The #PowerofGrey campaign launched by Pantene celebrates the beauty of grey hair, promoting self-acceptance amongst older women. It was released after a study by Pantene found that while 80% of Britons have grey hair, 40% of them make an attempt to cover it up using dyes and treatments. The study also found that perceptions of grey hair are shifting, as 30% of people feel that grey hair is 'natural', and 11% that it is 'authentic'. Giving greater media attention to those with grey hair is helping to reduce the stigma, as the study found that 25% of people feel more confident about their own grey hair after seeing other grey-haired figures in the public eye. With the stigma of grey hair leaving many women wondering whether their naturally grey hair colour is socially or professionally appropriate, this range of representative adverts may give women the confidence to be authentic.

In the UK, 61% of post-menopausal women feel that society expects them to vanish from public life as they get older, and 70% feel under-represented in marketing images. These stats show that campaigns like Pantene’s, which show older women in a positive and attractive light, may be a welcome change to a large subset of the female population. Influencers like Baddie Winkle have also helped to improve the public perception of older women by breaking stereotypes and promoting body positivity, demonstrating that entertainment and trending content is not limited by demographic. Boots’ No7 has released an advertising campaign that appeals to older women without promoting insecurities, offering a more inclusive and representative approach to marketing.

Kezia Sullivan is a Junior Behavioural Analyst at Canvas8, with an MSc in Social Cognition, Research and Applications from UCL. She’s previously worked as an event organiser and freelance writer, and in her free time enjoys riding horses and rock climbing.