There are some things that are worth waiting four years for. Jamie Barrett’s thoughts on getting older in our industry are most definitely one of them. We’ve been diehard fans of Jamie’s brilliance throughout his insanely impressive career as a writer, leader, and mega-award-winner at the ad-world's Big 3 – Wieden + Kennedy, Fallon, Goodby Silverstein -- and, now, at his very own agency, Barrett Hofherr. He claims a good amount of luck was involved. So, yeah, Jamie is next-level humble, too. Because we all know luck doesn’t create stuff like Comcast’s “Rabbit,” Saturn’s “Sheet Metal,” or the NBA’s “There Can Only Be One.” So a huge thank you to the one and only Jamie Barrett for actually getting back to us and sharing every brilliant word.
Is ageism in the industry something you thought about in your 30s? Your 40s?
I didn't, no. I was pretty mono-focused on what I was doing in the moment. If anything, I looked down the road and saw people like Dan Wieden or Jeff Goodby and they both seemed to be doing quite well for themselves. They weren't suffering from ageism, they were busy becoming icons. I was lucky, of course. It was a small and somewhat skewed sample size.
"[I] saw people like Dan Wieden or Jeff Goodby and they both seemed to be doing quite well for themselves. They weren't suffering from ageism, they were busy becoming icons."
Is ageism something that’s affected you? What are some of the challenges you faced as a person who was getting older in the business? Do tell.
My biggest challenge is summoning the energy it takes to do great things in this business. It used to be easy. Heading home at midnight (and picking up a bacon double-cheeseburger at Wendy’s on the way) was standard, and part of what made the ad world fun. The will is still very much there, but I ain't 28. Then again, Clint Eastwood is directing and starring in movies and he’s more than three decades older than I am, so on I go.
Tell us about your own creative journey. What are your thoughts on where you are now, compared to your mindset when you were in the beginning of your career?
My beginnings in advertising were slightly south of impressive. I interviewed at 15 agencies in New York and was invited back zero times. Agency #16, Fallon McElligott Rice in Minneapolis, hired me as an entry level account person. A year later, when I switched over to copywriter, Pat Fallon was quoted in AdAge saying I was "the worst account person in the history of Fallon". Pat was only half kidding.
Once I became a copywriter, though, I've loved this thing we do. That was my mindset then, and it's my mindset now. If you don't love advertising you won't invest yourself in it, and you won't be good at it. The industry has changed radically, not all for the good. But we still get to make stuff. And we still get to work with an amazing cross-generational group of cool, talented people.
"Creating/selling work you believe in has certainly become more challenging. But the carrot is still there. And for me, the buzz of doing it is still strong."
Did the reality of the ad industry contribute to the decisions you made/the path you’ve taken?
Not really. I use the word "fortunate" a lot when I talk about my career. I've been at agencies - Fallon, Chiat, Wieden, Goodby - that are obsessed with creativity. I've been surrounded by like-minded and wildly talented people. Opportunities have rained on me. And now, for the last decade, I've had my own place. So the decisions we make here are very much our own. I don't mean to paint it as a four-decade winning streak, it hasn't been. Failure is a huge part of what we sign on for as creative people. And creating/selling work you believe in has certainly become more challenging. But the carrot is still there. And for me, the buzz of doing it is still strong.
"It's counter-intuitive, but I dig being older in the business. There aren’t many of us over 50, so we bring a unique perspective."
What do you feel creative people over 50 can offer over someone 20 years their junior, things that are unappreciated, or just plain overlooked?
It's counter-intuitive, but I dig being older in the business. There aren’t many of us over 50, so we bring a unique perspective. A blank page never stops being intimidating, but "being creative" is less daunting to me than it may have been back in the day. You've been in the same movie enough times where you know, at some point, you'll crack the code. The ideas will come.
You also get a lot better at creative directing and self-editing. We used to say "write a couple hundred headlines to get to the great one." I'd like to think that number has come down a tad. You can get to great quicker.
What is your advice to people who are nearing or over 40 in the ad industry?
I'll circle back to the “love” theme. I'd ask the same question I ask virtually every person I interview - do you love advertising? If you do, full speed ahead. If you don't, start looking left and right. There's probably something else you should be doing.
"If you don't [love advertising], start looking left and right. There's probably something else you should be doing."
How are you approaching the next 10 years? What does your future hold?
Eat fewer bacon double-cheeseburgers, get my heart rate up 5-6 times a week, and learn to take 10-minute power naps. Stay ambitious and believe Barrett Hofherr can become the best and most successful agency in the world. Aspire to make work that will have impact today, and be remembered tomorrow. Be nice to people. Don't forget to walk the dogs.
What do you see as potential solutions for ageism in the industry? Any thoughts on possibly unionizing?
I think it's up to the individual to be relevant. In advertising, and life in general. Unionizing? Nah. If you bring something to the party, no one will care that you're 90 years old. In fact, they might think it's pretty unusual and pretty cool.
What are some positive things you’ve experienced as you’ve grown older in the business?
The thrill of helping the next generation. The high of building an agency from scratch. The feeling that you're still in the thick of things because, well, you're still in the thick of things. The ability to look back, and look around, and be grateful for all the people who began as co-workers and turned into lifelong friends.
Who do you look to for inspiration?
My partners. My co-workers. My wife Beth. My three incredible kids/young adults. Anyone who does anything at a world-class level. And while we’re on the topic of age? My amazing 88 and 89 year-old parents, who are still bringing it every day.
