The document discusses how the global population is aging rapidly and older consumers represent a significant portion of consumer spending. However, most brands ignore or patronize older consumers in their marketing. The document advocates for brands to treat older consumers as individuals and appeal to their aspirations rather than just their needs in order to be more successful. It provides several examples of brands that are successfully marketing attractive, desirable products to older audiences.

1. O P E N E Y E
O L D E R
No. 26 | November 2015
beautiful thinking
© Senior Style Bible

2. C H A P T E R 0 1
It’s often said age ain’t nothing but a number.
But for just a number, there are a lot of people talking
about it. Understandably so. After heady decades
of youth-focused consumerism, the Baby Boomers
have grown up and the demographic time bomb
is exploding all around us.
ARE YOU IGNORING HALF YOUR CUSTOMERS?
EXPLODING AGE

3. The stats are unequivocal. By 2050, the over 60s will
increase to two billion people, doubling from 11%
to 22% of the global population,(1)
and 400 million
people will be aged 80+. For the first time, most middle
aged adults will have living parents. It’s not just the
developed world. Chile, China, and Iran will all have
a majority of older people – a demographic shift
without precedent.
So the world is getting older, but what does it mean?
And why should we all care?
It’s not called a time bomb for nothing. With an ageing
population comes greater government spending on
pensions, health and social care, with fewer young
people generating the tax to pay for it. In the UK, a
predicted budget surplus in 2020 is expected to shift
into deficit from 2035 through to 2065 due to the costs
of an ageing population – a drop of 4% of GDP(2)
.
Similar statistics abound for other countries.
But that’s just one slice of the story. Ageing now is not
the same as it used to be.
Older people are wealthier, and healthier, than ever
before. Over 50s consumer spending far outstrips
that of the coveted 18-39 age group. It represents
60% of total spending in the US and 50% in the UK(3)
,
65% of all new cars and half of all cosmetics are
bought by the over 50s. And most over 50s are still
working, exercising, and enjoying life in exactly
the same way as they did before. In this context,
the continuing consumer brand cult of youth
seems, well, old.
"The grey pound, the
beige buck, and the
myriad plastic-moulded
products at the back
of Sunday newspaper
supplements – it’s lazy
thinking, lazy design,
and lazy language."
Many brands have some serious catching up to do.
The grey pound, the beige buck, and the myriad
plastic-moulded products at the back of Sunday
newspaper supplements – it’s lazy thinking, lazy
design, and lazy language. Age brings with it
increased physical and health challenges, but every
single 55-year old, 65-year old, and 75-year old
is as individual now as they ever were. There’s no
such thing as a beige, amorphous “over 50s” blob,
and probably never was. Even the language is
anonymising: greys, elderly, pensioners, grannies, OAPs.
Happily, the visibility of older people is increasing.
Space.NK’s Autumn 2015 Timeless Beauty campaign
uses two models with a 30-year age difference:
a distinct shift in the zeitgeist. But for every portrayal
that reflects and respects its actual market, such as
Helen Mirren for L’Oréal or Iris Apfel for Karen Walker,
there are far more using older people merely as a prop
to sell iconic cool to young people. Witness a poorly
lit and airbrush free Joan Didion for Celine and Italian
matrons at Dolce & Gabbana as cases in point.
If brands don’t get it, they’ll inevitably be left behind.
Deservedly so. They need to appeal to their customers,
whoever they are, not ignore them – and certainly not
patronise them. Just as young people have personal
tastes, abilities, and preferences, it’s the individual
silver who is consumer gold. Forget this at your peril.
1 | WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, SEPTEMBER 2014
2 | UK OFFICE OF BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITY, FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT, JUNE 2015
3 | BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH, THE SILVER DOLLAR REPORT, 2014
EXPLODING AGE
02
beautiful thinking

4. BEAUTY GOES BANG
Boom! describes itself as “the first pro-age cosmetics
line for women of every generation.” It was founded
by makeup artist-turned model, Cindy Joseph, who
said: “I’m not interested in looking younger. I want
to look healthy and radiant. I want to look like me.”
The range features multi-functional products that
are the opposite of heavy coverage items traditionally
pushed at older women, allowing the natural colour
and texture of skin to shine through.
PERFECTLY SIMPLE
RODIN is an age-neutral beauty line devised by
stylist extraordinaire and model Linda Rodin.
Despite her limitless access to everything the
beauty world had to offer, she became annoyed
by the faff and anti-ageing claims of various
product regimes. After two years of essential oil
experimentation, she developed olio lusso (luxury
oil in Italian). Her line now features body oil, hair
oil, lip balm, hand & body cream, perfume, scented
candle, and a facial cleansing powder, all based
on the same oil blend.
AGE PRESENT AND CORRECT
While Boom! bursts with American enthusiasm,
Look Fabulous Forever has a matter-of-fact British
take on over 50s beauty. Founded by 67-year old
Tricia Cusden, this makeup and beauty accessories
range is down-to-earth and focused on effectiveness.
It’s absolutely for over 50s women – and exclusively
modelled by them. It has a hugely popular YouTube
tutorial channel, and is about celebrating what’s great
now, not trying to recapture the past.
EXPLODING AGE
03

5. Headed by visionary 46-year old Creative Director
and President Jenna Lyons, it’s not surprising that
with its Style at Every Age approach J. Crew has
gone where many fashion labels fear to explicitly
tread. Website visitors can click on four differently
aged models to see them wearing clothes suitable
for 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50+ along with styling and
makeuptips perfectly suited to the brand’s casual
glamour aesthetic.
FINALLY, BROWS ARE BEATEN
At last comes the recognition by cosmetics companies
that eyebrows change colour too. Companies including
No.7, Illamasqua, Bobbi Brown, MAC, and Max Factor
now make gels, pencils, and liners to suit people with
grey hair. Hopefully companies will also start to offer
a full range of colour in their product offerings, from
palest silver to darkest granite.
EVERLASTING CHIC
EXPLODING AGE
04

6. AGEING WELLECO
51-year old supermodel, entrepreneur, and fitness
obsessive Elle MacPherson’s new range of alkalising
products WelleCo includes The Super Elixir,
Alkalising Greens, and Nourishing Proteins. Elle
happily admits to have tried everything in terms of
beauty, from Botox to extreme sports, but now
believes: “Nourishment is the first place to look,
particularly for women my age.” Get us a tub or three.
EXPLODING AGE
05

7. Founded by naturalised Brits Marcus Wainwright and David Neville,
US designer fashion brand Rag & Bone melds downtown New York style
with classic British tailoring. Rag & Bone’s Autumn 2015 collection features
67-year old dance legend Mikhail Baryshnikov modeling the clothes in an
amazing short film with young dancer Lil Buck.
RHYTHM&TREWS
EXPLODING AGE
06
beautiful thinking

8. HEAR HEAR!
Most medical devices are intended to be invisible.
But as you might expect from a collaboration between
hearing aid company Audicus and Ari Seth Cohen
of the groundbreaking Advanced Style book, blog
and documentary, these are certainly not for hiding.
The affordable hearing aids have removable decorative
decals that are designed to show off.
GIVING KNEE PAIN THE ELBOW
Chronic pain is, well, a pain at any time of life,
and knee pain is particularly debilitating. Quell is
a new technology that uses wearable intensive
nerve stimulation (WINS) to manage pain.
Designed for people with diabetic neuropathy
and arthritis, among other conditions, Quell is
largely invisible under clothes and can be used
day and night. The matching iOS app tracks
and manages the pain therapy.
MEALS ON WHEELS REBOOT
America pioneered the idea of restaurant delivery, so
it’s unsurprising that it’s now transforming the meals
on wheels concept. For people who find shopping and
cooking a bit of a grind but can’t quite afford a private
chef, gourmet home delivery services are now on the
menu. Industry leader is Home Bistro, which offers
menus to suit senior dietary needs including diabetes,
renal problems, heart disease, and more. Dishes include
roasted pork belly with avocado chili sauce, wild rice
and baby bok choi. Tasty.
EXPLODING AGE
07
beautiful thinking

9. CAN BEING OLDER BE SEXIER? IF NOT, WHY?
C H A P T E R 0 2
It’s a universally acknowledged truth that getting
old - and being old - is not desirable, sexy, or cool.
Frankly, it should quietly disappear, greying away
into the background. Close the door behind you on
the way out, thanks. No thanks! In a world where the
over 50s have most of the wealth, it seems downright
illogical, as well as entirely offensive,
to effectively snub potential consumers for a good
half of their lifetimes.
SILVER IS THE NEW BLACK

10. But snubbed they are. Research conducted for High50,
“a brand for people loving mid-life,” found that 89% of
over 50s consumers believe brands aren’t interested in
marketing to them. And a truly gobsmacking 96% feel
advertising isn’t aimed at them. Could this be because
the average age of people working in advertising is 33
and only 5% are 50+? Either way, the message is clear:
only youth is something to aspire to, to desire, to target.
Right? Wrong.
Denzel Washington is 60, Linda Evangelista is 50,
Helen Mirren is 70, Patrick Stewart is 75. They are
not hot for their age. They are hot, end of. But those
three little words currently influence everything:
from the products that are actually created
through to how they’re marketed.
As far as most marketing is concerned, there’s
a gaping chasm between the ages of 40ish and 70ish.
You’re either hot, young, sexy, and sold products
to make you more attractive to your romantic target
of choice, or you’re dressed in beige polyester,
in need of plain, functional, non-technical products,
and merely waiting to die.
The reality is to the contrary. Far from technophobic,
people feel comfortable with the internet until about age
75, only then tapering off(4)
, with that age level rising
by a year, every year. The over 50s market is driving
tablet sales and the boom in Whatsapp and Skype.
"Older consumers want
brands and products that
reflect their aspirations
and appetites, not those
that just patronise their
very existence."
They’re going on holidays that have been researched
and purchased online. And they’re having lots of sex.
85% of over 50s are ‘satisfied’ or ‘extremely satisfied’
with their sex lives, higher than any other age group(5)
.
They’re the Cognitively Young. Identified by professor
Benny Barak in 1985, it’s a multidimensional concept
for those who feel, appear, act, and believe younger
than their chronological age might suggest. But the
vast majority of products aimed at the over 50s are
currently designed to target the chronologically
and cognitively old: emphasising safety, functionality,
reliability, and familiarity. For the very old, that can
still serve a purpose. But for the new old, this is no
way good enough.
They want downright desirability for the things
they want to consume. Function is a given, the lowest
common denominator. Older consumers want brands
and products that reflect their aspirations and appetites,
not those that just patronise their very existence.
It’s not about engaging older consumers explicitly
through their age, because their age does not
determine who they are. It’s not about selling
them stuff they need. It’s about giving them
things they’ll want. Lust never goes out of date.
4 | A.T. KEARNEY’S CONNECTED CONSUMER SURVEY 2015
5 | HOT OCTOPUSS, COMING OF AGE REPORT 2015
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
09
beautiful thinking

11. WALKING TALL
Walking sticks used to be a positively dashing fashion
accessory for the dandy about town. But in recent
years they’ve been the sole preserve of those with
disabilities or the very old, with manufacturers
abandoning even the slightest pretence of style.
Two new companies are totally sticking it to them
and shaking things up with their beautiful canes.
Omhu canes, Danish for ‘with great care,’ have curved
handles and multi-coloured aluminium shafts –
perfectly reflecting Founder and Creative Director
Rie Nørregaard’s belief that life is imperfect and
beautiful. Nørregaard’s canes are affordable and
can be proudly displayed as works of art when not
in use, rather than hidden away.
Rival Canadian walking stick company Top & Derby
takes a different approach, reinventing traditional
canes for the 21st century. Its wooden Chatfield Cane
comes in four sizes to suit different heights and deals
with the annoying tendency of canes falling over – the
handle’s designed to rest against the wall or furniture
from any angle. Top & Derby has also reinvented the
compression sock to boot.
WAL
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
10

12. PADS AWAY
Incontinence is almost entirely unmentionable,
even though it affects people of all ages. Far from not
mentioning it, New Zealand company ConfiTEX is
shouting it from the catwalk with its new range
of incontinence designer lingerie for men and women.
The ConfiTEX founders spotted this huge opportunity
after working on underwear for long distance Alpine
skiers. Rather than incorporating pads or diapers
into functional fun-free garments, the fabric on
the bottom wicks away light to moderate amounts
of moisture – with lingerie designed into chic lace,
silk and cotton creations.
LIGHT FANTASTIC
Designed by Karim Rashid, Illuminage’s Skin
Smoothing Laser is a curvaceous handheld gadget
designed to target fine lines and wrinkles around
the eyes and mouth. Said to work by sending
calibrated pulses of laser light to help generate
collagen deep in the skin, the device would
be a decorative addition to any bathroom.
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
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13. The phrase ‘comfort shoes’ brings to mind shapeless, colourless,
unattractive footwear. What they actually need to deliver is flexibility,
stretchability, stability, and cushioning – for tired feet and diminished
balance. Failing to find suitable comfy beautiful shoes for her sister’s
wedding, Anyi Lu, chemical engineer at Du Pont and keen ballroom
dancer, set out to entirely redesign them. Her ANYI LU luxury shoes
are handcrafted in Italy, but also use technology including ridged, padded
soles made of non-slip XL Extralight material and NASA’s shock-absorbing
PORON® foam insoles. The shoes are a joy to behold and a relief to wear.
COMFORT
STYLE
HIGH
HIGHER
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
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beautiful thinking

14. SEX FOR ALL
Uberlube is aimed at everyone, stating outright it’s
for male and female, gay and straight, young and old.
And it has the advertising to prove it. A peculiarly
multi-functional product (hair styling, sports chafing,
and sex lubrication anyone?), Uberlube’s secret formula
of just three ingredients – dimethicone, cyclomethicone,
and tocopheryal acetate, aka Vitamin E – is clear,
scentless, odorless, and tasteless. All the better
to enjoy sex, naturally.
PLANT-BASED PLEASURE
Phytomone is a resolutely luxurious skin care
range that’s specifically formulated for menopausal
skin. The products use bio identical plant
hormones – phytoestrogens – to replace the loss of
oestrogen in the skin. Phytomone talks about
treating and repairing hormonally changing skin,
not age.
A no-nonsense approach extends to its Secret
Essence Intimate Moisturiser, which increases
comfort and erotic enjoyment.
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
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15. FOREVER, AND EVER
Think of a bathroom for an older person and it’s almost guaranteed to
involve a riot of plastic moulding and ugly grab rails. Instead, Italian
company Thermomat created , a bathroom furniture and accessory
range, resulting in a space where children and a full variety of adults can
live side by side, with a bathroom that caters to their own different needs.
is a masterpiece of universal design. With wood and rubber used
against stone and ceramic to create multi-functional and stylish pieces, it
really is for ever(yone).
GET MOBILE
Imagine a mobile side table that's used to tote around the every day
necessities of life at home, and you probably conjure up a piece of fake
wood on ugly castors. Block by Normann of Copenhagen is the
antithesis. Easily moved using four handles which are natural extensions
of the legs, this elegant piece of furniture can be used as a side table,
coffee table, or bedside table. And it’s wipe clean. Result.
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
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16. SUCH A PILL
Pills and potions are a part of most people’s lives
as they grow older, whether it’s vitamins or something
more serious. Sabi’s Thrive products, commissioned
by CEO Assaf Wand because his mother hated using
her ugly, impractical pill case, have entirely reinvented
medicine-toting. Briefed that the products need to be
easy to open and should look amazing, Yves Behar’s
award-winning fuseproject agency created 11 products
to get pill-popping out and proud.
LIVING IN LUXURY
High-end retirement home schemes are finally starting
to emerge in the UK, having long been established in
North America and Down Under. Battersea Place,
London’s first “luxury lifestyle retirement community”
exclusively for people aged 65+, has an average price
of £1m, plus service charges of up to £14,000 per year.
And for the cash? Concierge service, spa, indoor pool,
gym, private cinema, gourmet restaurant, hairdresser,
library, private gardens, and access to a fleet of cars.
Not to mention the on-site nursing staff, full-time
care manager, and the potential for 24-hour care
when needed. Never mind retirement, can we
move in now please?
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
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17. Although there have been hair care ranges aimed
at grey and white hair on the market for some time,
none does it with the aplomb and outright ballsiness
of White Hot. From its Shooshing Crème to Lifeshine
Oil, the products are designed to tackle the challenges
of hair losing its pigmentation – such as thinning,
dullness, dryness. But just as importantly, the brand
smells divine, and is positive and celebratory.
White Hot
NOT JUST HOT,
SILVER IS THE
NEW BLACK
16

18. C H A P T E R 0 3
Life expectancy has shot up over the last hundred
years, due to a combination of better healthcare,
diet, and lifestyle. In 1985, the average UK life
expectancy was 65, in 2012 it was 81.4, and it’s
expected to be 86.7 by 2030. And there’s no longer
a hard and fast link between chronological age
and an individual’s health and abilities. People are
not just living longer, they’re living longer well.
And soon they'll be living even better.
AGEING BETTER, IT'S A TECHNOLOGY THING
TO BIONIC AGE

19. Of course, there are physical signs of ageing that –
until an elixir of youth appears – are inevitable, even
if initially preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Our skin becomes less elastic, drier and thinner.
Our eyes and mouth (and otherwise) become
less moist. Our hearing declines, smell and taste
diminishes (anosmia), and our vision reduces as
lenses in our eyes become less flexible (presbyopia).
Seeing in dim light becomes harder. Our mental
acuity and memory can decrease and there’s
a whole host of digestive, cardiovascular, and other
conditions that can crop up. Not exactly something
fun to look forward to.
But the manner in which we deal with physical
and mental ageing is affected by multiple factors,
many of them under human control. Our cities –
from building design to well-lit streetscapes to
accessible public transport – determine how easy
it is to get around. Thoughtfully designed products
and packaging make daily life easier for everyone.
It’s not rocket science, it’s the basics of universal design.
Every single person passes through childhood, periods
of temporary illness, injury, and old age. Designing
for human diversity has always been important, but
with an ageing population it’s now absolutely essential.
It’s advances in technology, however, that will elevate
ageing well to an art form. Technology will make
daily activities easier, help diagnose and delay the
onset of chronic healthcare conditions, manage them
if they occur, and keep people living independently
and enjoyably for longer.
“Technology will help
diagnose and delay
the onset of chronic
healthcare conditions
and keep people living
independently
for longer...”
Wearables will be transformative. Devices and
garments will help with everything from pain
management and monitoring blood pressure and blood
sugar, through to nighttime navigation, emergency
assistance, and contactless payment. 3D printing
will allow a huge variety of products to precisely
fit to the user’s body, eliminating avoidable sources
of discomfort. Pharmacogenomics, understanding
how an individual’s genetic makeup will respond
to drugs, will lead to tailored treatments that can
be used more quickly and effectively.
The Internet of Things, interconnected devices using
sensors, wireless, and Bluetooth will – hand in hand
with clever apps – transform home environments
and public spaces. Finding the nearest toilet or
public seating will be a doddle. People who are
becoming more vulnerable will be able to live
independently longer.
Technology is also not always about fixing what’s
broken. Advances in medical technology might now
even make us better than before, even as we age.
A new generation of implants and personalised medical
devices could find us hearing better, seeing better,
and moving better. Welcome to 21st century age.
TO BIONIC AGE
18
beautiful thinking

20. THE MOST PRIVATE OF GYMS
While a lot of attention is given to the female pelvic
floor, it’s never something that gets talked about
for men, even though it’s essential for good continence,
and maintaining erections and sexual health.
Private Gym is an FDA-registered training program
that includes an adjustable resistance ring with variable
magnetic weights and a DVD, online platform, and app.
Users get tailored four or eight-week training exercises.
Use it, or lose it!
SUPERHUMAN SOUNDS
In modern hearing aids, tiny processors help people
adapt to different hearing environments, and pick
up speech instead of background noise. ReSound
LiNX2 does this on absolute steroids. LiNX2 is wireless
and connected, allows direct streaming from the Apple
family, and includes audio sat-nav directions in the
car. Its MiniMic system streams sound direct from TVs,
music systems, and computers, including Skype.
The Phone Clip+ device streams calls straight
to the hearing aid. There’s a mute button for pretty
much every setting to block out noise entirely:
effectively earplugs on the go. There’s also built-in
wind reduction and tinnitus management.
And all controlled and adjusted via smartphone.
The futureof hearing has arrived.
CASH BEGONE!
Carrying cash and/or remembering a PIN is, frankly,
a pain. Barclays’ bPay makes things simple through
a host of contactless pre-paid payment devices –
key fob, stickers, and wristband – which connect
to a smartphone app to track spending and top up cash.
TO BIONIC AGE
19

21. EYES RIGHT
Ageing eyes often means using irritating varifocals
or multiple pairs of glasses for different purposes.
Adlens glasses are fully adjustable, so eyes can focus
naturally, without strain or fatigue. No lines obscuring
vision, no need to move the head to see things in focus,
and a full field of vision that’s four times greater than
traditional progressives. As well as a basic, affordable
model, the company’s AdlensFocuss range delivers
style along with better sight.
Sight, however, can also be bionic. A new implantable
contact lens, the Ocumetics Bionic Lens, incorporates a
patented miniature optics system that works like a tiny
digital camera. The lenses don’t deteriorate over time
and they’re powered by the body to shift focus from
close range objects to those over a distance, far faster
than the human eye. And they deliver three times
better than 20:20 vision. Superman watch out.
TO BIONIC AGE
20
beautiful thinking

22. Giving up driving is one of the biggest losses of independence as people
age. Driverless vehicles might change all that. Allowing passengers to
be driven via voice and touch commands, Google and all the major car
manufacturers are racing to deliver their versions of driverless cars.
Toyota and Nissan are currently trialling in Japan, with the aim of making
the Tokyo 2020 Olympics driverless. Mercedes has gone one stage
further by unveiling its F 015 Luxury in Motion vehicle, which envisages
driving as a luxury living experience by 2030.
COME
DRIVERLESS
WITH ME
TO BIONIC AGE
21

23. Drones are, essentially, flying robots. They’re either
piloted by remote control or autonomously using
GPS and sensors. Until now, drones have been used
for military or photography purposes. Amazon
is looking to change things with its Prime Air drone
delivery service. Currently being tested in the UK
and Canada, it allows people to receive deliveries
within 30 minutes of ordering. Meals on wheels,
emergency medication, pizza, or whatever might be
useful or necessary and that saves a trip to the shops
and tired legs. The possibilities are endless…
MORE THAN JUST
BACKGROUND NOISE
TO BIONIC AGE
22
beautiful thinking

24. MAKING FALLS FALL
While falling over might seem trivial at first, falls
are the leading cause of traumatic death for over
65s. Previously healthy people can become dependent
due to one single, ‘simple’ fall. And the rest is no
picnic either: wrist fractures, head injuries, bruises,
and psychological damage. Preventing falls is a vital
part of ageing well and new start-ups are on the case.
Nighttime is one of the most common times for falls
due to low light. Luna Lights is a system of bed
sensor, mountable lights, and data analysis. The
sensor keeps track of when people get up,
automatically turning on a pathway of portable lights
to highlight any obstructions. The monitoring system
sends an
alert if a person is away from bed for longer than
a pre-set amount of time, and is also able to detect
patterns in nighttime activity to see if they’re
indicative of a bigger health problem.
Away from home, WalkJoy aims to get people
with diabetic neuropathy walking better. To walk,
we create a feedback loop made up of balance,
memory, and the feeling from feet as they strike
the ground. When the feeling in feet is diminished,
it breaks the feedback loop and hampers walking.
WalkJoy is strapped just below the knee, with
sensors that measure the angle and speed during
leg movement. As the foot strikes the ground, WalkJoy
provides a buzzing sensation directly to healthy nerves
below the knee to replace the feeling that should come
directly from the foot. After just a short time adapting,
there’s more confidence, more walking and less falls.
TO BIONIC AGE
23

25. SIMPLY MY BUDDI
Buddi is an unbelievably simple to use emergency
personal response service. No smartphone or technical
expertise is needed. Based on GPS, the buddi works
via a clip device which is carried in a pocket or
on a lanyard. It has an alert button and a two-way
talk facility to a 24/7 monitoring centre. A waterproof
wristband is worn at all times which senses motion –
it detects falls and communicates wirelessly with
the buddi and monitoring centre to raise an automatic
alert without the owner needing to do a thing.
SMART SUGAR
Diabetes has traditionally meant a constant, painful
monitoring process using pinpricks. Dexcom G5
replaces this with the first completely mobile,
continuous glucosemonitoring system. A transmitter
is worn against the skin and the glucose data is sent
via Bluetooth to a smartphone. This enables the user,
medical professionals, and family to manage blood
sugar levels in a stress-free and pain-free manner,
avoiding potentially fatal situations.
LIVING LIVELY
Lively is an unobtrusive sensor and smartwatch
remote welfare checking system that helps older
people live independently. Lively’s activity sensors
attach to objects around the home, like pillboxes,
the fridge, or a bathroom door, to track when
medication is taken, food is eaten, or shower enjoyed.
The system captures data on meaningful behaviour
patterns and helps detect abnormalities, alerting
loved ones before big problems occur. Lively’s
waterproof and customisable safety watch also
has an alert button, medication reminders,
and a soon-to-be-launched Android app will
have an auto-fall monitoring and 24/7 service.
TO BIONIC AGE
24
beautiful thinking

26. KEEP IN TOUCH
So much technology often requires fantastic sight,
hearing, and motor skills to work effectively.
Smartstones do things differently. The pebble-like
devices enable people to communicate with friends,
family members, and caregivers through simple
touch motions, even through fabric. Smartstones
prose is also the world's first gesture to speech
app which can convert personalised motions into
phrases that are spoken out loud on the recipient’s
smartphone. Peace of mind in a pebble
SENSE AND SENSITIVITY
One of the side effects of chronic illness, and dementia in particular,
is a decrease in the sense of taste and smell. Smell plays a critical
role in appetite, helping to stimulate the nervous system, and telling
saliva glands and stomach to start secreting gastric juices in readiness
for eating. Gastric juices then make us feel even hungrier, creating
a cycle of readiness. With dementia, the opposite is true. As a result,
appetite reduces and weight loss, dehydration, and further decline in
physical and mental wellbeing follows. Ode aims to counteract this by
discreetly releasing high-quality food aromas at particular times of the
day to help stimulate appetite.
TO BIONIC AGE
25
beautiful thinking

27. Until recently, brands have failed to explicitly recognise – let alone target –
older consumers, through fear of being considered old-fashioned or
out-dated. Ironically, the only thing that is out-dated is their notion of
what it actually means to be old in the 21st Century. The Baby Boomers,
born from an era of rebellion, rock & roll, and rampant consumerism,
were never going to quietly fade off into the sunset. As brand designers,
we need to open our minds to the exciting possibilities that these Prime
Consumers offer – rich as they are with time, money, and experience.
Whether it’s about being age-neutral or explicitly age positive, we
need to design with the respect that they deserve and shatter our
own – and other’s – misconceptions in the process.
We would love to hear what you think
of our latest Open Eye.
Call Steve Gibbons on +44 (0)20 7689 8999
or e-mail steve@dewgibbons.com
Open more eyes and share with:
beautiful thinking
THANK YOU