“The new longevity” is how Michael Clinton, former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, characterizes the movement to reimagine what’s possible during the second half of life.
Such is the mission of Roar Forward, the membership and content platform he founded in 2022 for consumers aged 50 and up, which on Wednesday unveiled its inaugural list of the top 12 age-inclusive ads of 2024.
Brands on the list include Estée Lauder for its #BecauseOfMyAge campaign featuring actress Daisy Fuentes, which highlights the confidence that comes with getting older; Donna Karan New York’s supermodel-clad spring relaunch campaign, and a TV spot by Bobbi Brown’s second-act makeup brand, Jones Road, known for its inclusive, you-but-better philosophy.
“The common thread in these ads is they are all high-possibility in terms of what’s possible during the second half of life — they all share a level of optimism and humor,” said Clinton. “The new breed of 50-plus consumers is tech-savvy, have a lot of money to spend and are very optimistic about the rest of their lives.”
According to AARP, 35 percent of the U.S. population — roughly 117 million people — are over the age of 50, and in 2030, the first Millennials will join this group. Circana data shows Gen X spends roughly $173 billion annually on general merchandise, with apparel, technology and home improvement comprising the cohort’s top three categories by spend. While prestige beauty represents 6 percent of spend, it is the fastest-growing within the group.
As Clinton said, “10,000 people a day turn 65 years old…they’re elastic in their brand choice, they pay attention to messages and they want to see themselves represented in a contemporary way.”
Here, Roar Forward’s top 12 commercials of 2024 which accomplished just that, in no particular order.
1. Dove: Beauty Never Gets Old
Dove Beauty Never Gets Old
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2. Empower: Empower What’s Next
Empower What’s Next
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3. Fidelidade: New Age
Fidelidade New Age
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4. JD Williams: Admit it, This Age Thing Suits You
JD Williams Admit it, This Age Thing Suits You
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5. Jones Road: Look Like Yourself, but Better
Jones Road Look Like Yourself, but Better
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6. Northwell Health: New Year’s Resolution
Northwell Health New Year’s Resolution
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7. Prudential: Protect Your Life’s Work
Prudential Protect Your Life’s Work
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8. Estée Lauder: #BecauseOfMyAge
Estée Lauder #BecauseOfMyAge
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9. Donna Karan New York: In Women We Trust
Donna Karan New York In Women We Trust
Annie Leibovitz, courtesy of Donna Karan New York.
10. Burberry: Wrapped in Burberry
Burberry Wrapped in Burberry
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11. QVC: The Age of Possibility
QVC The Age of Possibility
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12. EasyJet: Empty Nesters Take Flight
EasyJet Empty Nesters Take Flight
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