Seniors are millennials like any other.

In a society of smooth skin, keen eyes and shapely muscle, the 'old' has long been portrayed as dead weight - at best ignored by brands, at worst mocked to ward off archaism. But that was before.

As seniors become the largest population group in our societies, their lifestyles challenge our preconceptions. Two thirds of people aged 70 and over say that age brings "more wealth, joy, spirituality, ideals and freedom" (source: DNA). The "revenge of the elderly"? Let's talk about an observation: today's seniors have a future.

What if our elders had understood everything about digital?

Click: 9 out of 10 seniors make purchases on the Internet (source link), use Facebook or subscribe to Netflix. My grandmother is addicted to the same series as me! Digital technology bridges the generation gap but also solitude: "Two thirds of the over 70s think that you are never too old to have a one night stand". To find love, they can match on DisonsDemain (nice naming effort), Meetic's dedicated website, or on Passions, the dating app based on their interests. And Tinder has no upper age limit. YOLO.

Your second life begins at 60

The retirement age is falling. But so is the age you feel! It's time to enjoy the rest of your life - and to become interesting again for brands, which have sniffed out the windfall. Welcome to the silver economy, where innovation simplifies life, preserves autonomy and is often relevant to the entire population (see DNA).

The time available allows grey hairs to travel, to become volunteers, or even to embark on their own entrepreneurial adventure and create value. Surprisingly, "the proportion of entrepreneurs among adults aged 50-64 (18%) is higher than among 18-29 year olds (11%)" (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report 2016). The desire to be an entrepreneur at this age is often motivated by self-fulfilment and keeps them physically, intellectually and professionally active. Their previous experience helps them to avoid certain pitfalls, to distil their advice and to invest financially as business angels. On the negative side, the vast majority of senior entrepreneurs are still men (68-77%).

Old is the new young

More and more muses in their sixties are proudly embodying the brands, rich in experience and insolent in their casualness. "The hair is greying, the features are telling stories to the camera that films them or the camera that photographs them, and the established order is shaking," explains Marie-Capucine Reyt, Founder, Artistic Director & Executive Producer at WeSoundCompany. While we were already inspired by their retro style, seniors are invading our social networks and are on the verge of eclipsing a more mature Miley Cirus.

What's left for the young? To survive the long blues of the millennials, we continue to steal from our elders their creative practices and comforting lifestyles. Knitting, embroidery, rustic cooking, calligraphy... A cup of herbal tea and in bed at 9pm on Saturday night is chill.

The senior citizen is no longer old-fashioned, useless or outdated. He is a player who is gradually regaining his place in society - and the consideration of the "active". What about tomorrow? The next papy boom is encouraging brands to enhance their value with dedicated, cutting-edge experiences. Just like young people, they represent a demanding, connected, bankable and increasingly influential target group. The future is ahead of them.