Interpublic Group Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Interpublic Group

Pros – as a whole, IPGs offerings through its new specialty agencies are highly strategic enabling new opportunities for strategic growth and development. the challenge has been at the management level in making these offerings tangible and accessible.

Cons – lack of growth and development
inconsistent direction and competing vision
general lack of creativity
management pigeon holds great ideas as they feel threaten

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Interpublic Group

Pros – The companies in the umbrella provide a generally moderate pace of work.

Cons – No advancement in digital groups.
Analog creatives rule the roost.
Experienced employees are not valued.
Forward Movement is more important than management skill.
Technical support is abysmal.
Bean counting controls everything.
No conferences, education, or supplementary tools.
Not enough staff, for most groups. An exit-culture.

Advice to Senior Management – if you are ever going to be truly competent in digital, then you have to change from a job-to-job management approach to building a lasting team and then using it as a powerhouse to generate new business.

Current Employee – been working at Interpublic Group

Pros – Free coffee and great views... some colleagues are nice, but they leave all the time. It's hard to make a nd keep friends.

Cons – Management is promoted based on friendships with higher-ups. Competence and good management skills are not considered for promotions. HR is the least "human" function.

Advice to Senior Management – Be prepared to justify your $300,000+ incomes to the rest of the staff who make less than one-quarter what you make, yet do all the heavy lifting.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Interpublic Group

Pros – The work-life balance is quite fair. The flexibility to work from home or managing your own work hours is very refreshing.

Cons – There is no career ladder at IPG. Former Agency Employees hold most of the leadership roles and are stubborn when it comes to discussing new ideas or approaches that may help the company grow. Compensation is very poor. Contractors make twice as much as full time employees and have better job security because they protect their information/knowledge.

Advice to Senior Management – Management needs to allow fresh ideas and young talent to grow. Stifling a new generation of thinkers and eager workers will only lead to high turnover with a bitter resentment towards an old-school style of management.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Interpublic Group

Pros – The benefits are good. There is some opportunity to work across companies held by Interpublic Group. I like the ERG's.

Cons – It is a very corporate environment. Although it is in the creative industry, many new ideas are rejected because of corporate ideology.

Advice to Senior Management – Create a more inclusive environment. Many decisions are made behind close doors without input from employees. If you're going to hire someone in a management role, give his/her future direct reports an opportunity to meet them first

Former Employee – worked at Interpublic Group

Pros – It's a good place to start working in advertising. The network is still substantial and some of the clients are good to work for. There is a desire to do things differently. Maybe the place will get back it's vibe once the whole industry revives as well. Young people often get substantial responsibility early on in their career.

Cons – The atmosphere is just plain rotten. Cost cutting has started to undermine all motivation.
The only news we get from senior management is that they've seen the light and that we're a team
and we're all going digital which is as substantive and credible as a 60's ad for soap. There is a culture of making excuses and cooperation between the various silos is just not working.

Advice to Senior Management – Get some professional middle management in, preferrably not from the ad industry to install proper procedures and motivation. Stop raving about being a creative powerhouse when you're not.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Interpublic Group

Pros – The pay is OK... That's it!

Cons – The IT group for IPG varies from building to building each with its own set of IT folks. The management however 9 times out of 10 are NOT technically knowledgeable at all. The management do not have a clue and spend a great deal of time requesting a status instead of allowing you a chance to complete your work. Even though this is an advertising firm, the demand on the IT dept. is as high as if you were working for a Hedge Fund (just without the pay). Sr. management does not care about the IT satff and as far as they are concern you are roaches there to do there bidding. "Just get it done" is the motto, you mean nothing, you have a job so be happy.

Advice to Senior Management – Instead of wasting talented people in the field replace the "YES-MAN" management you have. You may find that you get a lot more done and spend alot less money!

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend