Elderly influencers in China - 11th June 2021

We tend to associate online culture with cyber savvy bright young things, but Fashion Grandmas, a new class of elderly fashionistas showcasing style and life skills over the web, are changing the face of cyber culture by taking Chinese social media by storm.

As a result of China maintaining a one-child policy for decades, by 2050 the number of retirees will rocket from 17.8 to 46.7 per 100 workers. Despite this rise in dependents versus the labour force, these newly-aging techies are a potential goldmine. Their entrepreneurial ideas and increasing thirst for online shopping opportunities, health products and entertainment services could be the answer to China's pending economic problems.

Fashion Grandma group member Sang Xiuzhu, 76, is unwilling to see her age as a negative and wants to empower the elderly.

Sang Xiuzhu: "I think the elderly should also live the way they want and be optimistic. Don't keep thinking about how old you are. Our 'Fashion Grandma' group has a slogan: Age is just a number."

Being a Fashion Grandma is a lucrative pursuit. These influencers' livestream retailing and their video content interspersed with pop-up ads provide a means to generate income, which tops up existing state pensions.

Regularly achieving 200 purchases in just 60 seconds, the group employs a financial manager to oversee the accounting side of things.

With iiMedia Research forecasts valuing this year's third age economy at nearly US$900 billion, there are no signs of things slowing down for these golden girls of the web.

Video channel host Ruan Yaging embraces her seniority and celebrates her role as ambassador for the elderly.

Ruan Yaqing: "The elderly nowadays are different. We are exposed to everything and will learn everything. We are not like what young people assume, that we know nothing. It's wrong - actually the elderly know everything, and can accept everything. Everyone says that I'm an influencer now."