Page 6 - October / November Stratigic Marketing Magazine
P. 6
en McIntee is a Director of the Institute of Marketing inmyopinion
Management (IMM) and President of the African Marketing
Confederation (AMC). She is also a business school lecturer, informed insight infront
published author and an accomplished public speaker. She has an
MBA from Wits Business School and is a Chartered Marketer.
Oh please, not the
wobbly ‘beer boep’ and
the Harley ...!
As marketers increasingly target the growing – and lucrative –
‘forever young’ consumer culture, Helen McIntee laments that
sometimes the result is simply people that look sad and desperate.
S ociety’s current panicky Life is tough enough as it is or Lady Gaga hooves. And to those
attempt to defy time and aging without having to worry about frown middle-aged men out there, especially
is not a new one; fables and lines, sagging jaws or muffin tops. if you have gone ‘to seed’: you look
stories from generations past frequently If you want to remove hair, tilt your silly on a Harley-Davidson wearing tight
had their characters searching endlessly boobs up or make your calves bigger, leathers and a tin potty on your head.
for the ‘fountain of youth’ or some kind go for it! If you feel a bit guilty or Dye your hair, have a facelift, buy a
of crystal, elixir or spell that would embarrassed, just think of it as Porsche. But please … not the Harley!
enable them to be eternally young. job creation.
I know I will incur the wrath of many
So why has it now become a Discreet and here, but I believe that discreet and
worldwide phenomenon? I am happily understated understated enhancements are the
in my 50s and my answer is ‘because enhancements better form of staying young; the
we can’! Fortunately for us, there have kind of procedures we try to keep
been so many advances in aesthetic are best secret or whisper about only to our
procedures – both surgical and friends. It’s hardly likely that any
non-invasive – as well as wonderful Showy additions look silly self-respecting ‘nifty 50’ would turn
inventions and discoveries of herbs, up at a mixed dinner party and show
creams, tonics and oils, that we almost Where I do draw the line, however, off her tummy-tuck scars, or his
have an embarrassment of choice. is when more noticeable and butt reduction.
In addition, women (I guess we are showy additions simply make older
predominantly the ‘culprits’) now have people look silly. Even if my legs Thus, I don’t understand the need
a healthy history of earning their own were gorgeous, long and slim (they for the external pretence. Surely, if
money and spending it on whatever aren’t!), wearing a tiny micro strip of you look young and beautiful, it is
they please. fabric for a skirt does not work for goal achieved? Wearing your teenage
those my age. daughter’s clothes or revving a
Personally, I am all for the physical motorcycle while your ‘beer boep’
augmentation of one’s looks and Ladies – a woman in her 50s wobbles in harmony will make you
bodies, both for men and women. If or 60s just doesn’t look right in a appear no more than a sad old person
having a little Botox, a nip and a tuck, leopard-print Lycra cat suit, a tutu desperately trying to look young.
pinning your ears back or transplanting
some hair makes you feel better about And by the way; as per the Jenny
yourself … why not? Joseph poem, “when I am old, I shall
wear purple”!
4 strategicmarketing October–November 2014
Management (IMM) and President of the African Marketing
Confederation (AMC). She is also a business school lecturer, informed insight infront
published author and an accomplished public speaker. She has an
MBA from Wits Business School and is a Chartered Marketer.
Oh please, not the
wobbly ‘beer boep’ and
the Harley ...!
As marketers increasingly target the growing – and lucrative –
‘forever young’ consumer culture, Helen McIntee laments that
sometimes the result is simply people that look sad and desperate.
S ociety’s current panicky Life is tough enough as it is or Lady Gaga hooves. And to those
attempt to defy time and aging without having to worry about frown middle-aged men out there, especially
is not a new one; fables and lines, sagging jaws or muffin tops. if you have gone ‘to seed’: you look
stories from generations past frequently If you want to remove hair, tilt your silly on a Harley-Davidson wearing tight
had their characters searching endlessly boobs up or make your calves bigger, leathers and a tin potty on your head.
for the ‘fountain of youth’ or some kind go for it! If you feel a bit guilty or Dye your hair, have a facelift, buy a
of crystal, elixir or spell that would embarrassed, just think of it as Porsche. But please … not the Harley!
enable them to be eternally young. job creation.
I know I will incur the wrath of many
So why has it now become a Discreet and here, but I believe that discreet and
worldwide phenomenon? I am happily understated understated enhancements are the
in my 50s and my answer is ‘because enhancements better form of staying young; the
we can’! Fortunately for us, there have kind of procedures we try to keep
been so many advances in aesthetic are best secret or whisper about only to our
procedures – both surgical and friends. It’s hardly likely that any
non-invasive – as well as wonderful Showy additions look silly self-respecting ‘nifty 50’ would turn
inventions and discoveries of herbs, up at a mixed dinner party and show
creams, tonics and oils, that we almost Where I do draw the line, however, off her tummy-tuck scars, or his
have an embarrassment of choice. is when more noticeable and butt reduction.
In addition, women (I guess we are showy additions simply make older
predominantly the ‘culprits’) now have people look silly. Even if my legs Thus, I don’t understand the need
a healthy history of earning their own were gorgeous, long and slim (they for the external pretence. Surely, if
money and spending it on whatever aren’t!), wearing a tiny micro strip of you look young and beautiful, it is
they please. fabric for a skirt does not work for goal achieved? Wearing your teenage
those my age. daughter’s clothes or revving a
Personally, I am all for the physical motorcycle while your ‘beer boep’
augmentation of one’s looks and Ladies – a woman in her 50s wobbles in harmony will make you
bodies, both for men and women. If or 60s just doesn’t look right in a appear no more than a sad old person
having a little Botox, a nip and a tuck, leopard-print Lycra cat suit, a tutu desperately trying to look young.
pinning your ears back or transplanting
some hair makes you feel better about And by the way; as per the Jenny
yourself … why not? Joseph poem, “when I am old, I shall
wear purple”!
4 strategicmarketing October–November 2014
