An invisible $19 billion opportunity

There’s a whole generation of women quietly disappearing from view. In media, in culture, in advertising.

Gen X women are everywhere, managing households, navigating their careers, caring for young adults and ageing parents. They're also making most of the financial decisions in their households, buying the gifts, booking the appointments, and budgeting for everyone else - yet in media and in culture we’re treating them like they're not there.

What we've noticed

Gen X women aren’t winding-down or just-starting-out - they’re in their prime: financially, culturally, and influentially. Despite 84% of Gen X women being the key decision makers in their households, they are being sidelined. As a Gen Z woman, I never truly realised how overlooked Gen X women are until my mum said, “When you get older, sometimes you just feel a bit invisible.” She was right. The media industry, in particular, has always been obsessed with the ‘next and newest’ generation - at the moment it’s Gen Z.

We chase their attention in briefs, build campaigns around them and talk about them… constantly. But in doing so, we’re ignoring the generation at the centre of the household, the women managing and influencing everyone around them.

Source: Pure Profile & Mamamia State of Women Study, July 2024, Mamamia Female Audience aged 18-64, N=456 Q) When it comes to making purchases for your household, generally speaking how involved are you in the decision making?

In our most recent annual survey, The State of Women 2025 and Beyond, 71% of Gen X women said they put everyone else’s needs before their own, while 74% feel they’re solely responsible for running the household.

Making sense of it

“Gen X is at the center of a major economic shift – driving spending across categories while managing the demands of multiple generations,” says Marta Cyhan-Bowles, Chief Communications Officer & Head of Global Marketing COE at NIQ - and the numbers back her up: Gen Xers spent over $19 billion (yes billion with a B) online in Australia in 2024. They also control a massive 81% of household wealth in Australia and show strong spending in categories like travel, health and beauty - yet only 5-10% of global ad spend targets them.

Ignoring them isn’t just an oversight. It’s a missed opportunity.

When it comes to speaking the Gen X language, a brand that is absolutely killing it is Oura Ring. Their latest campaign takes a refreshing approach by featuring individuals of mature age instead of celebrities, promoting the idea that aging is aspirational.

Oura Ring's latest campaign gives ageing 'the finger'

The campaign emphasises that 'the goal is to grow old' - building healthy habits over time, positioning the Oura Ring as a tool for enjoying life as you grow older, rather than focusing solely on performance and optimisation.

What it means for brands

While some studies reveal ageism in advertising is declining, there is still a long way to go. Bluemercury commissioned a research study, revealing that 87% of Gen X women want real age representation in advertising, with 78% saying they will remain loyal to brands that feature age diversity in marketing.

Mamamia has led the way on conversations around topics like perimenopause, which is why we know Gen X women are so much more than what’s happening to their menstrual cycle. They want content that reflects their reality: sharp, smart conversations spanning culture, lifestyle, beauty, and health. They want to listen to curious women who say brave things, funny things, extraordinary things - and mean them.

So we’ve created Unleashed (launching commercially March 2026) the vodcast for smart women who are looking for conversations that unpack this very specific life stage with a group of like-minded women who get it - the kind who don’t care what you think of their socks because they're too busy plotting their next, and best, act. It’s witty and sharp cultural analysis in a chat format, mixing deep and shallow, pop culture and zeitgeist. It builds belonging with an audience who feel ignored everywhere else. And it’s the perfect place for brands to finally speak to the generation they’ve been missing.