Launch of The Disrupt Aging® Collection is part of multi-year initiative
 

AARP is intensifying its work aimed at rejecting the stereotypes associated with aging in media. As part of a multi-year initiative, the organization is pressing brands, designers, ad agencies and other industry players to change their immediate and long-term attitudes in order to overcome the misconceptions of aging portrayed in ads.

In 2019, in collaboration with Getty Images, AARP launched The Disrupt Aging Collection, a library of nearly 17,000 images designed to paint a more accurate portrait of how people age in today’s society.

— AARP Research

The media typically portrays people over 50 as dependent or socially isolated, which can perpetrate dangerous assumptions and fear among younger generations and consumers. In reality, older adults are in a stage of life that has endless possibilities, so it’s critical that marketers and product developers avoid clichés and recognize that an aging population can be a key driver of economic growth and innovation.

Images in The Disrupt Aging Collection reflect older adults who are working longer, starting families later, raising children and grandchildren, and acting as caregivers for multiple generations. They’re living vibrant lives full of travel, entertainment, dating, and technology. They’re buying beauty products and want clothes that make them look and feel good. They’re living their lives surrounded by people of all ages every day.

— AARP Longevity Economy® Outlook
 

According to AARP Longevity Economy® Outlook, people 50 and older generate $8.3 trillion in annual economic activity, and 62% of them would consider switching to a brand that represents people their age. Telling a new story of aging is good for business, and The Disrupt Aging Collection can help solve a critical business need.

To view, license and use the photos from The Disrupt Aging Collection, visit gettyimages.com/collections/disruptaging.