Since Thora Hird died, is it my imagination or are the people in stair lift ads very young? The Brits will know what I'm talking about.

No, I haven't a clue as to who Thora Hird is, but I suspect the ads hope to appeal to the lazy as well as the invalid.

Obituary with photos:
[news.bbc.co.uk] />

Another obit includes this: "The jokes which followed her role as the "face" of Churchill stairlifts she took with robust good humour, arguing - correctly - that it was a product many of her age found useful."


I haven't seen the ads, but my GUESS is that they are, indeed, using younger actors, and here's why. The ads with Thora Hird were aimed at middle-aged people who would buy stiarlifts for their elderly PARENTS. But now they are being marketed to people who may buy them for themselves. So they are not being shown as gentle arms for the frail elderly. Instead, they are being portrayed as aids to people who want to stay active.

You get an interesting contrast in ads on local redio for the theme park up the road. Before the season begins they are recruting and enthuse about the opportunities they provide for part time work for retired pensioners. Once the season is underway, however, its a great place to take your grandchildren for a day out.

Boomers hate to think they're getting old. You see the same phenomenon in ads for nutrition drinks like Ensure. While they were invented for people who needed something poured into a feeding tube, they're now being marketed as 'meal replacements' for active people.

pam