Knee Pain is Real, But is it Also Just a Stereotype to Define Ageism?
John A. Marzano
Marketing & Content Strategist | Author | Healthcare Branding & Storytelling Enthusiast | Fixing 'Marketing Malpractice.'
The Age of Ageism
Sometimes, the best blog ideas come from another post on LinkedIn.
Colleague Jim Samuel gets the credit for raising the question for us seasoned vets about ageism, expertise, and advertising stereotypes.
The subject got me thinking about the bell curve that represents the 'lifetime of orthopedics,' which basically says that what starts in the early years as workout sprains and strains, turns into bone rubbing bone and a joint replacement or two in later years.
Long-standing stereotypes of senior boomers are portrayed by advertisers in healthcare ads as old, and sometimes anything but 'with it.' Have we overused our bodies over the years? Yes, likely. Are we feeble? Hell no!
Jim's position, and rightly so, is that stereotypes portrayed in advertising and other commentary need updating. Who better to understand this targeted group, than those actually living it every day?
But what would you expect from a bunch of 30-somethings who see our world much differently than those living life to the fullest and extremely active as mature human beings...How many 70-somethings can hit a golf ball 270 yards, run a marathon, or play a few sets of tennis? More than you think, kids.
If advertisers really wanted to revisit ageism appropriately they would spectate any Pickleball court in Florida and observe the active competition. It's all the rage in new active lifestyles, and you better come to play because you might get slammed against your backside. These 'youngsters' are serious.
Let's table those dated stereotypes for now. Ok?
Orthopedic Surgery IS Big Business
One of the impacts of an active lifestyle may result in joint replacement surgery. Any number of chronic issues can trigger knee and hip replacement. Most know the surgery is not pretty, but the resulting outcome is a better quality of life and the elimination of that specific joint pain.
It's big business, too. A huge driver of revenue for Orthopedic specialists and healthcare organizations across the U.S. is expected to grow to $28 billion by 2028.?Take a look at the orthopedics and sports medicine competitions in your area. You'll be amazed.
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When it comes to marketing orthopedic surgery, a simple yet universal aspect – ‘knee pain’ – drives much of the patient's decision. In most cases, pain from bone-rubbing-against-bone becomes unbearable.
The data inside that decision about how to market the service does not lean on pictures of the surgery or cartoon-like images of a lightning bolt striking a hip or knee. The profile is really about the quality of life and a simple desire to return to normal activity.?
Mixed-use marketing channels seem to be the formula, yet somewhat tricky especially in paid search (#SEO). To outbid the competition for top-of-the-page placement becomes more than just a local market challenge. For ‘knee pain,’ the bidding battle is now with the likes of Advil.
Engaging customers with the right mix and message will balance the cost of paid search. But wait, let's stop ad agency creative overthinking about how to portray us. We already know how and where we should be targeted. Right?
Wrong!
...Back to those Stereotypes
Unfortunately, the creativity remains visually boring so it can play an important role in the message.?Picturing very active older adults in #Pickleball doesn't match a joint replacement look on the surface, so basic boring works best.
As an example, the advertising visual below was targeted at people in the right age demographic with knee pain. A small three-day test campaign using this picture in the mix resulted in better than 250 leads and 24 physician appointments. It was the most productive ad visual compared to all others.
The lifetime of the orthopedics curve is in constant motion, and consequently, for all of us, the old stereotypes continue to work while withering on the vine a bit longer.
Ok, 30-somethings...you get a pass on this one for now.
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I am a writer and editor who works in healthcare, health tech, science, and business-to-business (B2B). I've worked on websites, email, print, video, audio, white papers, and other long- and short-form content.
2 年Good post, John. One of the things about using conditions such as knee pain to define ageism is that knee pain is caused by things other than age. I started feeling knee pain in my late 20s. Why? Not sure but an orthopedic doc I saw said it was probably because I rode a bicycle at high speeds between 25 and 100 miles per day through the NJ Pine Barrens, at least 6 days/week from the time I was 19 until I was about 28. I have pain in my ankles and hips too. I also have a pronounced limp when I walk because of a back injury when I was 30. When I was in my 30s and 40s, no one assumed my limp was because of age and people often asked me what happened to cause it. Now that I am in my 60s, people see me walk and say "Getting old sucks, doesn't it?" No, what sucks is people making assumptions about me solely because I have gray hair. FYI... I started going grey at 14. At the time, the drinking age in NJ was 18, so gray hair was quite an advantage.