Campaign
Asia spotlighted a study
conducted by the Experience
Advocacy Taskforce (EAT)—released ahead of Ageism Awareness Day—which focused
on the growing concern around ageism in Australia’s advertising industry. “The Silent
Exit” examined the exodus of older employees—via reluctant resignation,
redundancy, or reduction in force—at White advertising agencies and media enterprises.
Not sure how
Adland Down Under compares to Adland in the US and UK, but the wailing and
gnashing of dentures appears to be similar.
The
suggested “solutions” mirror those concocted to address racial and ethnic
inequality in the global industry. Additionally, EAT officials strongly recommend
integrating ageism into overall DEIBA+ initiatives and heat
shields. As such proposed measures will likely be enthusiastically embraced
and executed by Adland elders, expect Old
White Guys and Old
White Gals to leapfrog people of color in the imperative for diversity,
equity, inclusion, etc.
Around the
world, it’s the same old story—systemic racism advances with age.
Side Note: The
royalty-free stock image illustrating the Campaign Asia content (depicted
above) was inverted, resulting in ‘EXIT” appearing backwards. Wonder if the
responsible editorial designer was an inexperienced newbie or inattentive veteran.
The silent
exit: Why ageism in advertising continues to force out senior talent
As adland
grapples with an ageing workforce, a new study by the Experience Advocacy
Taskforce reveals the exodus of seasoned professionals, driven by age bias and
structural challenges.
By Rahat Kapur
Ahead of Ageism
Awareness Day on October 9, a new study by the Experience Advocacy Taskforce
(EAT) in partnership with Advertising Industry Careers (AIC) sets out the
ongoing challenge of multigenerational workforce management in Australia’s
advertising industry.
The report
highlights the quiet but significant departure of professionals aged 45-54,
pointing to age bias and structural barriers as primary contributors.
Surveying 130
former professionals from full-service agencies, media agencies, creative
agencies, and media owners, the report shows that over half (51.54%) of these
exits occur in the mid-career age bracket of 45-54. Even more concerning,
nearly 70% of those who entered the industry as ‘young guns’—starting their
careers between 18 and 24—have left prematurely. These individuals are not
retiring but often being squeezed out by an industry increasingly focused on
younger talent.
Owen Joyce,
chief operations officer of AIC, told Campaign: “Senior people can
sometimes dismiss new trends—TikTok is a great example—and this may make them
appear set in their ways. There’s a perception that younger people better
understand the social platforms because they spend a lot of time on them
personally, but the survey respondents indicate this is less than 2%.”
The findings
challenge common industry assumptions, particularly the belief that older
professionals struggle with digital advancements. Fewer than 2% of respondents
cited an inability to adapt to the digital age as their reason for leaving. A
far larger group (35.38%) left due to involuntary redundancies, revealing the
disproportionate impact of economic pressures on experienced employees. Stress
and burnout, typically associated with mid-career exits, accounted for around
10.77% of cases, with a similar percentage moving to client-side roles.
Greg ‘Sparrow’
Graham, founder of the EAT, noted that this exodus, while understated, signals
a deeper issue: “The ‘silent exit’ is a wake-up call. To remain competitive,
the industry must value the expertise and contributions of seasoned
professionals and collectively work together to make age a non-issue for the
next generation.”
Beyond
redundancies, the report delves into recruitment challenges. Despite 23.08% of
those who left senior roles still seeking work in advertising, many face
significant barriers, including being ‘ghosted’ by recruiters. One respondent,
aged 50-54, shared their frustration: “I applied for 200+ jobs. How many
interviews do you think I got? Zero.”
While 70% of
respondents expressed a willingness to take roles below their previous level,
showing a continued passion for the industry, this raises concerns about the
long-term health of the workforce. Joyce observed: “When advertisers turn their
budgets back on, everyone will need to grow their teams, and often poaching,
above-market salaries, and unsustainable perks result. AIC believes there is
merit in looking at ways to manage these inevitable peaks and troughs, so that
removing senior people isn’t seen as a quick way to find cost efficiencies.”
The report also
highlights the pervasive ‘move up or move out’ mentality within the industry,
where seasoned professionals face pressure to continuously advance or risk
being pushed out. This mindset, combined with structural ageism, leaves many
over 40 feeling undervalued or irrelevant, despite their expertise, leading to
an unnecessary loss of talent.
This challenge
is not just confined to Australia. Across Asia Pacific, more young people are
grappling with whether advertising is the right career path, contributing to
the broader problem of managing a multigenerational workforce.
Linda Robson,
EAT committee member and founder of The Hummingbirds, who spent 17 years
working across Asia, highlighted these regional differences. She told Campaign:
“In Australia, we’re seeing a talent drain over 40, but I suspect it may be
even younger in some markets. I remember running a treasure hunt activity in
Vietnam as part of a training energiser. One of the tasks was ‘find someone
over 40’. We had over 70 people in the workshop at the time, and they couldn’t
find a single person over 40. For the record, the only person who qualified was
me.
“In those 17
years, working across 13 countries, I didn’t go to a single retirement party,
and there were plenty of colleagues who left because of involuntary
redundancies. So, what does that tell you?”
To address this
talent drain, the report suggests businesses must eliminate age bias in hiring,
develop creative strategies to retain experienced professionals, and provide
tailored support and career pathways for those not seeking to climb the
corporate ladder. Prioritising retention of senior talent and integrating
ageism into DEI initiatives are essential steps to fostering a sustainable,
multigenerational workforce.
“Perhaps this
is something that needs more attention from diversity and inclusion teams. It’s
also worth professionals themselves understanding when they are at risk and
being proactive. Clearly it is imperative we offer greater support and career
pathways for our more experienced workforce,” concluded Joyce. “Embracing the
expertise of those over 40 is essential to fostering innovation and resilience
within our field.”
Source: Campaign Asia