The porch around the restaurant where we met may have had rocking chairs but the women inside were perfectly clear about the fact that they were NOT rocking chair grandmothers.  Those who hadn’t entered that life stage agreed they wouldn’t become one either.  All but one were in their 60s and 70s.  The youngest was in her 40s.

“I think society ignores women over 35—particularly marketers, “said one woman.  “They need to realize we are still very active and very interested in a lot of things.”  All six heads nodded in agreement.  And all six of their stories gave testament to this fact.

One woman who just turned 70 acts and models. “I was one of the first gray-headed African American women to appear at casting calls,” she said.  “I got a lot of work at first.”  Now she says a lot of women and men dye their hair.  She went on to say she is also turned down for parts because she doesn’t fit the stereotypical body type of a woman of color. 

Another woman in her 60s just went into real estate after years in the movie industry out in California.  She keeps her skills in theatre active by doing make-up.  She has also started a non-profit organization to clothe homeless women and children.

Philanthropic work also keeps two of the other women busy.  One started a program to get high school drop outs off the street and into the garden where they learn skills and grow crops that are used to feed the children in local schools.  The other works with families struggling to get along and survive in these difficult times.

The youngest of the group is a mental health worker going back to school to get her Master’s degree so she can do even more.  The eldest is a self-described “home engineer” providing a home to one of her children, three grandchildren and one great grand child.  Those duties don’t prevent her from also being involved in the community.

They read, shop, surf the Internet and love their automotive brands.  They feel strongly that women need to help each other. And that smart marketers would facilitate that effort.  I couldn’t agree more!