For generations, 40 has been the dreaded milestone in aging. It marked the edge of the map of youth, the point of no return on the downward stumble to crumbling old age. Adolescent behaviors and keeping options open could stretch through one’s 20s and into one’s 30s, but not into the 40s. Anyone in his or her 40s who hadn’t settled in to some form of genuine adulthood risked ridicule.
But now in 2005, turning 40 has lost some of its scare factor. Certainly it still brings the likelihood of more wrinkles, blurrier vision, graying and thinning hair, saggier skin, more body fat, and less muscle power. But most of those can be countered with diet, exercise, personal-care products, and perhaps a little judicious cosmetic surgery. And with life spans lengthening, marriage and childbirth being put off till later years, and possibilities for self-reinvention opening up, 40 increasingly is coming to be seen as more of an entrée into one’s most productive, meaningful years of life, rather than as an exit from one’s « glory days. »
« The dichotomy between the reality of today’s 40-somethings and how advertising continues to approach them spurred our decision to make 40-somethings and the number 40 the focus of our latest Work in Progress trendletter, » said Marian Salzman, EVP and Director of Strategic Content at JWT. « Protagonists portrayed in the movies, TV, and other mass media are overwhelmingly fresh 20-somethings and well-moisturized 30-somethings who could pass for younger still. Yet out in the real world, 40 and above is increasingly the norm as populations across the globe grow older. Already, 40 is the median age in Japan, and it will be in Europe by 2010. In the United States, the average age will continue to be in the upper 30s, thanks largely to the constant influx of younger immigrants, but even the U.S. is seeing a shift toward 40 as the norm. »
« What JWT trend analysts are increasingly seeing signs of, » said Salzman, « is a sort of age swap or age shuffle, as 40-somethings behave as 30-years- olds traditionally have (partying, dressing provocatively, looking young and glam, having babies, traveling, and saving next to nothing), while more and more 30-somethings seem to be acting like 40-somethings (worrying about retirement, mortgage payments, life insurance, marrying, and settling down). It’s almost as if men and women who grew up in the 1970s still feel entitled to have and do it all, while those who went through adolescence in the ’80s have reacted against the excesses of that era and the decade that followed and decided to roll up their sleeves and get down to the hard work of being bona fide adults. »
For marketers, this new reality can be tricky to navigate. It’s still not even clear what real 40-something looks like. There are plenty of 40-something celebrities, but somehow most of them look more like 30-somethings. Who would have guessed that four of the five leading ladies on « Desperate Housewives » are over 40? Smart brands and marketers need to be working now on anticipating the demand for 40-something looks that are attractive, credible, and achievable.
More urgently, they need to be more active in understanding the mindset of the new 40-something. Having been overlooked for so long — typically lumped in with baby boomers, even though their experiences of the 1960s didn’t go much beyond watching « The Monkees » and « The Mod Squad » on TV — today’s 40-somethings are reaching an age when they are feeling their own distinctiveness individually and as an age cohort. They have their own « hot buttons » from their formative years and from living so long in the shadow of the boomers. Brands and marketers need ideas and ways of communicating that ring true with this huge demographic and hold their attention.
« The world of rising 40s challenges businesses, brands, and marketers to rethink not just how they’re communicating, but their whole attitude toward age. There are unspoken assumptions that the consumer will only respond to the fantasy of being in one’s late 20s and early 30s and staying that age for as long as possible, with occasional soft-focus nods to the reality of aging, » said Salzman. « They’re out of touch. Sure, consumers are always going to want to spend time looking at sexy young things. But we think the rising 40s are equally keen to spend time with ideas that resonate with them and their current life stage. »
About JWT
JWT, which celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, ranks as the largest advertising agency brand in the United States and as the fourth largest full-service network in the world. Its parent company is WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY – News).
Contact: Samantha DiGennaro, 212-210-7336, samantha.digennaro@jwt.com
Source: JWT