By Danielle McMurray, VP Marketing, AARP Media Advertising Network
One of television’s hottest new genres isn’t another reality competition or true crime series—it’s dating shows featuring contestants 50+. Audiences are tuning in, and advertisers should pay attention, as consumers 50 and over control 70% of America’s wealth.
The overwhelming success of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor,” which debuted in 2023 and whose second season debuts September 24, indicates that audiences crave authentic portrayals of vibrant older adults, a group of consumers that remains often misunderstood, seen as tech-illiterate (they are not) or averse to change (again, they are not).
Variety reported that the series finale in 2023 drew 6.1 million viewers — a season high and the top-rated episode of the “Bachelor” franchise in nearly three years. In 35 days of viewing across all platforms, the inaugural season averaged nearly 10 million viewers, the strongest for any ABC unscripted series in five years, per Deadline. According to Variety, the premiere episode alone drew more than 11 million total viewers on linear and streaming platforms across seven days of viewing. That clearly demonstrates an audience’s appetite for mature romance.
“The Golden Bachelor” isn’t just a fluke. Netflix’s “Age of Attraction,” slated to debut next year, also challenges ageist stereotypes, featuring singles ranging in age from 22 to 59 who are seeking love regardless of generational differences.
Here’s why it matters. The 50+ audience is an engaged, economically powerful target, surpassing younger spending power segments. Consumers 50+ overall now account for more than half of spending in the U.S. and are responsible for more spending growth over the past decade than any other age group, including Millennials, per research from the credit card company Visa. Meanwhile, the core audience of these dating shows, women 50+, spend, on average, 2.5 times what the general population does, boasting a total net worth of $19 trillion, according to the Girlpower Marketing agency.
The success of these dating shows is a trend that should excite media buyers. This is a segment, after all, that demonstrates potent purchasing power. Three-quarters of consumers 50+ have cash or savings on hand, more than younger population segments and further bolstering their economic power, per consumer research firm GWI. And when they make purchases, they seek value and meaningful experiences.
Dating shows like “The Golden Bachelor” and the forthcoming “Age of Attraction” featuring contestants 50+ get credit for lending visibility to a highly underrepresented group in its search for love. Dating shows featuring 50+ contestants have earned praise for lending visibility to a highly underrepresented group and its search for love. If the promising ratings of “The Golden Bachelor” are any guide, there is a warmth and relatability to this content that clicks with viewers, and that authenticity translates into a more engaged audience — one that’s not watching these shows passively but that’s emotionally invested in the storylines and, by extension, the brands that align with them.
The success of the genre confirms that 50+ isn’t just a consumer group worth chasing — it’s one that the smartest brands can’t afford to let get away.
