50-Plus… A New Cultural Flashpoint

While media often spotlights younger generations, this episode of CultureConnect, examines the massive cultural shift happening at the other end of the spectrum. We’ll explore a group many are calling, "Age Disruptors"—a generation of adults 50+ who are defying stereotypes, reclaiming their vitality, and out-earning and out-spending every other demographic.

We’ll hear from a panel of experts discussing why the traditional "path to aging" has been permanently detoured focusing on:

• Economic Power: With 50+ audiences controlling more than half of all consumer spending, we examine the massive economic cost brands pay when they fail to make this demographic feel truly seen.
• The Vitality Revolution: How women 50+ are being reimagined in media, moving from the background to the forefront with energy and agency that defies traditional aging.
• The Hip-Hop Pulse: Hip hop recently turned 50, but it remains a heartbeat of modern culture. We discuss how the genre that defined a generation of visionaries and activists continues to power audiences today.

Tune in as we flip the script on aging and prove that the 50+ frontier is one of the most dynamic spaces for brands and in culture today.

Guests:

• Richard Bell, CEO of Openly Gray
• Cassandra Burton, Senior Research Advisor at AARP
• Mary Kate Callen, Senior Vice President of Global Ad Marketing & Intelligence at Paramount Marketing
• Cara Weiss, Senior Vice President of Research & Analytic at iHeart Media

Host: Janelle James, Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and U.S. Head of Cultural Intelligence at Ipsos