Australia’s retirement sector has increased its advertising investment by more than 10 per cent over the past year, with new Nielsen data revealing a $53.6 million spend as brands compete for an ageing population — but one brand expert believes the surge reflects a lingering “hangover from COVID”.
Nielsen Ad Intel data found retirement sector advertisers invested $53.6 million in advertising between July 2025 and June 2026, up from $48.5 million in the previous 12-month period, representing a 10.4 per cent year-on-year increase.
The biggest advertisers in the sector during the period were Palm Lake Group, Silver Chain Group, Ingenia Communities Group, Ryman Healthcare Australia and Aveo Group.
Just last month retirement living provider, Levande, launched a hilarious new campaign via 303 to show how living in a retirement home provides peace of mind, low-maintenance living, connection and community.
The new work highlights some of the most compelling (and cheeky) reasons residents choose retirement living with Levande, including low-maintenance living, connection and community, the provider’s six-month change of mind guarantee, safety and security, modern homes and wellbeing concierge services.
The growth of advertising comes as more Australians enter retirement or begin planning for life after work, with Nielsen Consumer & Media View (CMV) data showing 4.68 million Australians have already transitioned into retirement — representing 20.3 per cent of the population.
A further 3.09 million Australians (13.4 per cent) are considering or planning to retire within the next five years, while 7.27 million Australians identify saving for retirement as a key financial priority over the next two to three years.
However, Little Brand Creative founder Bronny Lane told B&T the increase in advertising spend could also reflect challenges facing the retirement living and aged care sectors following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is likely a hangover from COVID and the lockdowns,” she said.
“I’m assuming if they’re increasing ad spend it’s because they have decreasing numbers of people willing to put their loved ones in nursing homes.”
Lane said the sector may still be dealing with reputational challenges following the pandemic, suggesting increased advertising could be part of efforts to rebuild trust with Australians considering retirement living.
Nielsen Pacific commercial lead of ad intel, Rose Lopreiato, said the increase in investment highlighted the importance for retirement brands to understand competitive activity and changing media strategies.
“As investment in the retirement sector grows, advertisers need to understand where competitors are spending and how their media strategies are changing,” Lopreiato said. “Ad Intel helps brands benchmark activity, identify opportunities and make more informed investment decisions.”
Nielsen Pacific head of advanced analytics Glenn Channell said the retirement market extends beyond age demographics, with Australians at different life stages having different financial, lifestyle and healthcare needs.
“Understanding the retirement market requires more than simply identifying people by age,” Channell said.
“Some Australians are actively preparing for retirement, others are focused on ensuring their savings will last, while those already retired may have very different financial, lifestyle, health and housing needs.”
The data suggests the broader retirement opportunity spans financial planning, healthcare, aged care, lifestyle, property, travel and services designed to support Australians before and throughout retirement.
