Study: Women, Minorities and Older Employees Can Experience Ageism in the Advertising Industry

A new study has found that women and racial/ethnic minorities in the advertising industry experience ageism differently based on their gender and racial/ethnic identities.

The findings by Kasey Windels, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Advertising associate professor, and Eliana DuBosar and Sophia Mueller, Ph.D. 2023, were featured in “Same Age, Different Experience: Exploring Ageism in the Advertising Industry Across Departments and Intersectional Identities” published in the Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising on Jan. 31.

The research examined whether and how workers in different departments experience ageism and found that workers in creative and digital/social roles are confronted with ageism sooner than others.

Regarding intersectional identities, women experienced ageism differently than men, noting that ageism occurred sooner in their careers and that they had to engage in more aesthetic labor to maintain a youthful appearance. For racial and ethnic minorities, marginalization persisted throughout their careers, and they were often pushed out of the industry before reaching leadership positions.

Posted: January 31, 2024
Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
Tagged as: Advertising, Ageism, Eliana Dubosar, Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, Kasey Windels, Sophia Mueller