Disrupting Aging During the “Age of Disruption” [INSIGHT]

By Louis Maldonado /  Managing Director at expósito & Partner

Last Friday’s HispanicAd News Alert publicized the results of a study that Ipsos conducted on behalf of CarMax, where the headline read, “Today’s Mid-Life Crisis Car Almost as Likely to be an SUV or a Sedan as a Sports Car – Make it Black …or Silver, or Blue, or Red!”  The study examined the types of cars adults would purchase during a mid-life crisis, where they found that people are almost as likely to purchase an SUV or a sedan as the proverbial mid-life crisis vehicle, the sports car.  While that may seem a bit surprising to many, the results actually reflect a mindshift happening in today’s society.

Since being tapped as the Hispanic Agency of Record for AARP in 2011, we have learned a thing or two about the reality of aging during today’s age of technology.  It’s no secret that we are living longer due to technological advances in health and medicine, and the digital era has facilitated our ability to work longer and pursue our passions like never before.  This dynamic has created common sayings, like “50s are the new 30s” and “60s are the new 40s”.  But this study shows that this conventional thinking doesn’t accurately capture the shift occurring in our society.  After all, what person with the 30-year-old mindset wouldn’t want to choose the sports car?  

The reality is that most 50- and 60-year-olds don’t have that mindset, nor are they experiencing mid-life crises that cause them to defy their age.  This includes Hispanics 50+ who, by the way, mirror the car-buying habits noted in the Ipsos study.  Instead, Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike are embracing their age and realizing that, with their wisdom and life experience, there are still numerous possibilities at their fingertips.  Granted, this can still bring some tension or uncertainty as they work to figure out what’s next for them, but they are empowered and motivated by the choices that now exist; ones that previous generations did not have.

Given this dynamic, AARP is challenging us to disrupt aging by owning our age and not letting ourselves be defined by the old thinking and expectations of what life at a certain age should be.  Instead, we should reimagine what aging means, so that “50 is the new 50” and “60 is the new 60”.   This is timely, since Boomers – a rebellious group that came of age during an era of dramatic social change – are well into their 50+ life stage and Gen-Xers – known for bucking expectations, self-reliance and being independent thinkers – are just now turning 50.  Collectively, this rebellious and independent outlook on life that has ushered in the “Age of Disruption” is now causing us to disrupt aging.  The mid-life crisis is now a thing of the past, thanks to the choices that come from today’s possibilities in life.  As marketers we should take note, so that our brands tap into this new wisdom and realize our 50+ consumers will be seeking brands that help them disrupt aging.

About the author:
Louis Maldonado is managing Director at d expósito & Partners, leading the AARP and ConAgra Foods accounts at the agency.