I feel like I'm aging out of an industry that values youth! Here's how I'm dealing.

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When I first started working as a junior copywriter almost 10 years ago, almost all the briefs I’d come across had the word millennials.

And as a younger millennial, it felt nice.

Brands wanted to talk to me, my partner, my friends — people I knew instinctively. I may not have had the upper hand when it came to work experience, but at least I was the target market.

Fast-forward a few years, and it’s become less about me, and more about Gen Z.

That’s no surprise.

Every creative director I’ve talked to has had to go through this many times. Asking their teams about pop culture references, telling us about campaigns they did during their own yuppie days.

Advertising (and well…capitalism, really) is hell-bent on selling to the next generation. On keeping things youthful and current. Because if the brand can capture you in your twenties or even in your teens, you’re likely to stick with them for life.

Advertising as an industry is generally filled with young people.

In my previous ad agencies, only the owners were 35 and older. In my current agency, I work with a team that’s around 50% Gen Z.

Then there’s the “pressure” of keeping up with others your age, at least based off what you see on social media. The agencies. The clients. The awards. Especially the “Young Creatives” type of awards.

It was only in 2022 that I got into an agency that actually participated in industry awards, and only on a team scale (no individual delegates). And since I turned 30 this year, I’ve almost aged out of the “Young Creatives” cohort.

Meanwhile, my peers and those younger than me are raking in awards, joining competitions. And I can’t help but feel that I’m getting left behind.

Even if I know I tried to get into big-name ad agencies in my early 20s. I just didn’t make the cut.

Even if I know I chose employers closer to home to preserve my health and maximize my savings.

Even if I stuck to a work-from-home setup instead of trying for those big agencies with hybrid setups, because I needed to be home for my sick Mommy.

And while I don’t regret any of those choices, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve already maxed out on what I can do in life.

Or if my peak is still up ahead, and I can be a truly good copywriter, maybe even a creative director and mentor, in the next decades.

There’s not much to do about what I feel. Or about the fact that I’m aging. Except to try and learn.

Learn about the younger target markets, learn about trends, learn about these younger people in general.

So here’s what I’m doing:

1. Be where they are. You don’t have to become a TikTok sensation. But at least download the app and scroll for a few minutes so you’re aware of how the platform works, what the trends are, and how humans engage on the app. Don’t think “marketing speak” yet with insights and ad placements — just check how people engage, what makes them post or comment, what people like and don’t like.

2. Stay curious. Don’t be dismissive. Keep an open mind. Maximize the fact that Google, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify are at your fingertips! I try to listen to “New Music Philippines” and “Release Radar” every week, just to try to understand why certain songs or artists are so engaging. And Gen Z/Gen Alpha slang is just a search away!

   

   Photo via Brandon Coates on Instagram

3. Engage with the next generation. If you know these next-gen peeps IRL, engage with them! Whether they’re your siblings, cousins, or kids. My late Mommy was always praised for her “modern” taste in music since she was familiar with Taylor Swift and Coldplay because of us, her kids.

4. Read industry news and updates. Webinars, newsletters, and trend reports are incredibly helpful! Two recommendations for you: Think with Google APAC and Archrival Insights.

5. Embrace change and continuous learning. Trends come and go! Remember Bondee in 2023? How about the Tumblr era of the early 2010s? Generations age out of goals and interests, and I think the pace is even more rapid-fire nowadays thanks to new tech.

Bonus: Observe, immerse, but don’t feel the pressure to love everything next-gen. Let’s face it: you won’t always be into everything the kids are into. Your parents weren’t into everything you loved, right?

Case in point: I doomscroll on TikTok, but I never really “got” Roblox. I like lofi chillhop and Sabrina Carpenter’s music, but I don’t quite enjoy Charli xcx.

I really got into lofi chillhop back in 2020-2021. You can check out this playlist here.

And that’s okay.

At least I know about those pop culture stuff, even if I don’t get them! And, if needed, I could try to research and write some witty social media caption related to them.

Of course, there’s also the option to just stick to what I already know.

Stay in the comfort zone of talking to people my age.

Go “Tsk, kids nowadays” and ignore new opportunities to grow and be relevant.

But where would that leave me?

This process of aging is challenging, for sure. But with every new experience and learning opportunity, who knows where this could all go, right? 💜

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