>There's nothing it this ad for Gen X. Not a single hook for them You've lost track of time, like many of us. Even the youngest Gen X'ers are old enough to be

>There's nothing it this ad for Gen X. Not a single hook for them You've lost track of time, like many of us. Even the youngest Gen X'ers are old enough to be grandparents now! The oldest Gen X'ers are in their late 50s. Staring down retirement and the old folks' home. The youngest Gen X'ers are mid 40s, and likely evaluating their mid-life situation, even if it's not a "crisis". Very likely have a "pre-existing condition" of some sort. If they aren't grandparents, they're probably parents, and if they aren't parents, they probably aren't going to be. Things are pretty much settled at any rate. Some of the people who were never going to own a home changed their mind a few years ago. Some have gone through the death of both parents and most of their generation. >This ad is strongly negging just like the Facebook ad is But where's the positive in the FB ad? The only positive is in what they're selling. There needs to be something positive about the audience, the target viewer. The Viagra ad may be manipulative, heck you can call it "predatory", but it is still appealing to something that older people take pride in. A self-image of doing what has to be done, not letting embarrassment stop you, accepting everyone has bodily functions. Being able to dismiss what other people may consider "cringe" and bullshit in general. Understanding what is important and what is not. Now, you may roll your eyes at that, at how gullible and hidebound and stupid old people you know are. But that's not the point, the point is that people who get to a certain point feel like that is the justification for whatever hardships and physical deterioration they have experienced. Another example that comes to mind is the flyers I get in the mail for life insurance, that seem to be aimed at older people who vaguely remember providing for their family, and love their grandchildren, and want to do something even if they can't recall the logic. That seems exploitative to me, but it's still an example of advertising that's based on enough empathy to make it effective. (I assume it's effective just because it's been around so long) >To mask your fears that it was actually the young who got things done and you are less and less able to do that Well, that's to the point; it's the attitude that prevents making an effective ad. If you are thinking that, then you're almost certainly unable to see things from the other perspective. If a typical young person was able to see things from an old person's perspective, then it would prove that old people have gained nothing in compensation for being old, wouldn't it?