MIKE Preston marks a half century in advertising in December.
At 70 he is a rare breed, considering research out of the United States says the median age of advertising agency staff is 38, with just 5 per cent aged over 50.
The laidback principal and executive creative director at Newcastle creative agency Headjam has a few theories to explain his longevity.
"I think basically what happens is people run out of energy and interest and it's not an easy business, and I think if you are not interested in it, then it's the worst business to be in," the British native says.
"You have to have a passion for it and be passionate about things and people and what you can do."
He suspects many of his contemporaries have fallen by the way side because they have tried to hold onto the past: "Advertising has gone from just being TV, print and radio basically to this plethora of media, so your audience is all over the place, but that's fascinating if you are interested in it," he says.
He also credits Headjam founders Luke Kellett and Sarah Cook for being a reason he's still at his desk.
"They were not frightened of working with someone of my experience because we have similar values of wanting to make a difference in health, arts and community," he says.
Preston got his start in advertising in London on December 1, 1969. After completing art school, he'd worked part time jobs to save pennies to travel repeatedly to London. There he knocked on doors with his modest portfolio until a contact helped him land a job with lauded creative director Tony Brignull at Vernons.
Preston has worked with renowned agencies including JWT, McCann Erickson, FCB, George Patterson and Clemenger BBDO and directed the launch of major brands such as Optus and Hahn in the Australian marketplace.
However, it is his work with the Mental Health Commission of NSW, Schizophrenia Fellowship NSW and Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) which means the most to him.
"I suppose it's a personal thing - my daughter Sarah has schizophrenia and we did a campaign about the early warning signs of schizophrenia and won creative awards ... but more importantly we won funding to promote it," he says.
Preston, whose most recent campaigns with Headjam include for City Of Newcastle rebranding and Greenpeace, says companies could "gain more" in an uncertain economy as many competitors retreated.
"The wonderful thing about getting old is you are not so frightened by things going pear-shaped, you know it'll come right," he says.
.png?w=600)
