Same Age, Different Experience: Exploring Ageism in the Advertising Industry across Departments and Intersectional Identities

Abstract

Ageism is increasingly recognized as a problem in the advertising industry. Drawing from a model of age inequality among advertising creatives in Australia, this study utilized interviews with 30 advertising professionals to examine ageism in the United States. Further, we examined whether and how workers in different departments experience ageism and found that workers in creative and digital/social roles are confronted with ageism sooner than others. Regarding intersectional identities, women experienced ageism differently than men, noting that ageism occurred sooner in their careers and that they had to engage in more aesthetic labor to maintain a youthful appearance. For racial and ethnic minorities, marginalization persisted throughout their careers, and they were often pushed out of the industry before reaching leadership positions.