Ageism and Social Media Expertise: Implications for Intergenerational Dynamics in Advertising Creativity

Intergenerational tensions in the creative departments of advertising agencies have long been a topic of interest. Recently, the emergence of social media proficiency as a symbol of youthfulness has intensified these tensions, creating contested expertise within workplaces. The article explores how this particular marker of ageism influences the creative processes and identity formation of practitioners who are older than the average age of industry workers. Drawing from in-depth interviews with twenty-one creatives (copywriters, art directors, and creative directors), this qualitative study reveals that, in response to feeling sidelined based on perceptions that they lack social media expertise, "older" creatives reaffirm their strategic experience yet resist challenging claims they are "out of touch" with online cultures. We argue that the valorisation of younger practitioners' social media savviness is contributing to the transformation of advertising creativity while placing additional pressure on practitioners to leave the industry while in their thirties. Furthermore, the article identifies broader concerns regarding ageism in society, which advertising content can exacerbate when creatives rely on flawed stereotypes to shape knowledge of audiences or cultural representations.