Is the ad industry ageist? With Anna Sampson

We all get older and with age comes wisdom and, especially today, a whole lot of purchasing power.

But the ad industry is appearing to suffer from a severe bout of ageism. According to the latest IPA Agency Census, just 8% of people working in agencies in the UK are over the age of 51. Meanwhile, over-51s account for over 33% of the overall UK workforce and 22% of the information and communication sector.

To consider the issue in more detail, the IPA released a report in April titled Time for Some New "Age Thinking". Its author, Anna Sampson, is an industry consultant, former agency research lead and has previously written extensively for The Media Leader.

Sampson sits down with Jack Benjamin to unpack why media is skewing so heavily towards younger employees, what it risks losing without more experienced people and how leaders can develop strategies for supporting age inclusion even amid lay-offs at major agencies.

Highlights:

1:50: Age demographics in the UK ad industry

6:40: Navigating change amid agency lay-offs and AI efficiencies

13:12: What do you lose by not having enough staff who are over 51?

18:06: Strategies for age inclusion

22:51: Advice for those facing redundancy

Related articles:

Jan Gooding: The one unavoidable discrimination we’re guilty of

Nicola Kemp: The future of media is not Group Men

Ally Owen: You peak in media at 34... by 45 you're invisible

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Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.