The other day a few of us heading towards "a certain age" started to wonder what happens to marketing (and for that matter, advertising) people once they are no longer young. They just seem to disappear. But they must be doing something...
Maybe it is a feature of the industry I am in (multinational FMCG) where there is a relentless drive and philosophy of "up or out" (in other words if you are not a star performer, or not ambitious, then the only direction in your career path is the exit door). But the age of people at all levels in the marketing teams is incredibly young, and the level of marketing experience, therefore, also lowish.
I look around the marketing departments, and the teams on the agency, and you struggle to find anyone over the age of 40 - and even the marketing directors are more likely early 30s. With the limited number of managing director roles, that is not the destination either. So where do they all go?
Is it to another industry where age is less important? Or do they change career or go into consulting or other service industries - helping the young marketers?
Any thoughts?
2 comments:
Yes. All the younglings are busy learning everything for the first time. Hurry up and hire the young before they forget they already know everything. This way older marketers who've moved up can rerun the same strateies over and over again, that never moved the needle much in the first place, but keep their job. The problem with the youngling's advertising product is that it has fallen to the level of the people who watch it, which is why we click through it. By rerunning the same strategies, companies continue to converge on the same positions, just saying the same things new ways.
Good question. I've just turned forty so am wondering the same thing. I think I read some horrific stat somewhere which said that over 40's only make up about 5% of the advertising, marketing and media community. No idea where everyone disappears to when they're 40 but would love to know...
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