State of Media Agency Talent -- Growth, Satisfaction, and Retention in Transition

The survey offers a compelling mirror to the current moment a workforce still motivated by purpose but increasingly restless and seeking reinventionIndustry Tenure and DecisionMaking InfluenceThe demographic snapshot underscores the maturity and experience of todayamp8217s agency teams Nearly half of respondents report more than 15 years in the industry and the majority hold substantial decisionmaking or management oversight roles This seniority reflects a profession still anchored by institutional expertise and legacy relationships even as agencies struggle to attract and retain younger talentNotably 25 of participants identify as final decisionmakers or key influencers while another 35 are involved in daytoday execution or research and analytics indicating that operational leadership remains closely tied to strategic authority This alignment is both a strength and a warning as the Advertising Research Foundationamp8217s Scott McDonald noted amp8220We risk overreliance on veterans who have mastered yesterdayamp8217s tools while underinvesting in those who will define tomorrowamp8217samp8221Attitudes Toward Learning and DevelopmentA defining theme of the 2025 Myers Report is the gap between professional aspiration and organizational investmentWhile an overwhelming 92 of respondents agree it is essential to be wellinformed and educated about the industry only 47 strongly agree that their company is proactively investing in their professional development Even fewer about 41 feel adequately supported with educational resources and trade publications to stay currentThis disconnect mirrors wider industry research A 2024 ANA LinkedIn study found that 68 of marketing professionals believe their companies amp8220talk more about upskilling than actually funding itamp8221 Similarly WPPamp8217s CEO Mark Read recently observed amp8220Talent development must evolve from episodic training to continuous reskilling or weamp8217ll lose the next generation of creativity to other sectorsamp8221Professionals clearly want to grow within the field but feel constrained by limited investment This signals a leadership opportunity agencies that prioritize structured learning and crossdisciplinary education will hold a competitive advantage in retention and innovationSatisfaction and Career DevelopmentThe survey exposes a striking ambivalence regarding satisfaction Roughly 40 of respondents say they are satisfied with their career development within their company while a comparable share report neutrality or dissatisfaction Interestingly professionals express slightly higher satisfaction with the industry as a whole than with their employer suggesting that discontent stems from internal culture and advancement structures rather than the profession itselfThis aligns with the 2025 IPA amp8220Agency Futuresamp8221 report which concluded that burnout and stagnation not salary were the primary drivers of turnover among midcareer professionals Employees crave impact mentorship and purposedriven work not just compensation or perksAs Publicis Groupeamp8217s Arthur Sadoun remarked at Cannes Lions 2025 amp8220The biggest risk to our business is not AI or procurement itamp8217s the loss of belief that agencies are places where you can grow learn and leadamp8221Career Change Intentions Retention at a CrossroadsPerhaps the most telling finding 47 of professionals are actively considering a career change Of these 82 plan to stay within the media and advertising industry while 18 are exploring opportunities outside More than 60 are looking beyond their current company indicating both a fluid marketplace and an industry identity in fluxThis pattern of internal churn without external exit suggests that while professionals still value the craft and community of advertising they are seeking cultures that better reflect their evolving expectations flexibility empathy growth and balanceExternal data reinforces this trend According to the 4As Talent Retention Index 2025 agency turnover rose 8 yearoveryear with amp8220lack of advancementamp8221 cited as the top reason for departure Deloitteamp8217s 2025 Human Capital Trends report similarly found that 54 of creative and media professionals expect to change employers within two years if reskilling and hybrid policies donamp8217t improveA Human Transformation ImperativeThe findings from The Myers Report 2025 Survey of Advertising Professionals reflect an industry at a human inflection point Professionals remain passionate about their work and its societal influence but are calling for a deeper commitment to learning empathy and authentic career pathwaysCompanies that bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality in employee development will not only retain talent but they will also redefine what it means to lead in the AIpowered marketing economyAs I write in The Tao of Leadership in the AI Era amp8220Leadership in this century is less about commanding and more about cultivating creating ecosystems where intelligence empathy and purpose evolve togetheramp8221The message from the data is unmistakable the future of the advertising business will depend not on automation or algorithms but on how effectively we invest in the humans who give the business its meaningamp169 2025 MyersBizNet Inc amp8211 The Myers Report Human Resources Data sourced from The Myers Report Survey of Advertising Professionals complemented by ANA WPP IPA Deloitte and 4As 2025 publications

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State of Media Agency Talent -- Growth, Satisfaction, and Retention in Transition

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