Ageism. Did you groan? I remember when the word, feminism, elicited the same response. But women in the creative industry grew a pair of boobs and began to fight for the right to be accepted. Equal, even. Equal is yet to come, but there is hope on the horizon. The same can’t be said for older talent. The stereotypes persist.

Advertising-great, Ben Welsh, shows that one of those stereotypes is questionable (I really did want to use the word, stupid). Not because he set out to do that but because it’s what worthwhile people do.

Here is his story:

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Well, this old dog would disagree. Because it’s not that simple.

It’s been almost two years since I left DDB. Had I been a more enthusiastic chaser of sticks I might still be there, but in truth, it was time to go.

Awards had lost their shine, burger briefs were less mouth-watering, social media was being revealed for the antisocial media it was and new business had been reduced to a trickle because of Covid. The one thing that got me excited – how our industry could help fight climate change – was being largely ignored. It was time to finish the book/screenplay/painting/table and do something new.

So….

I published my first novel – what, you haven’t read it? – here, buy a copy.

I went on a slightly cultish retreat run by Elevation Barn.

I worked on a food waste problem for the EU – helping people understand the difference between best-before and use-by dates.

I created a series of short films about sushi to help define an agency culture.

I gave a talk at the inaugural Cannes in Cairns on how brands could do more about climate change.

I launched my own wine (try some) with the help of a couple of other old dogs.

I amused myself with a screenplay about some even older blokes chasing glory on the road.

I wrote a short play about the war in the Ukraine.

And I’ve just finished a longer one about… well, some really fucking old dogs.

These were all firsts for me.

It hasn’t all been new. I had a very enjoyable stint helping the lovely people at Dentsu Creative last year, and I’ve worked on a few positioning campaigns both here and in Europe.

I would argue that the tricks I learned growing from a mere pup into an old dog have prepared me to learn many more – as well as doing the old tricks better. Importantly, I have learned what I don’t know – and once you realise that, you are open to learning anything.

Woof woof.

[Cover image by Charles Deluvio]

_________________

Here’s the first of The Stable’s anti-ageism stories: