Study Finds A Third Of Advertisers/Agency Execs Plan To Leave Job Within Two Years

by Joe Mandese , December 15, 2021

More than a third of U.S. ad executives -- both advertisers and agency media executives -- plan to leave their current jobs within the next two years, and many attribute it to the increasing complexity and lack of training and support they receive from their current organization. That's one of the main findings of a survey fielded by Advertiser Perceptions for Basis Technologies (formerly Centro) in October.

The study -- which shows 38% of advertiser and agency execs plan to leave their current jobs within two years -- comes as the ad industry is experiencing one of its greatest labor and talent crunches ever, as part of the so-called "Great Resignation" triggered by lifestyle and soul-searching changes sparked by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While the study does not explicitly address how those macro events have impacted ad industry executive job satisfaction -- and how much of it might be attributable to ongoing systemic problems of educating, training and providing resources and support in a rapidly-evolving and increasingly complex industry -- it does show that training, especially as it relates to technological change, is among the lowest satisfaction factors cited by industry executives (see chart below).

“Complexity in our digital media ecosystem is straining marketing teams, who are challenged with cobbling together disparate, point solutions to buy across the broad spectrum of media outlets with their own unique specifications and pricing methodologies," Basis Technologies President Tyler Kelly states of the study's findings, which he characterizes as a new "benchmark" for the ad industry.

advertising, agency, media, research

3 comments about "Study Finds A Third Of Advertisers/Agency Execs Plan To Leave Job Within Two Years".

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Jonathan Hutter from Northern Light Health, December 15, 2021 at 1:57 p.m.
A lower number than all jobseekers across the workforce. Everybody is strained.
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Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, December 15, 2021 at 4:32 p.m.

A rather tiny base for such a study, Joe and, frankly, most of the reasons cited for thinking about leaving their current job are rather vague---like ordinary grousing. In times past we figured that about 20-25% of our employees at BBDO would leave in a year or so---or think about leaving---but the percentages varied greatly by job function and age. Top execs---real pros---- didn't jump ship a lot as they were locked in with stock options and other perks but younger people were always switching to new employers as a way to get a quick raise more than anything else. And most of the job switchers stayed within the same industry category. In future studies of this type---hopefully with a much larger sample---it would be interesting to see breakdowns by job function, age, the number of years at the current employer and whether the might be job leaver was dumping the industry as a whole or merely intending to switch to a similar employer who would pay more.

Daniel Cohen from Cohen Media, December 15, 2021 at 7:49 p.m.

The complexity of the job has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. And, today if you think you have the general in's and out's of the product...watch out tomorrow due to changes Apple or Google may make everything you thought you knew is out the door!

I like change and learning new things so to me it is fun but for a lot of others not much...especially veterans who see the fun portion of the business being drained out...