By Christopher Prince
In a society where youth is beloved above all things, beauty brands have looked to surprising new alternatives to diversify their marketing strategies.
The burgeoning trend for brands recruiting a mature point of view has lead to a gallery of famous faces fronting worldwide campaigns. The latest appointment sees Dame Helen Mirren introduced as brand spokesperson for the L’Oréal Paris UK market. The 69-year-old actress, made famous for her Academy Award winning role as Elizabeth II in The Queen, joins the likes of Diane Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Julianne Moore and Naomi Watts as part of the L’Oréal family. It’s rather ironic to consider that as we get older (and happier?), women become more at ease with their looks. Compare this to the multitude of beautiful starlets splashed across the media and you’ll realise that being in your prime no longer means enjoying your first half century, rather your latter.
It’s a fascinating time to focus on the older woman. Last autumn marked the debut of 53-year-old actress Tilda Swinton as the face of NARS cosmetics, following 68-year-old Charlotte Rampling’s stint in the brands 20th anniversary campaign. While Swinton’s porcelain skin and ethereal gaze are reason enough for her debut, it begs the question – why are brands investing in older women? The answer – a consideration of an age bracket that brings profits of an estimated US$3.5billion a year to the beauty industry. Brands have realised that marketing to an ageing demographic needs a similar visual outlet.
