, content analysis

Cite This Paper

Xiaochun Niu,  Gang Zhou. A Study on Images of the Elderly in Advertisinga. The Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology (2019) Vol. 1 Issue 4: 277-282. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSST.20190344.

References

[1] Peterson, R. T(1992). The Depictions of Senior Citizens in Magazine Advertisements: A Content Analysis. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 11, pp. 701-706.
[2] Roberts, S. D. & Zhou, N(1997). The 50 and Older Characters in the Advertisements of Modern Maturity: Growing Older, Getting Better? The Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 208-220.
[3] Langmeyer, L(1983). Age Role Portrayals in Magazine Advertisements: A Content Analysis. In Viswanaton, S. J. & Glynn, R. T. (eds.) Theories and Concepts for an Era of Change. pp. 286-290. SH Assoc. & SI uni, Carbardale.
[4] Gantz, W., Gartenberg, H. M. & Rainbow, C. K (1980). Approaching Invisibility: The Portrayal of the Elderly in Magazine Advertisements. Journal of Communication. Vol. 30, pp. 56-60.
[5] Miller, P. N., Miller, D. W., Mckibbin, E. M. & Pettys, G. L (1999). Stereotypes of the Elderly in Magazine Advertisements 1956-1996. INTL. Aging and Human Development, Vol. 49, pp. 319-337.