Angela Smith, co-founder and CEO at AFFINITY Agency Group, writes on behalf of the Experience Advocacy Taskforce that adland would do well to learn from other sectors which elevate the most experience, rather than push them out.
The debate over whether youth or experience adds more value to our industry, or any industry for that matter, is complex. It’s a topic that creates polarised opinions, often leading to knee-jerk reactions and positions lacking insight or nuance.
It’s not a debate we should be having.
Age is not a binary matter.
To suggest that everyone with a certain birthdate behaves and performs the same is just like believing in horoscopes. Age doesn’t define an individual’s capabilities or potential. It’s a gross generalisation to assume that all young people are innovative, and all older people bring wisdom and common sense with their experience. There are young individuals who lack creativity and older individuals who are innovation personified.
What the f**k is young and what is old anyway?
To play to this construct is to lean into ageism – discrimination against people because of their chronological age. Ageism is a two-way street. It affects both the young and the old. Younger individuals are often dismissed as inexperienced and incapable, while older individuals are seen as outdated and resistant to change. This kind of thinking is detrimental to the industry as it prevents us from recognising and utilising the full potential of people as individuals.
When our industry puts people in these boxes it’s a gross and unfortunate generalisation. Worse, it’s lazy and unimaginative. Ironic really. To argue one is better than the other is offensive – to all of us. Age does not define an individual’s abilities or potential. It is important to judge people based on their skills, knowledge, and contributions rather than their age.
I mean we’ve all encountered some amazingly smart, nimble-minded 50+ somethings – people who fizz with energy and ideas – look at Warren Buffet for example. Then who of you have met a 20-year-old that seems as slow as a tortoise – lacking speed or wit. Their age does not define them. The reduction of old vs. young lacks nuance, it lacks intelligence and creativity.
And intelligence and creativity, after all, isn’t that why we’re all in this industry?
We’re here to bring smarts. To bring critical thinking. To be creative. To think differently. Intelligence and creativity are not confined to a specific age group. They can be found in individuals of all ages. We should be striving to foster an environment where people are judged based on their ideas and contributions rather than their age.
In our advertising and media world, this means brilliant ideas get dismissed simply because of the age of the brain they come from. Whether it’s the seasoned strategist who’s a has-been or the fresh graduate who obviously has no idea because… well how could they?! Even worse, so many ideas will never ever happen, as the too ‘old’ or too ‘young’ job candidate never even gets through the front door. Great thinking has never seen the light of day just because of someone’s age. The spectre of ageism is robbing us of the possibilities of greatness and innovation.
Yet here it is.
Because there’s one thing, I can absolutely guarantee each and every one you have already done if you’ve got this far. You have judged me. You’ve wondered whether I’m old or young, you will have made a bunch of assumptions about me. And if you know that since I’m seriously well over 35 (the marker of past-it in this industry) you’ll assume that I’m probably shit with technology (partially true), I still don’t totally ‘get’ what a meme is, and I probably have a bunch of old-fashioned values and beliefs.
Maybe. But you don’t actually know for sure. But that hasn’t stopped you from making a judgment, has it? But let me disabuse you of your simplistic system 1 thinking. My age doesn’t tell you how good I am at my job. Nor does it define my potential. Whether I’m in my 20’s or in my 40’s, 50’s– you don’t get to judge me on my age. Judge me on what I do.
It’s time to check your heads and do some thinking rather than jumping to lazy cliched conclusions. We have the choice to start thinking differently right now. Age discrimination isn’t a laughing matter. For some people, it’s devastating. And our industry is a right stinker.
In Australia, around 1 in 5 employees are over 55 years of age (ABS). Makes sense when you think about the population, we’re numbers people after all, that’s 20% of the workforce right? But guess how many are in the over 55 group in advertising, digital and media? A range of sources show it’s around 5%, that’s a 400% gap (IAB, Experience Advisory Taskforce). With around 100,000 individuals directly employed in our industry, that means just 5,000 people somehow made it through the clear and blatant ageism of the marketing and advertising industry.
Other professions elevate their best over time, judges, principal partners, registrars and specialists – we throw ours on the garbage heap. This brain drain is costing the industry vast intellectual and experiential capital, minimising us as a profession.
So, what can we all do?
1. WATCH YOUR MOUTH
Language has power. Think before you say, write or perpetuate a stupid lazy cliché. Respectfully call out ageist language when you hear or see it.
2. RETHINK LEARNING, COACHING & MENTORING
Let’s throw out the old paradigms of wizened sages handing down to younglings. You can learn or be guided by anyone, younger, older, same age – it’s all about being open to different experiences and points of view.
3. CHECK YOUR JUDGEMENT
As soon as you feel your head making that lazy, instantaneous conclusion. Stop. Start considering the person in front of you differently. Listen to them, watch them and appreciate them as being a unique individual who might just be capable of anything and everything – irrespective of their age.
Hopefully by all of us actively using our brains more deeply, we can make this industry a place where talent, not age, is the true measure.
