(Miss) representations of third age in the media: stigma and inadequacy in evolving societies

Abstract

This research analyzes how cultural media products such as telenovelas and advertising campaigns portray the third age in an evolving society, and discusses how these representations often antagonize these consumers’ identity projects as well as contradict the normative legitimacy which these groups have acquired through changes in legislation and public policy. Our work complements extant research which has studied stigmatized consumers’ struggle for legitimacy in the marketplace by showing how stigmatized portrayals in the media often contrast society’s efforts for marketplace integration of marginalized consumer groups. We demonstrate that acquiring normative legitimacy does not necessarily equate to de-stigmatization and we argue that positive stereotypes can contribute to perpetuating stigma