How we can fight ageism in advertising

Welcome back to Ad Age Briefly! This week’s edition features an honest conversation about ageism, experts’ 2025 predictions and Starbucks’ agency switcheroo. —Ad Age Senior Engagement Editor Mark Fischer

The ad industry is 'ageist as f—k'

The lowdown: Ageism is very real in the ad industry, especially in agency land, where employees at three major holding companies are, on average, under 35 years old. Women begin facing ageism in their late 30s and men in their early 50s. “It’s younger than you think,” Christie Cordes , founder and CEO of Ad Recruiter + Consiglieré, told our Lindsay Rittenhouse . Tensions between older workers with valuable experience and ambitious Gen Zers, combined with misconceptions about older workers’ adaptability to technologies such as AI, are contributing factors.

It takes everyone: It’s not just on older workers to fight ageism. Companies can learn from indie agency L&C , which has won Grand Prix awards at Cannes Lions thanks to its cross-generational team. “You have to value what everyone can bring to the table,” said L&C Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Gian Carlo Lanfranco . “That’s when you get the best ideas.” Companies should also have honest conversations with older executives about their career goals and be flexible, says Patti Temple Rocks , a former agency executive and author of “I’m Not Done,” a book on ageism.

Bouncing back: As Cindy Gallop puts it, the industry is “ageist as f–k,” and for some, that means losing their job because of it. To get back on track, leverage social media and get involved in conversations that matter. One creative director told Lindsay that building up his LinkedIn profile was key to catching recruiters' attention.? Fractional jobs can also offer an alternative path for those struggling to land full-time roles.?

?? Read the full story: Lindsay interviewed several advertising professionals and experts about the continued spread of ageism in the ad industry. Here is what they had to say.

?? Also read: "Ageism in advertising is as much a part of the diversity dilemma as race and gender," wrote Ad Age Columnist M.T. Fletcher in a recent column for Ad Age. Check that out here.

?? Attention, ad tech leaders! The deadline is fast approaching for our Tech Power List, which recognizes the most influential figures in marketing—across brands, agencies, retailers, ad tech providers, and platforms—who have driven technological innovations over the past year. Enter here.

Experts predict 2025 ad trends

To kick off the new year, Ad Age asked industry leaders to share their predictions on all things marketing. Here are some of their forecasts (and hopes for 2025), lightly edited for length and clarity:

"Brands will get on a healthier content diet in 2025. They got addicted to the empty calories of not-so-creative nor relevant 'snackable content' and overindulged in the heavy cuisine of traditional work. They’re figuring out how to get healthy in the new year with the right amount of content that works, sourced from a mix of in-house agencies, holding company production solutions and independent production companies."— Sergio Lopez Ferrero , CEO, Omnicom Production

"Expect brands to get even more focused on 'brief compatibility' when assigning work—becoming more focused on project-based or serialized assignments that have agencies tap in super-personalized, super-agile teams to deliver strong work with efficiency."— Darla Price (she / her / hers) , president, Ogilvy New York

"AI agents will transform marketing. They will automate complex tasks that marketing teams don’t want to do as well as transform how consumers discover, decide and purchase." — Jim Misener , president, 50,000feet

"Hyper-localization—beyond just media—will be a core expectation for brands, requiring agencies to deliver more than just that digital presence. This means creating culturally resonant, locally relevant content and experiences, partnering with local influencers, nonprofits, sports or community events." — Trina Roffino , CEO, TMA

"The DEI backlash clickbait will be replaced by stories of brand growth through inclusivity. Brands that truly double-down on inclusivity efforts, showing up across all consumer-facing touchpoints—advertising, websites, products and external commitments—will be the true winners."— Jason R. Klein , chief operating officer and co-founder, SeeMe Index

?? Explore our 2025 predictions hub for more insights from industry leaders.

Side note: In the last Ad Age Briefly of 2024, Ad Age editors shared their predictions for 2025.

?? Calling all Gen Zers! Ad Age is now accepting nominations for its annual Gen Zers to Watch list, celebrating the next generation of innovators transforming the advertising and marketing landscape. From social media leaders to agency founders, this list highlights the rising stars driving the industry forward. Enter here.

In other news...

Just a few months after hiring WPP to handle its U.S. creative business, Starbucks has hired Stagwell's Anomaly for the account, Ad Age's Ewan Larkin and Erika Wheless report.

Publicis Groupe dismissed Geraldine White from her role as chief diversity officer and laid off nearly half of her 13 person team, sources told Ad Age Reporter Lindsay Rittenhouse .

At CES, brands such as Hilton and Best Western are showing interest in quantum computing, reports Technology Reporter Asa Hiken from Las Vegas.

Creativity Corner

"German Doner Kebab, a U.K.-based fast-casual restaurant chain, invades the U.S. with gleeful absurdity in a campaign from Quality Meats featuring a fast-talking German spokesman and low-fi, zany animation," writes Ad Age Creativity Editor Tim Nudd .

?? Watch the campaign here.

?? Hi there, thanks for reading: This newsletter was curated by Ad Age Senior Engagement Editor Mark Fischer . Have any feedback or tips? Reach out to him at [email protected].