Cultural maps of ageing: How Indian society understands itself

Ageing is a biological phenomenon that is often used as a metaphor to describe other phenomena such as the rise and fall of empires, the march of history and so on. However, it also has a socio-cultural dimension in which depictions, practices and permissions are bound together. The depictions of ageing in branded content and campaigns enable the analyst to make the cultural maps of ageing as they exist in contemporary society. 

The average Indian elder is most often depicted through familiar cultural stereotypes—the selflessly caring grandparent, the wise elder, the authority figure, or the guardian of tradition.

While these representations have ensured respect and even veneration, they have also narrowed how ageing is imagined: elders are frequently positioned as passive, dependent, or withdrawn from worldly life. An over-reliance on these stereotypes fails to account for the changing realities of ageing today, as well as the immense diversity that exists within India’s 60+ population.

Our close reading of contemporary Indian advertising reveals that brands are not telling one single story about ageing. Instead, they are drawing from three distinct cultural worldviews, each with its own assumptions about identity, relevance, relationships, and desire in later life. These worldviews coexist, sometimes compete, and increasingly blend into one another—quietly reshaping what ageing means.

The core Indic worldview: Ageing as duty, authority, and renunciation

The most culturally familiar portrayal of ageing in Indian advertising emerges from a core Indic worldview, rooted in ideas of family hierarchy, tradition, and moral authority. In this frame, elders derive their value from their position within a network of relationships—especially the family and the clan.

Seniors are often depicted as custodians of culture and tradition, as givers of blessings, and as moral anchors. Ageing here is closely linked to the classical idea of life stages (Brahmacharya, Grihasta and Vanaprastha), where later life involves a gradual withdrawal from material ambition and a turn toward spirituality, simplicity, and service. These tenets are accurately portrayed in this campaign from Badshah Masale, where the patriarch of the family intends to retire in an ashram.

The familiar role of the nurturing grandmother is echoed in this campaign by HUL, while another one from Shikhar Elaichi depicts the elder who guides younger family members. The portrayal of elders as guardians of tradition is also commonly seen, as seen in this ad by VS Mani.

However, this reverential framing comes with its own limitations. Elders in the Indic worldview are frequently shown as dependent rather than self-directed, observers rather than participants. Their relevance is tied to what they represent—tradition, sacrifice, wisdom—rather than what they actively do. Desire, reinvention, and personal ambition are often downplayed, if not entirely absent. This is shown through a self-sacrificing grandfather by Ayu Health and an old-fashioned senior by Birla Opus.

Ageing, in this worldview, is dignified but constrained. It offers emotional warmth and cultural rootedness, yet risks positioning seniors as static symbols of the past rather than evolving individuals in the present.

The West-Inspired Worldview: Ageing as freedom, desire, and reinvention

Running parallel to the Indic model is a Western-inspired worldview, increasingly visible in Indian advertising across categories such as travel, finance, wellness, and lifestyle. This worldview draws from a more individualistic cultural logic, where the individual—not the family or community—is the primary unit of meaning.

Here, ageing is framed as a continuation of selfhood rather than a withdrawal from it. Seniors are active, autonomous, and desire-driven. Retirement is positioned as a “second innings”—a time for travel, romance, hobbies, friendships, and self-expression. Age is treated as incidental, often summed up in the familiar refrain: age is just a number. 

This campaign by Bajaj Allianz centring around a man pursuing his dancing dreams after retirement, and another one by Vodafone where the senior is operating a drone, embody this perfectly. A vast majority of content by Senior influencers also falls into this space- Dinesh Mohan shares content around being a fashion model, while Ravi Bala Sharma features her love for dance.

Visually and narratively, these ads borrow heavily from global aesthetics. Seniors dress in contemporary or western clothing, socialise with peers, pursue adventure, and prioritise personal fulfilment. Stereotypes of the romantic couple (as depicted by Canara HSBC Life Insurance and couple influencers, Mr and Mrs Verma) and the fashionista ( as seen in this campaign by BeBeautiful)

This worldview offers an important corrective to narratives of decline. It restores agency, vitality, and ambition to older age. However,in some cases, ageing is idealised to the point of unreality—portrayed as a perpetual vacation rather than a complex life phase with emotional and physical vulnerabilities. There is an absence of inter-generational interaction as well, since these ads mostly feature seniors interacting with other seniors.

Ageing, in this worldview, is aspirational and empowering, but sometimes detached from Indian social realities of interdependence and family life.

The blended worldview: Ageing as interdependence, contribution, and continuity

The most culturally resonant—and increasingly prevalent—narratives emerge in what can be described as a blended worldview. This model does not reject tradition in favour of modernity, nor does it unquestioningly adopt Western ideals of independence. Instead, it operates on the principle of hybridity, where the senior adopts the best of both individualistic and collectivistic lenses.

In the blended worldview, seniors remain embedded in family and community, but they are not defined solely by duty or sacrifice. They are active contributors—emotionally, socially, and sometimes economically, as seen in this campaign by Pramerica Life Insurance. They adopt new technologies, pursue delayed ambitions, and stay engaged with contemporary life, while still holding on to cultural identity and relational bonds. This campaign by Reliance Digital shows how grandparents learn English and gain comfort with technology to bond with their NRI granddaughter.

This worldview reframes ageing as interdependence. Seniors are neither dependent burdens nor isolated individuals. They negotiate power and relevance across generations in more fluid, less hierarchical ways. In this campaign by Vikram Tea, we see how a grandmother’s interaction with a homesick young man brings equal value to both of them.

Advertising narratives in this space also show grandparents learning new skills, experimenting with technology and expressing desires, aided by their grandchildren. This Google campaign shows a grandmother expressing her desire for beautiful juttis while learning to use Amazon from her granddaughter. Crucially, this worldview allows seniors to be present and future-facing, without severing ties to the past.

Why these worldviews matter for brands

These three worldviews are not just storytelling devices; they are cultural maps that trace how society understands ageing itself. Brands, consciously or not, choose which worldview they reinforce every time they cast a senior protagonist. Depending on their own positioning, a brand may align itself with either of these three worldviews, creating coherence across its comms. A movement away from stereotypical portrayals in each of these worldviews will also allow them to create more nuanced portrayals, resulting in greater resonance.