Grey walls: advertising the retirement home
Files
(Published version)
Date
2010
Authors
Bishop, P.
Hynes, L.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Australian Journal of Communication, 2010; 37(1):37-53
Statement of Responsibility
Conference Name
Abstract
The past decade has seen considerable attention being given toadvertising and the elderly in Australia. With the older population growing in sizeand influence, this attention has come from commercial interests as well as fromgovernments and non-government organisations that are addressing the welfare ofolder Australians. Also, the relationship between advertising and the elderly has beenthe focus of a range of criticisms and concerns. This interest in the older consumeraccompanies two other significant developments. Advertising and the media ingeneral have undergone radical developments, primarily but not exclusively throughthe impact of digitisation with online advertising proliferating. Also, the notion of theelderly as a social category and an identity has undergone dramatic transformation.This paper examines these developments by focusing on advertisements for‘retirement homes’. Due to the uniquely special place of ‘home’ in the individual’s lifeand, importantly, to shifts in the notion, experience, and commodification of ‘home’,this specific focus provides a valuable site for unravelling complex issues aroundadvertising and the older Australian.