Senior Living: Taco Bell’s “Viva Young” Campaign Taps Into Growing Segment
On Super Bowl Sunday everyone across the country is anticipating what we hope to be a nail-biting game. But along with the sport of sports comes the anticipation of what ad execs will come up with to entertain us during the commercials. There was one highlight this time around: Taco Bell’s “Viva Young” commercial, featuring senior men and women sneaking out of a retirement home for a night of fun. They hit it out of the park during Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco’s 49ers. In fact, it was the highest rated ad during the event, according to Tivo senior vice president Tara Maitra.
The ad showed the seniors acting like a bunch of rambunctious teens, eventually ending the night sitting on their car outside a Taco Bell, as a police cruiser slowly drives by. The soundtrack is a Spanish-language version of Fun’s “We are Young.” And, although, far from realistic, the ad does tap into the emotional vibrancy of seniors and how they view their lives. They may be living in a retirement home and other types of senior living facilities, but they want to have fun!
This “live young” attitude is also reflected in how senior living facilities across the country are changing and adding to the activities they provide their residents. And this is not just for those living in independent living facilities or CCRCs. Most recently, for example, in Simi Valley, California, an assisted living facility added a program called “Sit and Box” for their seniors, many of them over the age of 90, where they sit and box using a punching bag. The program, now 15 months old, is designed to help them get a workout, stay limber and fit. In an interview with a local television station who visited the facility, one of the residents, said: “It’s [the class] very important. You gotta keep moving. And you have to move all parts of your body.” The residents keep more mobile, have fewer accidents, less depression and have fun.
Other facilities throughout the U.S. are offering all forms of dancing, including line dancing, ballroom dancing, swing dancing; karaoke with many senior communities staging their own “American Idol” type competitions; virtual bowling on Wii, where you interact with the game by moving your body rather than pressing buttons or manipulating a joystick. Residents find Wii easy to use and fun. Similar devices like the Xbox Kinect are also popular at senior communities across the country.
“Viva Young” is spreading across all types of senior living communities, as we see an increase in our aging population and their evolving expectations.
Caitlin-Morgan specializes in the insurance needs of nursing home & assisted living facilities. Our vast experience has not only given us many insights into what the insurance protection needs are for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, it also shows the dedication, attention to detail and follow-up we provide to every one of our agency partners. Give us a call today – (877)226-1027