Older, Faster, Better

Brent Rivard;
Partner at the American full-service agency "Geezer Creative"

Brent is co-founder of Geezer exclusively employs creative professionals with at least 25 years of professional experience and helps clients tap into the most lucrative market in the world.

Brent, you recently founded 'Geezer Creative'. Tell us about your new business and the inspiration behind the name.

My partners and I have watched the holding companies quietly dismiss the most experienced talent in the business over the past decade. As creative companies have become more like hedge funds, they’ve prioritized cost control and squeezing out as much profit and returns as possible. As this shift has happened hiring more juniors on client’s businesses has become the norm - trading margin over experience. Today only 5% of ad agencies employees are over 50. This has been going on for too long. Something needed to be done so we launched Geezer Creative. We promise creative talent with a minimum of 25 years of experience. Simply put “we’re older, faster, better.”

The name of course was taking an old adage with an overall negative connotation and flipping that notion into a positive. We proudly call ourselves Geezers. And while the rest of the agency world is discounting experience, we’re doubling down on it.

Why does the advertising industry need an agency like Geezer?

Because clients deserve better work. Better work comes from more experienced creatives. And we need a place that 50+ creatives can continue their careers and do the best work of their lives.

The fact that the developed world is ageing is nothing new. What is your reasoning behind this billion-dollar market being overlooked?

We’re a society that’s obsessed with youth. We’re a business culture obsessed with short-term. And marketers are risk averse. So, it continues to lead to more of the same versus getting after new markets in new ways. As we’ve said, it’s the $8.3 trillion dollar market hiding in plain sight.

Do you have any good examples of products and/or communications that show how this market can be effectively targeted

No one did it better than Dos Equis and The Most Interesting Man In The World. Anchored in experience. The most recent Spinal Tap campaign for Aspercream is hilarious – culturally well timed. New Balance and Ralph Lauren have also done a great job of blending older models with young offerings.

The US, most of the EU and parts of Asia will age quickly. What needs to be done to encourage global brands to start working on the 'silver economy'?

They need to snap out of their habits and try new things to find growth. They must stop being afraid of losing young buyers because they start marketing to a more mature generation. I believe this is a case where one marketer at a fortune 500 is going to finally do it and realize success and then the others will follow.