‘Real people’ wanted for new images of older Australians

The same handful of marketing and advertising photos of the same largely stereotypical ‘older people’ have had their day, writes Keryn Curtis, and it’s time for fresh images of real older people, reflecting strength, diversity, individuality and agency.  

This week I got an email with a message that spoke swiftly to my own heart.  It was about images of older people in marketing and advertising.

The email’s subject line said, ‘Tired of ads with fake people?’

Well, yes, I cried! The use and over-use of tired old stock images of the same stereotypes – frequently the exact same models – on almost every form of communication relating to ageing, aged care, retirement or older people, including stories in the news media, is a long-standing pet peeve.

It also annoys Phil Thomas, a veteran advertising and marketing professional of some 35 years.

Phil is the Creative Director of a new modelling agency called Real Models which specialises in providing ‘real models’ over the age of 50 – as opposed to perfectly styled and coiffed professional ‘seniors’ – to Australian photographers and agencies looking to shoot images of older people.

Same-old, same-old syndrome

He says one of the reasons why we see the same images of older people again and again is because people think it is cheaper and easier to spend $500 or $1,000 on a high resolution professional image from one of these stock photo libraries than to do a bespoke photographic shoot and create original images.

Depending on the number of images you need and your organisation’s size and budget, that might be so.  But even then, the downside can a big one.  Chances are the images you choose are the exact same images used by your competitor, or by several of your competitors. As Phil Thomas says, it’s not unheard of to see the exact same image turn up in two different advertisements in the same news medium.

The other main reason for this reliance on the same-old, same-old images is the lack of alternatives. It’s something he hopes that the Real Models modelling agency can help to change.

Calling authentic older Australians

“We’re trying to help advertisers to be able to use more photos of authentic older Australians,” he says.

According to Phil, research shows what resonates – and what doesn’t – with people from older age groups in terms of the images used to appeal to them.

“There’s a lot of self-referencing for older consumers,” he says.  “People want to feel comfortable with the image of themselves.  They recognise stereotypes of people they don’t identify with – cheesy images of people who ‘look American’ in plaid shorts or with big white teeth.

“They’re overly fit and overly tanned and perfect in their body shape and they are often posed so perfectly.  But people want a bit more imperfection.

“We believe anyone can be portrayed in a natural situation and be acceptable and believable.  It’s all about authenticity I think,” he says.

Interested in being a model?

The main downside in becoming a ‘Real Model’ is that it’s not paid work.  Models work on a volunteer basis, so if you have a lucrative new career in your sights, you’ll need to think again.

Phil says that, while models are not paid cash, they do get a gift of appreciation – things like shopping vouchers and gift cards – and travel and on-shoot catering is provided. He says staff ensure that everyone has a good time

Real Models currently has over 300 models registered on its database, the majority in NSW and Victoria, but they are looking for people all over Australia.

Anyone over the age of 50 can register to become a model.  There’s a button on the home page where you can fill out some basic contact details and upload a photo of yourself.  “All ages, all shapes,” the message declares.

“It’s free to register and there is no obligation,” says Phil Thomas. The only expectation, he adds, is that if you do agree to participate in a particular shoot, that you do in fact go ahead with it.

“There’s a lot of coordination and different people involved in setting up a photo shoot so when models commit to a shoot they do need to ensure they can be there on the day,” he says.

Strength, diversity, individuality and agency

Whatever you think about the authenticity or otherwise of photos bought from stock photo agencies, the key reason marketers should NOT to rely on them in my book, is that the current pool of images is so tired and worn. We all know them way too well.

It’s as if there has only been half a dozen professional photo shoots involving ‘older people’ undertaken in western world the last 15 years – mostly in the US but maybe one or two were done in the UK or elsewhere in Europe – and half the web designers, photo editors, and marketing and advertising people across the western world have been using them ever since.  And reusing them. And using them again! Over and over.

To me, those organisations that use them, risk losing our respect and gaining our cynicism.  I think it is time for some fresh images of real older people reflecting strength, diversity, individuality and agency, in real and respectful settings and scenarios.  Images of people who are like us or with whom we are at least willing and able to identify.  It’s overdue.

This montage of images is supplied by Real Models.  Photos are not for sale as ‘stock images’.  Models sign ‘talent release’ forms so clients have exclusive, indefinite use of the images.