Sir John Believes In the Value of “Original, Unaided Thought”

In July, Sir John Hegarty offered a challenge to the ageism problem that continues to plague the ad agency business. The founding partner of Saatchi & Saatchi, co-founder of Bartle Bogle Hegarty, and first recipient of the Lion of St. Mark award, also sounded off on AI and the ever-present need for human talent.

Here’s his LinkedIn post, embedded here for your convenience.

I love that Hegarty said, “Maybe now, agencies will start looking beyond energy and start seeking depth.” I don’t know what’s behind his optimism. Whatever it is, I want to believe him and see this come true.

His post garnered nearly 500 comments. Jeff Loeb asked, “Do you see any signs, augurs, or portents that anyone on either side of the Zoom has even the slightest intention of acting on this?”

Carlos Vega said in the comments, “Yes, experience brings perspective, foresight, and a deep understanding of clients, mediums, and process. That’s always been valuable. But youth has never just been about ‘fresh energy.’ It also represents evolving culture, new forms of expression, and long-term potential that agencies can grow with.”

Balance is always key, but the problem is that experienced advertising professionals have too few seats at the table. Only four to eight percent of people working in ad agencies today are over 50, and the average age in the agency business is 38. By contrast, the average age of healthcare providers today is 54.4 years old, with several specialists averaging even higher.

Lindsay Rittenhouse at Ad Age wrote a feature piece on ageism last January. She spoke to Cindy Gallop, among other notable industry voices, for her story. Gallop said the best skill an older employee brings to an organization is a sense of tranquility in tough times or periods of mass disruption. “I’ve done a ton of pitches at BBH, where [agency founder] John Hegarty was always the one joking and laughing and making sure that everyone decompressed,” Gallop said.

Alas, character matters more than age or background. Are you forever curious? Do you read books? Can you relate to people? Without these intangibles in place, an advanced skill set—AI-enhanced or otherwise—won’t be the difference maker. Skills can be taught and expertise acquired. What’s much harder to find is a person who naturally fits the role and the team. When you do find these people, it’s best to hold on to them, encourage them, and celebrate them.

Of course, common sense doesn’t always rule the day. And the shift in perception and behavior that’s needed to end age discrimination probably won’t come from within the agency business. When clients recognize the value of experience and demand that their accounts be serviced by a diverse team and one that can readily identify with its customers, change will have a chance.

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