DDB Reviews

Pros

Creative is inspiring. Can learn alot if you pay attention. A little political but where doesnt that exist. A great brand and reputation for sure.

Cons

Recent management changes still need to prove in charge. A little political at times but what agency doesn't have this same issue

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employees more. Perhaps staff surveys would be a great way to stay in touch with what people are thinking.

Pros

The people are amazing!!
The benefits are great.
Culture is cool - lots of parties, social gatherings, 4pm Friday drinks, etc.
Casual environment with lots of joking and silliness.
Great technology. Digital team is talented.

Cons

Work/life can be pretty unbalanced at times. No overtime is paid and days in lieu are rare (or it feels like you shouldn't ask for any unless you've given up an entire weekend for a shoot or something).
Management is extremely handsoff - any career pathing/advancement is up to the employee. Very little mentorship, recognition of great skill sets and encouragement to develop these. Annual reviews are purely done because they have to be and then never revisited. You will only get management attention if you demand it and continually follow up.
President is in Toronto and is out of touch with Vancouver's needs. Managing Director stays in his office all day and doesn't circulate or get to know employees.
Pay is mediocre.
Bonuses are hinted at for some positions, but there's no structure on how they get paid out and how you earn them.
Creative teams are treated with kid gloves and often act like kids because of that. The rest of the office treads on eggshells to ensure they stay happy.
Recognition is not very forthcoming and when it is, it's a slap on the back and a thanks.
No idea if/when a raise or promotion is coming. These tend to be long overdue and according to HR pay raises are 'not currently linked to performance.' Not quite sure what they are linked to then...
Huge focus on financials. Everything hinges on will we make enough money to satisfy New York. Creative suffers, employees become bean counters instead of idea generators, and account services often ends up at odds with creative due to monetary issues.

Advice to Senior Management

Follow through on promises made at all-staff meetings. Actually act on the advise given in employee surveys. There's a lot of lip service and not a lot of action.
Provide greater transparency to pay, pay raises and bonuses.
More balance between financials and creative product. Or at least alignment on what is the definition of success and everyone is held to the same measurements (not awards for creative and profitability for accounts or we end up working against each other).

Pros

Big Brands. Big Budgets. Lots of great travel and working with great directors.

Cons

Politics can be a little much.

Advice to Senior Management

Get your creative mojo back.

Pros

casual dress
friendly workplace environment
drinking permitted in the building (encouraged, actually)
games room with a wii and a ping pong table

Cons

extremely long hours
you have to wait until 8pm to order dinner if you want them to pay (meaning that dinner won't arrive until 8:30-9pm and you're already irritated that you're working late AND hungry)

Advice to Senior Management

as a communications company, you could certainly work on your communication skills. employees should never find out about DDB updates through any of the ad blogs.

Pros

Excellent work-life balance. Cool people to work with and hang out with after work.

Cons

Disorganized, hard to define career path in small office, not sure about the strength of the network.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more hands on.

Pros

Lots of learning opportunities. Senior management treated the tech department very well. We were well informed on most of the "going ons" in the company. in the Advertising tech world, the work schedule is very flexible.

Cons

Some departments seem to feel they are better than everyone else. DDB seems to forget that we need to be trained on a continual basis. we cannot learn things just because we show up.

Pros

Anything but a sweat shop. Great holiday parties.

Cons

Lack of anything inspiring. Incompetent management.

Advice to Senior Management

evaluate (meaning, purge) current management.

Pros

They care about the people who work there. We get hot dogs every last friday of the month. The creative product coming out of this office is world class, and they care about always making it better.

Cons

The company has to answer to the New York head office which doesn't take our unique circumstances into account, which is unfortunate as this may be the best ad agency to work for in Canada.

Advice to Senior Management

DDB is an amazing place to work. The culture is bar none the best I've seen in an ad agency. You have held the loyalty of many employees for that reason. People stayed here longer because of that. I would be careful about destabilizing the environment too much, as what exists here is a fragile thing. Don't throw that all away for short term profits. The profits will come with happy employees who will go to the ends of the earth for a place that they believe cares for them.

Pros

people are great and the location is ideal

Cons

downsizing, pay decreases, moved to a different floor

Advice to Senior Management

pay more

Pros

Good people (in general) to work with. Casual and fun atmosphere.

Cons

Current President (LA) seems to have no idea what he's doing.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn how to get new business and keep it.