B&TB&TB&T
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Search
Trending topics:
  • Cairns Crocodiles
  • Nine
  • Seven
  • Cannes Lions
  • WPP
  • NRL
  • State of Origin
  • B&T Women in Media
  • Thinkerbell
  • imaa
  • Agency Scorecards
  • Pinterest
  • AFL
  • Anthony Albanese
  • AI
  • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • The Growth Distillery
  • TV Ratings
  • Radio Ratings
  • Sports Marketing

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
Reading: Greg Graham: “Is Australia’s Advertising Industry Ageist?”
Share
B&TB&T
Subscribe
Search
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
B&T > Opinion > Greg Graham: “Is Australia’s Advertising Industry Ageist?”
Opinion

Greg Graham: “Is Australia’s Advertising Industry Ageist?”

Staff Writers
Published on: 1st March 2019 at 11:10 AM
Staff Writers
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Last September, industry icon Greg “Sparrow” Graham found himself redundant from WPP, leaving many to assume he’d retire for a life of discounted schooners at his local bowlo. But not so. With a new venture – The Nest Consultancy – and a new lease on life, in this guest post for B&T, Graham argues his experience highlights a real problem of how the industry treats its older employees. “Sparrow” will also be speaking at B&T‘s Changing The Ratio in May…

I’ve always considered myself lucky. I grew up on a farm in a small country town, dreaming of moving to the ‘big smoke’ and pursuing a career related to TV and media.

And that’s exactly what I did. I have been very fortunate to have worked in the media and advertising industry for 40-odd years and I’ve loved every second of it. I’ve experienced a lot of highlights along the way – launching Mindshare in Australia, an exciting seven years working in New York as marketing and new business director of Mindshare, and back in Australia for GroupM and WPP AUNZ.

I’ve helped win new business, led our industry’s prestigious awards program, participated in numerous industry initiatives, and proudly trained and nurtured the next generation of industry leaders, always well aware what a privilege it is to work in this industry.

I never thought much about ageism, and particularly not against me. And then six months ago it hit home. When it was announced in October last year that I was leaving WPP AUNZ, most people assumed, because I’m not a young buck, that I was retiring. Not just that, they also made many assumptions about my future and what I should be doing. But playing lawn bowls or bingo haven’t featured in my plans, I can tell you that much.

It’s generally accepted that the marketing and media industry is a young person’s industry. I get that. But youthful enthusiasm is nothing without wisdom, experience and good ol’ real life skills to complement and guide it.

So I’m joining the chorus of industry leaders who have recently raised awareness around the importance of diversity and the need for older experienced people to impart their knowledge and learnings to the younger generations.

According to the Media Federation of Australia’s own industry census, the average person working in media agencies today is 31.2 years old. In a world where we’re all living longer – and as a consequence, getting older – you don’t need me to tell you that 30-year-olds don’t exactly represent or even relate to the majority of our clients’ customers.

We talk a lot about the importance of training and development, and in my view one of the best ways to train up-and-coming talent in our industry is through mentorship with senior people and exposing them to a good dose of grey-haired wisdom.

Clients must take some responsibility for this situation, I was speaking to a CMO recently who was bemoaning the lack of experience on their business and how what they really wanted was a trusted adviser they could rely on. My question to the CMO was whether they were paying their agency a fair remuneration to pay for that senior experienced person.

Unless you’re willing to pay for the experience and quality, you’re part of the problem. And you’re going to get the young people on your business without the guiding hand of experience.

My other advice to everyone in the industry is this: stop labelling people. I was recently referred to as an “old timer”. I didn’t take it as a compliment, even if it’s a marginally better label than old-school – which is basically saying that you’re set in your ways, incapable of innovating or adapting.

But mindset doesn’t have an age. You can be just as adaptive, forward-thinking, resilient, creative and innovative at 60 as at 20.

Sure, I’ve been around for a while so if you want to call me something, call me a veteran and let’s all fight for real diversity against ageism and truly value experience.

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts
Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

No related posts.

TAGGED: Ageism, changing the ratio, Diversity and inclusion
Share
Staff Writers
By Staff Writers
Follow:
Staff Writers represent B&T's team of award-winning reporters. Here, you'll find articles crafted with industry experience spanning over 50 years. Our team of specialists brings together a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to delivering insightful, topical, and breaking news. With a deep understanding of advertising and media, our Staff Writers are dedicated to providing industry-leading analysis and reporting, both shaping the conversation and setting the benchmark for excellence.

Latest News

Mindshare & Kaimera Drive Off With MG Media Account After Incumbents Decline To Re-Pitch
18/07/2025
Jake Stringer flying up above his old club.
TV Ratings (17/07/2025): Jake Stringer Puts On A Show Against His Old Side
18/07/2025
Fever Tree Global Creative Account Goes To Pitch
18/07/2025
Where Did The Bookies Go? Rugby League 26 Launches Without Gambling Sponsors
18/07/2025
//

B&T is Australia’s leading news publication magazine for the advertising, marketing, media and PR industries.

 

B&T is owned by parent company The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.

About B&T

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise

Top Categories

  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • TV Ratings

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



B&TB&T
Follow US
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?