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 reinvention.

Industry Tenure and Decision-Making Influence

The demographic snapshot underscores the maturity and experience of today’s agency teams. Nearly half of respondents report more than 15 years in the industry, and the majority hold substantial decision-making 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 talent.

Notably, 25% of participants identify as final decision-makers or key influencers, while another 35% are involved in day-to-day 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 Foundation’s Scott McDonald noted, “We risk over-reliance on veterans who have mastered yesterday’s tools while underinvesting in those who will define tomorrow’s.”

Attitudes Toward Learning and Development

A defining theme of the 2025 Myers Report is the gap between professional aspiration and organizational investment.

While an overwhelming 92% of respondents agree it is essential to be well-informed 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 current.

This disconnect mirrors wider industry research. A 2024 ANA -- LinkedIn study found that 68% of marketing professionals believe their companies “talk more about upskilling than actually funding it.” Similarly, WPP’s CEO Mark Read recently observed, “Talent development must evolve from episodic training to continuous re-skilling -- or we’ll lose the next generation of creativity to other sectors.”

Professionals clearly want to grow within the field but feel constrained by limited investment. This signals a leadership opportunity: agencies that prioritize structured learning and cross-disciplinary education will hold a competitive advantage in retention and innovation.

Satisfaction and Career Development

The 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 itself.

This aligns with the 2025 IPA “Agency Futures” report, which concluded that burnout and stagnation, not salary, were the primary drivers of turnover among mid-career professionals. Employees crave impact, mentorship, and purpose-driven work -- not just compensation or perks.

As Publicis Groupe’s Arthur Sadoun remarked at Cannes Lions 2025: “The biggest risk to our business is not AI or procurement -- it’s the loss of belief that agencies are places where you can grow, learn, and lead.”

Career Change Intentions: Retention at a Crossroads

Perhaps 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 flux.

This 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 balance.

External data reinforces this trend. According to the 4As Talent Retention Index (2025), agency turnover rose 8% year-over-year, with “lack of advancement” cited as the top reason for departure. Deloitte’s 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 don’t improve.

A Human Transformation Imperative

The 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 pathways.

Companies 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 AI-powered marketing economy.

As I write in The Tao of Leadership in the AI Era, “Leadership in this century is less about commanding and more about cultivating -- creating ecosystems where intelligence, empathy, and purpose evolve together.”

The 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 meaning.

© 2025 MyersBizNet, Inc. – 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.