'Young Marketers' - how long before it becomes a tautology?

It’s been a good few weeks. I really enjoyed the Marketing Academy Gala Party at the Emirates Stadium watching the class of 2012 graduate, and meeting the class of 2013. The next day in Paris I had one of my regular lecturing engagements at Pernod Ricard University. The delegates – all young and talented – came as usual from all over the world: USA, Uruguay, New Zealand, China, Korea, India, Singapore – as well as from many European countries.

Both encounters reminded me of the ISBA Conference in March– when presentations by the young guns were so much more impressive than those of the seasoned experts.

I am starting to believe that it’s not just the future that belongs to able young marketers – it’s the present as well. In a very fast-changing marketing landscape, older performers can struggle and find it tough to keep up.

Maybe we should change our mindset and treat marketing like sport and entertainment as a world where the young star plays the big parts, makes and score the goals and adds glamour. Like sport and entertainment, there will still be plenty of roles for people with seniority and experience. But perhaps most of those jobs will be more on the commercial side, leaving the dynamic, creative opportunities to younger marketing men and women.

Marketing has long lacked the sexiness that characterised it in the '60s and '70s. A huge vote of thanks to Sherilyn Shackell and companies like Pernod-Ricard for recognising that youth holds the key.

It’ll make it a lot more fun for everyone, not least agencies (where the average age seems to be about 28 nowadays!). Responding to briefs from young clients could bring the best out of the creatives, and lead to more risk-taking.

Read more from David Wethey.