Adknowledge Reviews

Pros

I love my job - it's fun! I actually look forward to getting here every day and the day ahead. The work is fun, the team I am with is fantastic and it's an exciting, dynamic environment.

Cons

Sometimes the speed of change can make it hard to keep up, but that change keeps things moving and exciting.

Advice to Senior Management

Better communication of internal changes.

Pros

smarts are seen as more powerful than just being aggressive

Cons

sometimes trying to do too much at once

Advice to Senior Management

look out of the box in the space

Pros

Everyday is different. I get a lot of responsibility. I can manage my own schedule. My ideas are considered and attributed to me. The people are nice and hard working. They are sociable and generally young, and always young at heart. The work environment is very positive, and I think a good place for both younger applicants as well as people with experience.

Cons

With the variety of work that needs to be done, you need to wear many hats and sometimes that can result in a lot of work.

Advice to Senior Management

To keep looking forward and stay ahead of the curve. The industry changes so rapidly that I think if we sit back we will be stagnant and quickly surpassed.

Pros

Salary
Adknowledge challenges your abilities. Things you thought you would never accomplish, you accomplish!

Cons

It's hard to take time off. Have to be multi-functional.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop asking employees to do too many tasks that end up being a waste of time. All in all management provides a challenging environment and if your up for a challenge, Adknowledge is an exciting place to work.

Pros

Steady industry, creative management, generous employee perks

Cons

Heavy workload, automated creative, long hours

Pros

Heard a lot of great things and they did a great job of selling the company during the interview. It was a tough interview, which I thought was a great start. Some really nice, smart people and perks.

Cons

Unreasonable expectations, unclear direction, constant criticism and push. Can't wait to get out of here.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen - you don't have all the answers. Respect your employees.

Pros

Adknowledge shows appreciation for employees by hosting social/fun events throughout the month, providing catered lunches twice/week & free Starbucks coffee/tea and soda machines. Employees live by a "work hard, play hard" mentality.

Cons

Career advancement opportunities are limited.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to enforce the new culture we are working to establish, as this requires an ongoing effort on behalf of employees and management.

Pros

Adknowledge is a high energy. I enjoy working here not only for the amazing people but for the engaging work and fun environment. I am never bored and can always find new challenges to take on. I get to directly impact the company and provide solutions without having to jump through a bunch of bureaucratic hoops. We are a performance driven company and our compensated well for hitting goals and achieving results.

Cons

A little of a flat organization. Has dynamic small teams that run lean most of the time. This is great for creating impact but could use more junior individuals to have more of a career ladder and start to train senior personnel for potential managment positions.

Pros

If you have the drive and stomach for a sink or swim business, this is it. You'll be given the freedom to push the bar and do what you can.

Senior management is strong, but corporate decisions are made at the top.

Cons

CEO sees people as commodities and easily replaceable - no focus on giving employees a reason to stay and grow a career. In 2011, once the job market picked up, more people quit in a 3 month period than I've ever seen in any company I worked for. The numbers of people left in the SF, NY and LA offices have dwindled since that's where many job opportunities exist. The people in KC, unfortunately, don't have the same options, and since that's where the bulk of staff exist, they stay.

There is no appetite for mid to long term planning - everything is based upon what came into the cash register yesterday. This really impairs the ability for planning and making core product and technology improvements since there is limited patience for devoting cost and resources to something which does not yield immediate and tangible results.

If you're in sales, expect your compensation to change 2-3 times a year - the minute one person starts making a lot, the plan will change for everyone.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in your people - read what others here have written and realize that it's the people who make the product, people who sell the product, and without any of this the company won't be competitive. If someone is directly bringing in millions of dollars in sales, let them make $500k a year - it's how you'll keep the top salespeople.

Pros

Free lunches Mon and Weds; free snacks, soft drinks/beer 24/7
Open environment among contract writers
No dress standard (shorts OK); levis the norm

Cons

I was part of team hired to re-write the entire series of ads offered to ADK's clients. From the beginning, there was no structure as to word/character length, style and size of ads, in fact, early ads had to be re-written because there were no creative guidelines at the outset. In the middle of the project, the entire creative department was purged, our computers either confiscated or access denied. Up to this point, we had increased revenue by 3%; but mgt. goal was an increase of 6%.

When you're changing everything, you can't expect 6%; you have to test and retest, both copy and design.

There was no explanation. Because California is an 'at will' state, ADK could terminate all of us (and they did) with no prior notice. The management of the department was fired as well (VP and PM levels). That's the way the senior management of the company works. Would I recommend it as a career path? No. As a part-time gig? Maybe.

Advice to Senior Management

Why would I offer them advice? They seem to know everything. (CLUE: even though they are multimillionaires, they don't).