This PR Gal’s Advice for Younger TV

We finally have a date! Younger TV show season 6 comes out on June 12 and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve talked about the show a handful of times before – especially how much I adore the fashion despite not being able to see myself wearing a lot of the costumes in the office. I mean a miniskirt and booties? Not gonna fly in my business casual setting. The show is still such a great place to pull inspiration from, though. I could definitely see this Prabal Gurung Collective blouse on someone like Diana.

As much as I can’t wait for the show to be back with a new season, I do have a bone to pick with the “younger” story line. When I look at it through the lens of my PR perspective, Liza is doing it all wrong.

If you haven’t watched the show, the main character (Liza) is a 40-something divorcee trying to reenter the workforce with no such luck after being a stay-at-home mom for years. So, she scrubs hers identity as a suburban housewife and re-enters the workforce as a millennial (a 26 year old, to be exact) and assistant at a publishing house. Liza climbs the ranks, thanks in part to support from Hilary Duff’s character. Soon she’s an integral part to the company’s new millennial imprint. Of course she can’t keep her real age a secret, though, and most of the main cast of characters – including her boss and coworkers – now know the truth.

As someone who works in PR, a similar job to what Liza does in marketing, the first thing I’m to tell my clients is to always tell the truth. While perhaps it’s not the thing our clients always want to do – telling the truth sometimes causes more waves at the beginning that covering up a secret – it’s going to be better in the long run. Which is why I’m baffled Liza’s colleagues help her keep her secret. In this day in age with the large consumer audience of MILLENNIALS (hello, Liza’s target demo with her imprint!), being authentic and a truth teller is all the more important. I know Liza coming clean would ruin the whole “Younger” charade, but I think there’s a real advantage here to tell the truth. And here’s how.

In today’s climate, women are speaking up about unfair labor practices and antiquated workplace cultures. If Liza came clean about the lengths she had to go to re-enter the workforce, it would be brave and relatable. Why she isn’t using the story to her and the fictitious Empirical Press’s benefit to own a piece of the conversation is beyond me. Start with an essay in Cosmopolitan – about double standards and ageism in the workplace – then go on a press tour with comical tales about her double life.

Charles, the former head of Empirical, prides himself in treating employees like family while running a family business, but he may be partly at fault, too. He should also come out about lessons learned and changes he’s going to make at his company. And when I say they all need to be honest, that includes about everything. The love story between Liza and Charlies is a toughy in the #MeToo era, but again, honesty is the best policy. Get out in front of it before it comes out.

From the show writers’ perspective, Liza coming clean might take away the mystery of “will they or won’t they find out Liza’s true identify.” But let’s be honest, who watches Younger anymore for the mystery? I turn it on for the great fashion and smoke-show Josh! (Plus Hilary Duff, America’s sweetheart in my eyes and a personal style inspo.)

Anyhoo, that’s just the PR gal in me prattling on. Will the Younger TV show season 6 take a turn into the telling the truth? We’ll find out soon enough! Until then, I’ll keep thinking through this fictional case study and the advice I’d give if Empirical was my client (in my dreams).

Are you going to join me in counting down the days til June 12?