If Adland Wants Talent It Has to Make Space for It

Talking about talent and diversity in the ad industry has rarely felt more complicated. Entry-level roles, once the lifeblood of fresh thinking, are becoming harder to come by, squeezed by tightening budgets and the accelerating adoption of AI.

For many, the root cause is familiar: the relentless pressure to satisfy shareholders by trimming costs wherever possible. And, as ever, those cuts rarely begin at the top. Leadership remains essential, indispensable even; decision-makers are seldom the ones asked to make sacrifices.

Against this backdrop, the annual IPA Talent and Diversity conference arrived at a curious moment. Unsurprisingly, its tone leaned optimistic, but not without moments of candour.

Agency bosses know what that means. Budgets tightening and their own revenues impacted. Again. But that cannot be allowed to seep through to their people where avoidable. Leaders must project optimism even when they don’t feel it, especially then.

That candour came early, courtesy of AMV BBDO’s Xavier Rees, who chose not to sidestep the industry’s contradictions. Referencing the most recent Edelman Trust Barometer, he pointed to a striking figure: 70 per cent of people distrust those from different backgrounds, alongside declining trust in governments and major news organisations.

“Edelman calls this ‘a global descent into insularity’ and I think insularity is a is a good word for where the world sits at the moment,” he added.

Yet the picture isn’t entirely bleak. Rees also highlighted a 30 per cent rise in trust in employers and CEOs, suggesting that business leaders may be uniquely positioned to drive change. It was a message that resonated in a room full of decision-makers. Still, there was an undercurrent of frustration: ambition alone isn’t enough when structural and financial constraints limit how far leaders can act to reshape their agencies — and the wider industry — for the future.

That tension between challenge and opportunity carried through the day. BBH’s Karen Martin’s conversation with Ella Frost and Arjet Doniku offered a grounded, human perspective. Both spoke with clarity and confidence about their early experiences in advertising, illustrating not only the barriers but also the potential that exists when opportunities are given.

This sentiment was echoed by McDonald’s marketing director Hannah Pain, in conversation with Leo’s Carly Avener, who noted that her organisation sees firsthand — every day across the country — how hardworking and capable young people are when given a chance.

The question, then, is less about whether the talent exists and more about whether the industry is willing to make room for it. McCann’s Harjot Singh’s industry mantra — leave the door wider open when you leave it — captured this idea neatly, a point reinforced by VCCP’s Julian Douglas as he pushed back against the narrative that young people are no longer interested in advertising.

“I think we hold something really quite precious in our hands, the opportunity, the power, but most importantly, the responsibility to reject insularity and to speak up for an inclusive workplace and an inclusive industry,” added Rees during his introduction.

For all the current headwinds, that sense of responsibility remains. Breaking into the industry may be harder right now, but the intent at continuing to — however constrained — is still there. Change may take longer than many would like, but if the industry is serious about its future, it’s not optional.