DIVERSITY RULES IN ADLAND. UNLESS YOU ARE OLD.


BY Robert Campbell
January 29, 2025

The IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) released the 2024 agency census figures analysing its 26,600 individual members a few days ago.

And the good news is that overall, adland does a brilliant job on the diversity and inclusion front. Unless, of course, you are old.

56% of the IPA’s members are women. Whilst only 43% are men. Tick.

A massive victory for women in the workplace.

23% of adland’s employees are ‘non white.’ Tick. That’s much better than most other ‘white collar’ industries.

41% of women occupy ‘C Suite’ positions. So whilst there’s a bit of work to do on gender equality in the boardroom before its 50/50, that’s pretty good compared with other industries too.

However, the IPA’s census reveals that if  you’re approaching 50, and you work in advertising, it’s probably not going to work out.

Sadly, only 7.9% of IPA members are over the age of 50. When you think retirement age is now 66, and about to go up to 67, that’s terrible. If it were banking it would be about 30%.

And if you look at media agencies, which now make up nearly 50% of the IPA’s membership, the picture is even worse. Only 4.2% of people working in media agencies are over the age of 50.

To give adland, and the IPA  credit, actually the picture is a bit better than it was last year. And the year before.

2023 it was only 7% of people over 50. And 2022 (post covid) it was only 6.5% over 50.

Paul Bainsfair, director general of the IPA commented.“It’s good to see an improvement in over 50s working in IPA agencies. I hope it reflects the fact that agencies are realising that they should be in step with other important creative industries like Film, Architecture and Fashion where experience and age are venerated.”

And, in principle,  Paul is right. Ex ad man Ridley Scott is still pulling in Oscar nominations at a youthful 87.

But at the Silver Academy we say, don’t hold your breath. Sadly, if you work in advertising and you’re  getting on, you probably need to be thinking of getting out.

So why not give your career a new lease of life and sign up for the Silver Academy’s Silver Entrepreneur course?

Be your own boss, then no one fire you for being old.

 

 

 

 

 

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