AGEISM IS THE NEW SEXISM (IT'S OFFICIAL...ISH)
Deborah Mills
Smart thinking, creative ideas and practical solutions that work for brands, organisations and people. Specially interested in education - in all its forms.
In Cannes this year, Marc Pritchard who is increasingly a disruptor of communication norms, spoke about gender equality in advertising. But he added: "As a company, we’re now focusing not just on millennials but boomers as well. That’s the next area – the age portion is probably the next frontier. But we’ve got efforts in each of those areas. Watch this space."
For Pritchard and P&G, diversity is not just about what they portray in their advertising - it's about "building it into our business and our marketing." And where P&G go, their agency roster usually follows.
But finding anyone over the age of 55 in most agencies is like finding Lord Lucan. Recent surveys by Campaign magazine and Ad Week (US based) set the median age in agencies at around 33. People over 50 make up a tiny percentage of agency staff, at any level. With UK retirement ages now set at 65, and rising, most post-Boomers entering their fifties are looking at potentially 20 more years of working life. Pensions aren't what they used to be. What motivates to all those wise, experienced, marketing-savvy, creative brains to leave? Do they tire of the business? Or are they, as research suggests, far more likely to be targeted when cuts are made?
The sad thing is that according to Campaign's research, this is also wrapped up with gender issues. Only 29% of the men in their industry survey had experienced ageism in the workplace. The percentage of women was 35%. Any woman over a certain age will tell you, anecdotally, that the behaviours that shaped their careers in their twenties and thirties, don't play so well in their 50's: "feisty" suddenly becomes "difficult"; "ambitious" becomes "high maintenance".
But all is not lost: according to one or two enlightened agency leaders, as staffing levels come under pressure, they are actively seeking people with what we might call, euphemistically, 'gravitas'. As one industry insider said, "More experienced people have a savviness about the business - they know what's what, can handle C suite clients as well as the local brand manager and turn work around super fast. They are not cheap to hire, but use them right and they are worth every penny". Let's hope Mr Pritchard's agencies agree.
Marketing, Development and Management consultant ; Private Tutor
6 年Ageism is rife in the Middle East marketing and communications sector in my experience.
Founder/Senior Creative/Creative Director/Strategist
6 年For 20 years advertising kept me young at heart. But unfortunatly it is the funnel of management. It happens in all businesses. Want a pay rise, move up the ladder, take more responsibility. This obviously takes time. So age creeps up and eventually some have to fall by the way side, as not everyone can be the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Client Officer, Chief Creative Officer, Chief Blah Blah. And some people don't want to be, and frankly in my experience shouldn't be. But healthy agencies are diverse agencies. Who are the next generation supposed to learn from if not from seasoned professionals. (As long as over the years Adland hasn't made them cynical)
Co-Founder of The Truth Doctors
6 年Totally behind you Deborah...I wrote a vent after I heard that there was only 6% of us over 50s at my last agency. We have amazing experience, are at our peak...and are survivors! ! I’ve found that raising age diversity makes a lot of people very uncomfortable.
Contract ECD [ex-WPP] | Non-Profit Founder & Developer ? RemoteWriters ? RemoteArtDirectors ? Good_Better
6 年"Great news. All you people we made 'redundant'. We need you back. Bad news is, at half-the salary."