Ageism on TV Hurts Everyone

Why do commercials imply that people over 50 are dimwits about tech?

Where’s the gray hair in tech ads? / Credit: Samsung

You see a lot of hair colors in the ads for new autumn smartphones. But one color is noticeably absent: gray. That’s especially true in tech ads.

Most Americans aged 50–64 own a smartphone. But older people appear in only 15 percent of media images used by popular groups or brands, according to an AARP study. Only five percent of those ads show the over-50s using tech like tablets, laptops, or smartphones.

Ageist images of men and women also infect ads for drugs, vacations, household products, and more. Interested in learning more about them? You might enjoy my critique of common stereotypes in TV ads:

Five Ways TV Commercials Insult People Over 50