Senior interns of PTKOREA, a digital marketing service subsidiary of Cheil Worldwide, pose in this undated handout photo. Courtesy of PTKOREA

PTKOREA, a digital marketing service subsidiary of Cheil Worldwide, said Monday that its senior internship program is fostering synergy between the company's young workforce and older interns, with both groups playing complementary roles in marketing activities targeting older consumers.

According to the company, it recently extended the contracts of 11 older interns who started a three-month internship program last October. These interns, with an average age of 64, bring diverse professional experience from fields such as marketing, senior welfare and national defense.

PTKOREA said that people aged 65 or older made up 19.2 percent of the country's population last year, emerging as a key consumer demographic. However, tailored digital marketing efforts targeting this group remain relatively scarce. To address these needs, the company developed the internship program.

To gain insights into older consumers, the interns published the Senior Insight Report in November, providing an in-depth analysis of older adults' health, leisure, economic activities and social roles.

Additionally, the interns conducted case studies on taxi apps, kiosks and other digital environments that often overlook older consumers, and published YouTube videos to share their insights on the real challenges and needs faced by older adults.

The interns also conducted interviews on retirement funds for asset management companies and developed slogans tailored to older adults for consumer goods brands, including two ongoing campaign proposals for companies targeting the older adult market.

"It was a valuable experience of exploring tailored digital solutions for seniors," said Kim Jeong-kwan, one of the interns. "Also, the most meaningful aspect was that I can regain the confidence that our generation can still play a crucial role in society, based on our own expertise."

"Through the program, we could witness the cooperation between senior interns and young employees can go beyond sharing trends and bringing the experience and expertise of seniors," a PTKOREA official said. "We believe this program is more than just a marketing strategy, but a guideline in approaching the senior market."