Saga Holidays continues to bust 'boring over-50s' myths

Saga Holidays is continuing to challenge perceptions that over-50s prefer a quiet, sedate life, with the launch of its biggest integrated brand campaign for 2023 to support the launch of its new ‘Tailor-Made Travel by Saga’ holidays product.

The ad, ‘You’re not wrong’, has been devised by VCCP and launches with a 60-second version featuring actor Nicholas Farrell, who appeared in the brand’s ‘Experience is Everything’ campaign.

While assumptions may suggest that older people like sedate trips, the ad follows Farrell through a range of adventurous experiences, and, adopting Saga’s classic British tone, gently pokes fun at and challenges the perceptions of how those over 50 like to travel.

Farrell begins, knelt in a Japanese tea ceremony: “Saga Holidays. What springs to mind? Experience tells me you probably think we’re constantly stopping for tea.” As he is handed a tea bowl, which he carefully cups, he says: “It’s not entirely unfair.”

It goes on: “You think we like just pootling along” as the camera follows him in a fast-moving dune buggy over the sands of Dubai before cutting to Nicholas enjoying a massage in Bali: “You probably think we love regular afternoon lie downs.”

Next the camera is close-up to Farrell as he says: “We’re often found in slow moving groups” and as the shot pans out to show he’s sat in a jeep watching a herd of giraffe in Africa: “Well, you’re not wrong.”

Then the viewer joins a South American festival full of music and dancing and a local man holding a large flag. Nicholas follows him, saying: “And more than anything, we love to follow someone holding a flag.”

Finally, as he enjoys a glass of wine in a vineyard Farrell, with a lifted eyebrow, comments: “Yes, a holiday with Saga is everything you probably thought it was. And a little bit more.”

Saga group chief customer officer Stuart Beamish said: “As Saga continues to operate as a champion for people over 50, we are taking this opportunity to bust open the myths associated with our audience. Our aim as a brand and through this advert is to challenge perceptions and to reflect our customers as the experienced individuals they are.”

Saga Travel Group CEO John Constable added: “We know there are many incorrect preconceptions about what a Saga holiday is and the people who take them, so we’re setting the record straight.”

“Our customers tell us they want exciting experiences in fascinating destinations. They love adventure, culture, wildlife and beauty, which our new ‘Tailor-Made Travel by Saga’ holidays deliver in spades. We wanted to create a witty juxtaposition between assumption and reality to make that point and we think this new advert with the superb Nicholas Farrell does that brilliantly.”

The 60-second spot will launch as a roadblock during an ITV Proudly Presents slot in Gordon Ramsay’s new show ‘Next Level Chef’. There are also 30-second edits for TV and 10 second edits for social media and digital. Media has been handled by VCCP Media.

VCCP executive creative director Jim Thornton said: “The gap between the perception of a Saga holiday and the reality is as wide as the Grand Canyon – which, of course, you can visit as part of a Saga Tailor Made Holiday. It has been nothing short of a joy for me and the VCCP team to firmly bury those preconceptions, thanks to the boundless talent and wit of Nicholas Farrell in front of the camera, and Tony Barry (the director) behind it.”