SEATTLE, Wash. (SEND2PRESS) — Cynthia Thurlow will be a part of an influential panel of marketing leaders from across the country at the LeadingAge National Leadership Summit on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026. She will present “Rebuilding your Marketing Engine with a modern Mindset.” This session will take place between 1:45 and 3:00 pm. The summit brings together aging service providers, policy experts, advocates, and others to discuss technology, housing, and workforce. Image caption: 3rd3rd marketing. Thurlow will be joined on the panel by Timi Mafua Senior Manager of Studio Management for T-Mobile and another general agency representative, bringing perspectives from global consumer brands as well as leading advertising agencies to benefit operators of senior communities and aging service. The session will examine why many nonprofit senior-living organizations struggle to innovate. It is not because they lack vision, but rather that their leadership teams and boards have to deal with immediate operational priorities. This leaves them limited capacity to advance marketing and brand strategies. The session will also examine hidden “census-killers” that are holding back organizations, such as overreliance on generic marketing, internal micromanagement and fragmented decision making across stakeholders. It will also examine misaligned investments in staffing in a modern, complex market. Speakers will challenge a long-held assumption that adults aged 60+ are a homogenous group and offer a path forward. Attendees gain a modern, practical playbook that will help them: Restructuring marketing for agility and growth Designing new products and experiences that align with evolving consumer expectations Building platforms that generate demand, unlock innovation, and explore effective nonprofit senior living strategies that challenge ageism, as more adults enter their “third third” in life. “I hear, and I see more often, that people ‘wait too long’ when it comes to moving into independent living. It’s a ‘NOT YET” mentality. Thurlow said that while senior living is important, it must realize that it is a mature market and has not consistently innovated. “Younger Baby boomers, in particular don’t see what’s offered or how it’s marketed as themselves,” said Thurlow. This disconnect is driving hesitation and represents a huge opportunity for reinvention. This dynamic is magnified when it comes to selling “care”. Through its work with senior-living organizations across the country, 3rd3rd Marketing helps customers move beyond age as a single demographic and focus on psychodemographics. These include values, interests, aspirations, etc. that better reflect today’s consumers. This approach allows communities to create more meaningful connections, and drive sustainable growth. The session will also examine how leading brands outside senior living approach their marketing systems and what can be applied to the sector immediately. Mafua noted that, in studying the senior living sector, he was struck by the fact that even having a customer base does not guarantee growth. “It’s an important reminder that what got us here won’t get us there. It takes a partner who has the experience and the courage to guide you to achieve real differentiation. It’s not something that most organizations are naturally good at. The LeadingAge National Leadership Summit brings together top executives and decision makers from the senior living and aging service fields to discuss strategies that will shape the future of the industry. About 3rd3rd marketing 3rd3rd is the “Un-Senior Living Agency,” working with senior living communities, mission-driven aging service organizations and B2C categories worldwide. 3rd3rd helps to build authentic connections and increase engagement by removing unintentional stereotypes and ageism. Visit https://3rd3rd.com/ for more information. LOGO link for media: https://www.send2press.com/300dpi/26-0312-s2p-3rd3rd-300dpi.webp Summit Info: https://leadershipsummit.leadingage.org/speakers-2/page/5/ News Source: 3rd3rd MarketingTo view the original post, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/3rd3rd-marketing-president-cynthia-thurlow-to-challenge-status-quo-at-leadingage-leadership-summit/. This press release has been issued by Send2Press(r), Newswire, on behalf of the news provider. The source is solely responsible and accountable for its accuracy. www.send2press.com.
