By using the same images as each other – we are effectively saying to the consumer there is no difference between any of us.

OPINION | Branding Aged Care

I wrote this in 2017.

Nine years on, I think we’ve come a long way in how we understand branding.

We know a brand is no longer simply a logo, a colour palette or a carefully constructed marketing message. It’s the experience, personality, expectations and increasingly, the community around it.

But here’s the thing: while branding has evolved, the way older people are represented in media hasn’t always kept pace.

That’s particularly noticeable in aged care, where the visual language can still default to the same predictable tropes: frailty, dependence, beige interiors and the ever-present image of the “old person” who looks considerably older than most people actually feel.

My 2017 piece was essentially asking a simple question: does the way we present older people actually reflect the people we’re talking to?

I think it’s still worth asking.

People over 50 aren’t a homogenous audience, and they certainly aren’t a stock photo.

They have opinions, ambitions, relationships, careers, creativity, humour, curiosity and plenty of life still to live.

So yes, branding has moved forward.

Perhaps now it’s time for the imagery and the media stories we attach to it to catch up.

Older people like to have a say. They also deserve to see themselves properly represented.