The Everyday Ageism Project: Ageist Marketing is Meant to be ‘Quirky’

The Everyday Ageism Project

The Everyday Ageism Project aims to capture people’s everyday experiences of ageism. Research by EURAGE shows that across the European region, ageism is the most commonly experienced form of prejudice, yet relatively little is known about how it is experienced, who experiences it and the situations which may leave people vulnerable to age discrimination.

By providing a safe forum for people to anonymously share their experiences, the project aims to understand the consequences of ageism and the ways that age discrimination can affect people’s everyday lives. We also wish to encourage people to share their stories to show that ageism does exist and that it is a valid problem worth discussing.

Click here to submit your experience of ageism.

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Ageist Marketing is Meant to be ‘Quirky’

Baguettes sold as ‘crinkly old bags’

[A food company] sold baguettes as 'crinkly old bags', and as far as I know they still sell them.

[I think this is ageism] from my gut instinct, I felt offended knowing how it is used as an insult towards older women.

[This made me feel] very offended, belittled, excluded and patronised. I was shocked that it was so blatant, the butt of an in joke which they think they can get away with, because it thinks its customers are from a different demographic. I felt depressed because it's not deemed unacceptable! When I complained to the company they said they thought it was meant to be 'quirky'!

This confirms how deep rooted ageism is and how many are so blind to it.