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A new AARP study reveals a positive shift over the past five years in how adults 50-plus are portrayed online. Overall, negative sentiment in online media and marketing images dropped from 28% in 2018 to just 10% in 2023.
The 50-plus population is pictured as more active and independent, less fearful, and more likely to use technology, reflecting a growing recognition of older adults' active lifestyles and valuable engagement in society.
At the same time, challenges remain. Images of adults age 50-plus in the workplace remained unrealistically rare, while depictions of this age group spending time with family actually fell over the past five years.
“At AARP, we have been leading the fight to combat ageism in marketing and media imagery, and it looks like the creative industry is starting to really listen,” said AARP Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Martha Boudreau. “As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. In the age of social media, and with the ubiquity of advertising across people’s daily lives, this is more true than ever. The images we see shape what we think and can even influence how we act towards one another. Progress has been made in improving how 50-plus adults are portrayed but we still have a lot of work to do. Studies like these point the way forward and give us a solid roadmap for how to continue to make things better.”
The study analyzed a random sample of over 1,000 online images and 500 videos featuring adults 50-plus from brands and thought leaders posted on news sites and social media with at least two million followers or readers. Political content was excluded.
Positive improvements include:
Opportunities for further improvement include:
The research tracked still images and video content, with video proving to be more successful at showing adults 50-plus interacting with others, outside the home and using technology.
Learn more about this study at AARP.org/50plusmedia.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.