Huge launched a new spot promoting Pfizer’s “Get Old” initiative, launched in 2012, entitled “Commencement Day.”
“Commencement Day” uses the familiar trope of summer graduation as a way to use “cultural experiences usually associated with youth to challenge conventional views of aging.” The effort is built around new Harris Poll research which found that “as people get older, the more open they are to experiencing new beginnings.” As one example, most millenials (95 percent) said that under 40 was the best time to get married, compared with 62 percent of Gen Xers and 60 percent of Baby Boomers. The spot shows an elderly couple making the decision to get married, interspersed with a commencement speech reminding viewers that “The moments that define you never stop, and the most rewarding ones may be just ahead.” The spot ends with the message “Every day is your commencement day,” followed by the unfortunate tagline, “Get ready. Get set. Get old.”
The “Commencement Day” spot is housed on the updated GetOld.com site, along with stories supporting the initiative, including that of Pfizer colleague and ovarian cancer survivor Alicia Dellario, “who is dedicated to inspiring others to live life to the fullest, no matter what challenges they face.”
“Through Get Old, we, at Pfizer, want to help people understand that each stage of life is an opportunity to begin again and experience ‘firsts,’” said Sally Susman, executive vice president, Corporate Affairs at Pfizer. “As our longevity continues to increase it is more important than ever to stay healthy, to live well, and that’s why Pfizer has always been supportive of healthy aging.”