I was taking part in a Twitter conference sponsored by GrowingBolder.Com last Thursday night and one of the main topics discussed was Ageism and how Corporate America sees those of us over fifty.
The consensus seemed to be that Madison Avenue still thinks we're a bunch of old fuddy duddies with one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel. I see a lot of ads for (gag me!) arthritis meds, burial insurance, retirement communities and the like. Guess what? Those ads just piss me off and I have yet to buy any of those products or services.
I might need arthritis meds but that ad won't send me flying to the doctor for them! I'd rather exercise, eat properly or just ignore the pain altogether. Why? Because I refuse to admit I'm old. I might be a bit wrinkly and a bit creaky but I'm NOT OLD! I'm a classic with great tail fins and headlights, not a clunker that needs to be restored or junked. (Ok, I might need a little oil and a buffing.)
And that's the whole point that most of the twenty-thirty something Madmen and women haven't quite recognized yet. The Baby Boom Generation coined the phrase "Hell No, We Won't Go" and we're not going into our "golden years" (ick!) without a struggle - and some serious clout! We are not going gently into that good night, we will not take it laying down (or napping!), we are not growing older - just bolder. . . . AND we are the largest demographic out there!
There are some 70 million plus people over 50 and that number is growing each year. We represent a lot of spending dollars and anyone who can tap into what we want and need, not what they think we want and need, will reap the financial benefit of respecting us.
So, what do we want? We want to live full, active lives. We want to have fun, travel, laugh, think, create and contribute. We want a little nostalgia - hey, man, we had good times back in the day but we're not ready to say goodbye to good times today either! And we want all of this with some style and flair and bling. No granny panties or support hose for us, baby - we want us some thongs and high heeled sneakers!
Once upon a time we marched and shouted for the things we believed in. I think it might be time to dust off those protest signs and get ready to fight the ageism that would have us sitting out the remainder of our lives in rocking chairs and treated as if our time is over.
It's not by a long shot! We're still kicking butt and taking names and this time we're burning our social security papers!
Visit The BRAT in the HAT RANTORIUM EMPORIUM for bratty, cheeky, irreverent, humorous, tongue in cheek GIFTS, APPAREL, CARDS & OTHER GROUCH GOODIES!
6 comments:
Love your PopArt placard and I'm right on the front line of this protest!
Well hold on to your placard - I've got 3 new designs for our Boomers Who Won't Grow Old crusade done. I'll be posting them all at Life Is Like Art - It's All In How You Look At It. on Sunday if I get them uploaded to The PopArtDiva™ BOUTIQUE by then.
Keep ranting oh great Brat! You are so RIGHT!!!
Our generation is just getting going and we'll keep shaking our might tailfeathers for years to come.
So fair warning to any young whippersnappers out there--we are mighty, we are strong, and we are the grooviest generation to ever hit the planet!!!!
And if you don't believe us we'll hit you over the head with our canes and walkers!!!
ROFLMAO!
Thanks for stopping by Eileen.
Hi. I saw you on bakemyfish's site I found on Twitter. This is also a great site. Love the humor!
Christina - Thank you for hunting me down through mybakefish and twitter - mybakefishes tweets always give me a laugh and now they brought me a visitor.
Thanks also for taking the time to leave me a comment and say hi!
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