How do you solve a problem like... ageism in the marketing business?

In the push to create fairer workplaces in marketing and advertising, ageism is often the forgotten factor. But it’s present, both in bias against older candidates and in the way older consumers are portrayed in creative, and in brands’ prioritization of younger consumers.

So, what would you do to make the industry less ageist?

Perri Mensch-Grinberg, vice-president of human resources, RAPP

At Rapp, 45% of our population is over the age of 40; 15% being over 50. We believe diverse teams are the key to producing diverse work. It’s impossible to create groundbreaking ads if a team is made up of carbon copies of the same employee. This is why we strive to embrace fierce individuality at every turn.

We have a mentorship program that helps to bridge the gaps between older and younger generations. We offer equal learning and development training to all employees, allowing employees of all ages to stay up-to-date and to hone their skills. We offer flexible work arrangements that provide employees the agility to support individual work styles and balance business needs. We are also in the process of implementing an AI software, OnGig, which ensures that our job postings and descriptions are free from bias as it relates to ageism. We also work to avoid selection criteria that may limit our pool of candidates, and therefore impact diversity. Above all, we want to ensure that we’re creating an environment where all people, regardless of age, feel heard, respected and valued.

Continue reading with The Drum to see what other Ad Execs had to say.