The silent exit: Why ageism in advertising continues to force out senior talent

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."