Where on earth do all the over 40 year old marketing and advertising people go to? And why?

Photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rileyroxx/151985627/

Do you work in marketing, advertising, digital, PR – or any marketing related company or business? Take a look around the office.

How many people over 40 or 50 are there in your teams? I am guessing almost none, if any at all!

I had been thinking about this very topic, and then was watching a BBC 1 Panorama special called “Finished at 50” that was about the problem people over 50 have in staying in work, and the huge problems they have after 50 finding work in their previous career. Most of them had to train to do something else, or set up their own business.

In the marketing, and related functions, where are all the over 40 and 50s? Where do they go to?

With the discussion and new laws in many markets asking people to work later and later to drive down the cost of pensions, I was wondering how the marketing world will need to change to be less of a young person’s career to adjust to this. And how it can happen.

Marketing and Advertising Agencies, certainly in my experience of large “blue chip” companies that I have been more part of in my career to date seem to largely consist of men and women under 40 (let alone 50). In the very ambitious world of marketing, people strive to be marketing directors in their 30s. Many companies seem to follow that approach. Even Managing Directors, where many high performing marketing people seem to move to, seem to be more in their 40s.

So one question is: where on earth do all the “aging” marketers and advertising people go to? Some possibly move on through to very senior roles in organizations, but in reality that is only a few as the pyramid gets smaller and smaller as you go up to the top of an organization. Others maybe go into smaller organizations with smaller teams and where they seek fewer people with longer experiences to bring. Some go into “consulting” or “training”, and this seems a very common route as a look on LinkedIn and by searching online will show, where the old experienced marketers are used ad-hic on issues from the outside. Other change careers I guess, and follow other passions and dreams. Maybe some have planned well and just retire!

It does though seem a little bit crazy that marketing and advertising is so young focused. And age is almost seen as a sign of lack of success. Is the reality that many organizations are simply losing history, depth of knowledge and experience in the industry? Especially when we have an aging population, and increasingly the key to success is going to be marketing and selling to over 40s, over 50s, over 60s....? I wonder how many over 50s work on anti-aging products and procedures across the industry for example?

Diversity is always important. Maybe we should all think about age diversity in marketing and related industry teams – and not just male/ female and cultural diversity?

What do you think? add a comment via one of the ways below:Do you have any thoughts? Leave a comment on the blog. Where you will also find details of how to subscribe for email updates, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe for the free podcast.


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Do you love conference calls? The new thing to drive us all crazy. This video captures it all.

So how many of you take part in one of the big new ways to do business these days: conference calls.


This video captures everything that happens. It is very funny and very much represents how they go. Just love it. This is one of the funniest takes on business I have seen. And I think I have said and done pretty much everything that happens on this call...





If you having any problems watching the video: click here to watch on YouTube


Do you have any thoughts? Leave a comment on the blog. Where you will also find details of how to subscribe for email updates, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe for the free podcast.
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The Best Buy Future Proof TV ad: what does it tell us about obsession about the newest thing?

The Best Buy Future Proof TV ad:







In the USA Best Buy Future Proof ad, they show a series of scenes where people have just bought a new gadget, phone, laptop and TV and see immediately something or someone talking about the NEWER one. It is a well done and entertaining ad, and probably has a great insight and frustrating about the way many people feel about technology.


But also likely about products in general, as there does seem to be a constant barrage of new products, improved products and something claiming to be better every day. In the beauty world, more than many, for example there can be over 300 new products or lines a year - so you could only be new for about a day. But is this constant drive for developing and bringing out something new important and key to success?


Here are some thoughts and observations.


NOT EVERYONE ARE EARLY ADOPTERS


The ad talks most to, and about early adopters. People with a high level of interest in the category, and with a high desire and passion for trying the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out.


The most visible of these, for example, are the Apple fans who will line up for hours to get the very new version or offer. But the vast majority of people, will prefer to wait to get the most proven, the most settled and the a product once it has been well proven and confirmed.


FOCUS ON BENEFITS


The one thing that strikes me in the ad is that the assumption is that people want "the newest" one in a category. But most people buy things for the BENEFITS they provide. It is key to focus on what your product or service promises to do for them. I guess it can be that "newest" may be a benefit for some (but again they likely to be the early adopter crowd as well).


But at the end of the day, we all need to remember that new alone is not the end gaol, the key is what benefit is your target looking for? What do they need? What is the gap or benefit that the others are not offering? How can you do that better than the others?


All too often we slip into the trap of advertising the reason to believe, or our sexy new feature or bell and whistle. But what consumers focus on is the benefit, the reason to believe helps close the sale.


In Beauty all too often, for example, when you listen to consumers on groups they will insist they always looking for the new thing, and try it. But data shows that is just not true. In beauty, while new products are a key part of sales, in many channels and for most successful brands, established products and SKUs are the bulk of sales and new products are the smaller part of the market overall.


NEW DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NEW. IT COULD BE NEWS!
I do think that we now that news will always stand out and be noticed. People LIKE to hear news. But news does not have to be something new, it can also be a new claim, a new story, and new benefit of the current product or formulation. I think all too often we under estimate the power of news versus new. It is also much less risky and much cheaper. Give customers and consumers new ways to think about your product or service. Keep it exciting.


Thoughts? 


Do you have any thoughts? Leave a comment on the blog. Where you will also find details of how to subscribe for email updates, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe for the free podcast.

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