17165: On The Decline Of Adland.

 

Adweek published content with the following headline and subhead:

 

Marketing and Advertising Internships Are on the Decline The downward trend parallels a decrease in young people employed in the industry overall

 

Gee, did this really need a report?

 

The scenario is not only the result of a “decrease in young people employed in the industry”—it reflects a decrease in people employed in the industry overall.

 

Fuck internships—marketing and advertising jobs are on the decline.

 

All of which leads to DEIBA+ decimation.

17155: The Degeneration Of Adland…?

Adweek reported Adland is dumping younger drones, opining the rise of AI is leading to the demise of generations with letters after X.

 

Wait a minute. Now White advertising agencies are allegedly unfairly cutting older generations and younger generations.

 

Who’s left?

 

Middle-aged White men and White women?

 

BTW, the viewpoint was inspired by US Bureau of Labor Statistics data—which was deemed wrong by septuagenarian President Donald J. Trump.

 

The Ad Industry Is Dumping Younger Workers 

 

Workers under 25 are at their lowest level since 2020, according to U.S. labor data. While plenty of factors are at play, the rise of AI is impossible to ignore.

 

By Paul Hiebert

 

As artificial intelligence becomes a routine part of work at advertising agencies, the industry appears to be shedding younger workers.

 

Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show employees aged 20-24 occupied 6.5% of all jobs in advertising, public relations, and other related services last year, the lowest since 2020.

 

In 2019, just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the same demographic was 10.5% of the advertising industry. But since 2022, the share of younger workers including recent college graduates has consistently declined.

 

The downward trend aligns with struggles young educated people are facing throughout the job market.

 

In recent years, the unemployment rate among college graduates aged 22-27 has inched higher than jobless levels for all workers, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Data reveals this is a new development: Young degree holders have consistently experienced lower unemployment than the general public going back to at least 1990, the earliest year for which data is available.

 

While plenty of factors, from industry consolidation to economic uncertainty, are driving some of these changes, it’s impossible to ignore AI’s role in displacing entry-level jobs particularly in fields like marketing and advertising.

 

Additional numbers from employment data provider Live Data Technologies show staff-level positions at U.S. marketing and advertising companies have declined more than 10% since January 2022. Manager and director jobs, meanwhile, have remained relatively steady during the same period.

16442: Could Consumer Complaints Create Cultural Change?

 

Advertising Age reported on a 4-year survey whose 2023 results showed 53% of consumers think corporations should not get involved in political or cultural concerns, versus almost 30% saying corporations should take a stand on issues. The figures indicated an increase of about 10 percent versus the survey’s 2019 results.

 

Ad Age also noted the following:

 

“Support for corporate activism grew among younger consumers in the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd, and sentiments have stayed that way … Among millennials and Gen Z, 41% say corporations should use their influence to impact political and corporate issues, up from 27% in 2019. Support among Gen X and baby boomers is also growing but remains well below 50%—just 17% of boomers are supportive, with support among Gen X is at 23%.”

 

The data poses questions that could apply to Adland. That is, how would consumers react upon learning that most corporations are partnering with White advertising agencies where diversity is a dream delegated, deferred, diverted, dodged, and denied? Might consumers demand that corporations use their influence to impact change in the exclusive industry?

 

It’s clear that commitment to racial and ethnic diversity has dwindled in recent years at White advertising agencies and corporations. Yet consumer dedication remains steady.

 

MadMen character Don Draper once quipped, “If you don’t like what is being said, then change the conversation.” Hey, if you don’t like the lack of diversity in Adland, perhaps it’s time to invite consumers to join the conversation.

 

Brand activism—over half of consumers not interested in hearing companies’ political and social stances

 

Brands might be better off supporting their employees rather than making public statements, Morning Consult finds

 

By Erika Wheless

 

A majority of Americans say brands should not take stands on social, corporate, or cultural issues—but a desire for companies to speak out is rising, especially among younger generations, according to a new report from Morning Consult. And some issues are more polarizing than others: General statements about diversity in the workforce have widespread support, but there is less support for backing LGBTQ+ rights, especially among older Americans.

 

The report is based on a survey of roughly 20,000 U.S. adults between August 2019 and Sept. 2023. In 2023, the survey found that 53% of respondents said corporations should not get involved in political or cultural issues, while almost 30% said corporations should take a stand. In 2019, 61% of respondents said corporations should not get involved while 19 percent said they should take a stand, according to the survey. (The remaining respondents said they don’t care or don’t know.)

 

Support for corporate activism grew among younger consumers in the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd, and sentiments have stayed that way, according to Joanna Piacenza, head of industry intelligence at Morning Consult. Among millennials and Gen Z, 41% say corporations should use their influence to impact political and corporate issues, up from 27% in 2019. Support among Gen X and baby boomers is also growing but remains well below 50%—just 17% of boomers are supportive, with support among Gen X is at 23%.

 

For marketers speaking to a broad audience, this presents a damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario. But the report also outlines what issues consumers care about the most: often what’s happening internally at a company.

 

It’s what’s on the inside that counts

 

Across generations, how a company treats its employees and customers is a paramount issue. The report found that roughly 9 in 10 Americans said that it’s important that companies they buy from take care of their employees, have products readily available, and always do what’s best for customers, even in challenging times.

 

The data showed that internal company actions resonated with customers more than external advocacy —71% of consumers said they viewed a company as more favorable if they paid their employees well; 69% said they viewed a company as more favorable if a company was known to be a place where employees liked to work; 66% liked if the company paid men and women equally; 65% liked if it made goods in America; and 60% cared if the company supported the U.S. military.

 

“There is a ‘keeping your own house in order’ feel that consumers have toward brands,” Piacenza said. “Brands should be doing more to show their benefits or highlight why their employees are happy. Treating workers well is its own form of good advertising because then you aren’t risking an angry employee going viral about you online.”

 

The actions with the least impact on a brand’s favorability included supporting the Me Too movement, advocating for gay rights, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, advocating for transgender rights and advocating for stricter abortion policies.

 

External issues

 

If brands are going to issue public statements, there are five issues that consumers feel that brands are able to speak about: support for the police, diversity in the workforce, climate change and the environment, women’s rights and gender equality and voting rights. Race and racism in America was the sixth-most popular topic, with 67% of U.S. adults saying that brands are able to speak about it. But this was a topic that had the greatest difference between the general population and Gen Z, with 73% of Gen Zers saying that corporations should issue public statements around race, compared to 56% of the general population.

 

Among the issues consumers want to hear about the least from brands is access to abortion and contraception, though that topic resonated with nearly 60% of millennials who want brands to speak out, compared with just 45% of the general population. Online censorship, LGBTQ+ rights, transgender rights and efforts to ban books were also among the issues consumers want to hear about the least from brands.

 

Bud Light and Target are among the brands that faced backlash this year among some consumers for LGBTQ+-related marketing campaigns and products.

 

Issues that U.S. consumers agree corporations should be taking a stance on include threats against U.S. democracy, the protection of government institutions, women’s rights, climate change and diversity and inclusion in the workplace, according to the report.

 

Piacenza notes that company statements around certain issues have to be specific, including how they phrase their stance. “We have women’s rights high up as an acceptable issue for brands to make public statements about, but abortion access is lower,” she said. “So if you are a more female-focused brand or a brand with a majority-female customer base, and you want to make a statement about the Dobb’s decision, you should phrase it as a women’s rights issue, not access to abortion.”

 

Why the divide

 

Majorities of Gen Z adults, millennials and Democrats said “a lot” or “some” corporate brands are in touch with the average American, compared with less than half of Gen Xers, boomers and Republicans who said the same. It’s another sign that younger and more liberal Americans see corporations drifting toward their own viewpoint, while older and more conservative Americans feel increasingly isolated from brands.

 

“If you believe that a brand aligns with your values and they take a stand, you’re more open to hearing from them,” Piacenza said. “But on the other hand, if you feel that you aren’t aligned, you don’t want to hear from them as much.”

 

A misalignment in values led to Bud Light’s woes, which began last April when conservatives complained about transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posting about a custom can bearing her image, eventually leading to a steep sales decline. Morning Consult’s report found that roughly one in five Americans said they have boycotted a company over the past year for political reasons. Younger, college-educated, high-earning consumers, baby boomers, and Republican men are the most likely groups to boycott brands for political reasons.

 

“This really comes down to knowing your audience,” Piacenza said. “If you are unsure about taking a stance, keep your head down and go about your business.”

16337: Now Age Bias Is Ageless…?

 

Digiday Media’s Worklife reported on Gen Z bosses facing increased age bias at work. If this phenomenon comes to Adland, expect a culturally clueless collision pitting Old White Guys and Gals against White Gen Z—with both groups crying ageism from opposite ends. Hey, White privilege has literally been around for ages.

 

How Gen Z bosses handle age bias at work

 

By Cloey Callahan

 

There’s one phrase every Gen Z boss has likely heard in their career: Can I speak to whoever you report to?

 

Looking your age (or younger) doesn’t help either. And older professionals will often make assumptions based on that: ‘Surely this baby-faced youth doesn’t have the authority or experience to make the decision here?’

 

As such, being in a senior role managing others while in your early 20s can be extra tough. But like many generic, generational observations, this age bias can cloud the reality.

 

There are Gen Zers who have either quickly risen to the ranks, or have founded entire companies themselves, and are running operations smoothly. These young workers are adaptable and resilient, but are still judged by their age by people who measure professional credibility by length of time served in an industry.

 

Naturally, the more years of experience a person has under their belt, along with mistakes they’ve learned from, challenges they’ve figured out, teams they’ve led, makes them a more seasoned leader. But Gen Z also bring a fresh point of view. And like most work-related needs, balance and diversity of age ranges — therefore outlooks — is usually best.

 

So why do some people from older generations have difficulty taking their opinion seriously in the workplace?

 

Clayton Taylor, CEO of private security company ESP Pros, grew the company from eight employees in April 2021 to 130 employees today. He’s 27-years-old, putting him at the older end of the Gen Z scale (which is anyone born between 1997 and 2021), but manages employees that range from being Vietnam war veterans to recent college grads.

 

“It kind of became a ripple effect where once I got the first older person into the company, and they saw my credibility, more old timers started to buy in,” said Taylor.

 

People criticized him and thought at first that maybe it wasn’t a real company and operation, but more just a kid trying something out. He set out to prove that stigma wrong. “Now it’s like we get these 50-year-olds who come in and tell us about how it’s the greatest company that they’ve worked for,” said Taylor.

 

Imposter syndrome roars

 

He’s the youngest C-suite executive in the room – the next youngest is 40-years-old. That’s where the imposter syndrome can start to kick in.

 

“They’re looking at me for guidance and direction, when typically in a non-business setting, I’d be looking to somebody older than me and saying ‘hey, how should I do this?’” said Taylor. “It’s having that confidence to say ‘nope, this is the plan.’ It’s really helped me to interact with those people.”

 

But that didn’t come easy. He’s had to actively work on gaining that respect and authority, he added.

 

It’s a similar story for Morgan Sabrina, a 24-year-old director at PR agency Society22 who oversees a mix of 10 full-time and contracted employees.

 

“When I first started moving into more of a management role, I felt uncomfortable with it at first,” said Sabrina. ”You go through school your entire life being told ‘you need to respect someone older than you regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what they are.’ When I first got into this management role, that was a hurdle for me.”

 

New customers, clients express concerns

 

Thankfully, most of Sabrina’s internal work peers respect her expertise. But Taylor and Sabrina both find their ages can still present challenges when working with new clients or customers.

 

“I was working with a new client and they flew in one of their executives from the EU [European Union],” said Taylor. “We met at a bar and he walks in and before I could even introduce myself, he looks around and says ‘are you old enough to even be in here?’ It was an ‘oh, here we go’ kind of thing.”

 

It’s the same for Sabrina on Zoom calls. “I’ve even had a couple of times of having someone say ‘do you have someone who’s more executive on your team that can advise or double check what you’re saying is accurate or that they agree with it?’,” she said.

 

When that happens, Taylor tries to “take a step back, smile, and keep it rolling.” But it’s more work to prove that person can trust you. Sabrina leans into her authenticity, a key characteristic of Gen Zers, and informs people about her background and reminds them she’s worked in the industry for four years. If that doesn’t work, she will tell them: “I work with huge brands like Red Bull and Nike. If they’re trusting me, you can trust me on your account too.”

 

It’s a clear trend among Gen Z bosses. Travis Chen, 24-year-old co-founder of SoundMind, a mental health platform providing personalized music therapy, which has 15 employees, has heard similar comments.

 

“I was just on a Zoom call the other day with 30 different school counselors,” said Chen. “The superintendent of the school district came in and interrupted the entire presentation and asked who the founder was and where my manager was. I said ‘I’m actually one of the founders here.’ He walked out of the room. There are still instances where there is that loss of trust and credibility, but we work to overcome that.”

 

Multi-generational understanding

 

Aside from client age biases, Chen also worries about addressing situations that he has not yet experienced himself. For example, being a working parent.

 

“There was a member of our team in their late 30s and in the summer months the kids are home from school,” said Chen. “I noticed there was a decrease in productivity and during our quarterly performance review I had to really navigate how to put myself in their shoes and phrase it in a way where they’re receptive to figuring out ways to increase their performance.”

 

However, Gen Z is entering the workforce with an empathetic mindset, maybe even more so than generations that came before them because of the push for better work-life balance. But ultimately, the antidote most challenges, including age bias, is strong communication.

 

“Communication skills will allow you to communicate effectively with all of the generations, regardless of any other factors,” said Sabrina. “It will help in having those older generations respect you more if those communication skills are solid. That’s my biggest recommendation.”

13763: Diversity, Meet Exclusivity.

Nielsen published a report titled, “Youth Movement: Gen Z Boasts the Largest, Most Diverse Media Users Yet.” Unfortunately, the advertising industry creating much of the media content boasts the largest, least diverse group yet.

13425: #BlackNextGensMatter.

Advertising Age published a perspective by Kevin Walker at CultureLab, who opened by stating, “As a cultural strategist, I am often struck by the lack of information and insight around next-generation black consumers.” Wonder how Walker feels about the lack of investment and next-generation crumbs allocated to reach the audience.

Reaching Next-Gen African-American Consumers

By Kevin Walker

As a cultural strategist, I am often struck by the lack of information and insight around next-generation black consumers.

This is missed opportunity. There is money to be made, social currency to gain and brand relevance to enhance by understanding and connecting with millennial and Gen Z African Americans.

An influential demographic

According to Nielsen, next-gen blacks are social-media leaders: They are the meme generators, the colorful web commentators. These generations of African Americans are also leading the way in forging new models for music distribution. For example, Chance the Rapper has rocketed to great success without a record label. His critically acclaimed “Coloring Book” is a streaming-only album, which may become the first Grammy-winning album released without a record label and without a mechanical version. He built his audience through social media and SoundCloud mixtapes. Black millennials like Issa Rae and Donald Glover are providing fresh and innovative content with their hit TV series, HBO’s “Insecure,” and FX’s “Atlanta,” respectively. Both shows provide very contemporary, quirky views of black life that younger audiences have responded to in record numbers.

The strength of this group is not necessarily their number but their influence, as well as spending and media use compared to other groups.

The influence of next-gen African-Americans is undeniable when you look at social media language (slang words and phrases like “clapback,” “squad goals,” “lit,” and “dragged”), in music (Trap) and viral dances (Juju).

This group shapes consumerism and, in many instances, mainstream culture like no other.

A resurgence of cultural identity

There is a commonplace narrative when it comes to young African Americans that they are part of a multicultural melting pot, where they have blended in with their non-black friends. Their identity, it is said, is more generational than racial.

While this may be true for some, black identity is growing among this group, and so is resegregation, offline and online. In exploring the black digital realm, you will discover certain hashtags like #BlackGirlMagic, and you will gain insight into a separate world where black youths connect. Black youth are creating a separate digital landscape where cultural freedom, snarky humor, celebration of black identity, black linguistic innovation and socio-political commentary all co-exist.

Essentially, next-gen African-Americans are blacker than ever!

#BlackLivesMatter

These cultural and economic forces, manifested in the digital realm, have been developing for a while, but the collective black voice on various digital mediums grew exponentially after the #BlackLivesMatter movement on Twitter.

Since #BlackLivesMatter, there have been various other hashtags that have served as rallying calls and celebrations of cultural pride. Examples include #oscarsowhite (a protest hashtag highlighting the absence of people of color at the Oscars), #blackboyjoy (a response to negative imagery and narratives of black men highlighting joyfulness among black men) and #BlackGirlMagic (a hashtag celebrating achievement, beauty, freedom and flyness among black women).

Online and elsewhere, rising black cultural consciousness has reshaped the next-gen black consumer.

Gaining cultural currency

Sadly, even as social media is growing in importance, and as black digerati influence the mainstream, we find a glaring lack of diversity inside corporate and agency social media departments.

Without question, this is a barrier to more authentic outreach to black millennials and Gen Zers. However, it also presents an opportunity for brands going forward.

The code to unlocking the love from this consumer is a complex one. This is a consumer who is hypersensitive about the role of brands; who has a great awareness of self and culture; who is ready to pounce on any person or company who abuses the community, or appropriates without reverence or respect. The collectivism, amplification and quickness of black people on Twitter and social media is a game changer. A once-marginalized group has found its power.

Much like efforts to reach general market millennials, it is not about traditional marketing and branding. Smart marketers who want to build relationships with next-gen African-Americans should have authentic insights about black next-gen socio-political sensitivities, they should have authentic cultural sensibility and, most of all, cultural empathy.

To get this right requires assembling targeted insights from across the marketing mix, from experiential and content development to user experience and customer experience. The acknowledgement and affirmation of Black Lives Matter by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is guaranteed to add a halo and affinity for AT&T among next-gen African-Americans. The same goes for Ben & Jerry’s in their Black Lives Matter activity. Even smartly executed and comical culturally insightful tweets can add to the win for companies. Take the hilarious use of Birdman’s infamous “Put Some Respek On It” meme by a Texas-based burger chain:

Whataburger is another example of comical but tastefully funny leverage of black culture.

In reaching next-gen African-Americans there also needs to be more attention paid to analytics. There is a black hole when it comes to targeted analytical insight of this group, due to the limitations of the current listening and analytic tools that drill down to black consumers. (Are you listening, Silicon Valley?)

Incremental sales and profit to be gained

Young African-American consumers love themselves and their culture more than ever, but the question remains, Can companies tap into their world in a relevant and winning way? Can they show these consumers some love, and win more fans, resulting in more sales and profit in the process?

Companies can embrace culturally insightful black next-gen outreach. All they have to do is try.