The future of the advertising industry relies on the talent fostered and there are never-ending discussions on the seeming lack of it. Is it really the talent that’s lacking or are there other aspects that need more attention? We gauge the same as a few industry experts elaborate.
While the Indian advertising industry is making massive strides globally, with young and aspiring leaders taking center stage at prestigious awards shows like Cannes Lions, on the ground level, a dearth of talent surfaces time and again.
The industry, as a whole, requires a synergy of creativity and innovation to be at the helm of fresh and thought-provoking campaigns, and many new-age advertising agencies have been striving to let their young talent shine. Campaigns like ‘Why Is This A Swiggy Ad?’ And ‘Airtel 175 Replayed’ were led by the young teams at the agency Talented and Leo Burnett respectively.
If the future of the industry relies on talent, and they seem to be winning in terms of ideas and execution, then where exactly is the advertising industry lacking? We gauge the same as a few industry experts elaborate.
Keeping up with the changing times
Industry veteran Josy Paul, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India is of the opinion that the industry discussing the shortage of talent may be because they are looking backwards.
“I don’t agree that there’s a lack of talent. I think you’ve got to just give everyone a chance, especially young people who are used to a new way of speaking and communicating.”
This is especially important considering the speeding developments in emerging technology and AI, as many tech companies and agencies like WPP, Sociowash, and more are launching their AI-led verticals.
He highlights how the changing times have revamped the definition of what talent really is. “In today’s world, you can’t even define what talent you’re looking for. Everything is changing at such an incredible pace that you really have to take a chance on different kinds of talent.”
Nurturing talent in these changing times also requires that the industry moves at a similar pace and hires capable talent that will raise the bar of creation.
Speaking at a panel during Goafest 2023, Paul has previously stated, “This is a great time to be your own mother. Allowing yourself to collide with anything new changes you. This acceptance without resistance is the way to go.”
This leads to another question – is the young talent getting the right training?
Becoming attractive for the youth by mentoring
While the crux of working in agencies isn’t just about creating captivating campaigns and making money, it is also about receiving appreciation from them and creating value in this society. This only works if the youngsters are being mentored right.
According to a case study by Randstad, it was observed that employees participating in mentoring programs were 49% less likely to leave the organization.
Without proper training at the bottom level of the pyramid, they are forced to learn by themselves, and this leads to mediocre quality of campaigns.
Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Experience Officer, TBWA\India believes that the future is great but puts the onus of the dearth of talent on the ones who shape the industry saying, “The absence of talent, when it’s found to be lacking, is the responsibility of agency leaders.”
Agreeing with Barrett, Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group says that there is talent out there, but we are not becoming attractive enough for them.
He continues, “Some of it has to do with the fact that lives have become so busy, mentoring has gone out of the window, and if you don’t mentor, the people can’t feel the growth in themselves. We have to start prioritizing time for the young, not just the business.” He notes that it is essential to mentor the young or there will be no one to run the business soon.
Including training sessions, workshops, and mentorship programs where the young get to communicate transparently and get guidance on their work can really help foster growth.
McKinsey and Company’s findings on retaining talent and fostering growth show that organizations that prioritize people development become talent magnets for employees who want to build their knowledge and networks. It was found that 40-60% of an employee’s human-capital value (knowledge, attributes, skills, and experience) can be attributed to skills acquired through work experience.
Adding to this, Rajdeepak Das, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, thinks that industry leaders should give the young the freedom to fail and provide them with the confidence of being right behind them to make it right for them.
He also talks about the industry’s focus being on winning businesses rather than paying their talent well, saying, “If you look at our industry, we never paid our young people in our early days, and they eventually went to industries that would pay them better. We never thought of it because we have to win businesses. If money is there, we can hire the best people. So get the industry rich, don’t cut corners.”
Shifting the industry’s focus from merely building a business to fostering growth and learnings in young talent can help them become creative go-getters and this can be seen in the teams that represent the country at global awards.
Drawing our conversation to a close, Das says, “Our best-talented guys are young people. If you think we would be successful without having young people onboard, no, we would not.”
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Source: Social Samosa
