• “You look good for your age” is an age discriminatory term that does not reflect the reality that most older people actually feel good about themselves, Weiss said.
• “Out to pasture” is the assumption that all older people live in old age homes, when in reality only a small minority do.
• “When I was your age.” This phrase makes older people seem disengaged from the community, when in fact most are actively engaged in a range of activities. “The highest incidence of sexually transmitted diseases is among the older population,” Weiss noted.
• “Out of sight” is the mistaken belief that targeting advertising to older consumers will alienate younger ones, which is not true if the advertisements are done well, Weiss said.
• “You’re past your prime.” There is no research to show that this kind of thinking is helpful in marketing services or products, Weiss said..
• “Tried and true” indicates older people will not try anything new.
• “Oh to be young again,” is a theory of generational envy that, in reality, does not exist.
“The age of the target audience comes into play somewhat, but not nearly to the extent most believe,” Weiss said. “Three-fourths of the older population is more active than most people think” and effective marketing should take that into account.