I had a drink with an old friend last week.
And over a Negroni and a wide-ranging conversation, he managed to unearth a gold nugget.
That nugget? It was the reason older people in advertising agencies benefit ad agencies.
Now, before I tell you his answer, I should tell you that this gent comes with bona fides. He’s been a part of building two of the most successful advertising networks in history.
He’s seen it all. Knows the players. And has been in the rooms where it happens.
Anywho, back to the secret of oldsters in agencies.
“Wisdom,” he began, “is the most obvious answer.”
He took a sip.
“But the best thing an older player can bring to the game is risk.”
I’m a trained coach, so instead of saying, “What?!” I said, “Go on.”
He did.
“Oldsters can ask the most provocative questions,” he said. “They have seen all the conventional solutions in their careers. So they can now turn things upside down and ask the crazy what-ifs. They can truly provoke.”
Imagine that: bringing in an agency vet into your new-fangled AI-infused, data-obsessed, system-happy, platform-selling company to ask why the hell you’re doing things the way you’re doing them?
Crazy?
Or at least counterintuitive.
Well, my old friend’s observation is connected to science.
Indulge me in a wee-little foray into neurology and psychology to support this.
As we age, our brains actually rewire in some pretty useful ways: one of them is our ability to see complex patterns and draw on accumulated knowledge. This comes from a more integrated prefrontal cortex—basically, different parts of our brain learn to work together better.
This is what makes experienced people so good at questioning assumptions and asking the kind of game-changing questions others might miss — or be too afraid to say out loud.
This is one of the smartest reasons to bring some oldsters back into the agency I’ve ever heard.
Have some oldsters around to push for the thinking that assumes more risk and more reward.
As we were chatting, I was reminded of the fantastic slew of older creatives that used to roam the halls of Chiat LA when I first started there.
Bob Kuperman, Dave Butler, Jerry Gentile, Yvonne Smith, Jeff Roll, Tony Stern. And of course, a guy named Lee.
It was always a thrill and an honor to work with these folks.
And they always had a perspective and a pov that was simply unavailable anywhere else.
In fact, if you’re leading an agency or a brand, think about bringing some veteran players in to challenge your thinking.
For a few thousand bucks in a day rate, what you’ll get in return is priceless.
Ask an oldster.
Simple as that.
Here’s to old friends teaching you something new.
Rob Schwartz is the Chair of the TBWA New York Group and an executive coach who channels his creativity, experience and wisdom into helping others get where they want to be. This was originally posted on his Substack, RobSchwartzHelps, where he covers work, life, and creativity.
Header image courtesy of the author, created on Midjourney.
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