Ketchum Reviews

Pros

Very open culture where everyone is respected and given opportunity to develop. There is a real sense of team and everyone genuinely wants to do a good job. There are many ways good work is recognised and the learning and development offered is second to none.
Lots of people to learn from and look up to and generally a fun place to work!

Cons

Working at such a big company means it takes a little longer to get to know everyone but Ketchum tries to avoid this by organising lots of social or charitable activities to get everyone mixing and meeting new people!

Pros

In a town and industry that can be frustratingly crowded with self promoters, the team at Ketchum is remarkably collegial, professional and dedicated to client service. From top to bottom, I'm not sure I've worked with a more talented, hard-working group of people.

Cons

I don't think there's anything unique to Ketchum that isn't problematic in the industry as a whole. Clients are demanding, hours can be long, and the job itself is stressful (but comes with high rewards).

Advice to Senior Management

I know the company took significant steps to avoid laying off staff during the downturn, and I hope they show an equal dedication to sharing the benefits of a stronger performance this year.

Pros

Hands down, the best thing Ketchum has going is its talent. Working with extremely creative people everyday makes it easy to come into the office. My first week on the job, I was blown away with everyone's mind power. What's more, the network of resources available to you at Ketchum makes your job that much easier. Ketchum also has an impressive client roster and has won tons of awards for its strategic and creative work for Fortune 500 clients. Lots of opportunity here to learn and grow, especially as a junior staffer.

Cons

There have definitely been some times of uncertainty and confusion in the office because of a lack of communication from upper management during times of change (new hires, departures, office status, etc.)

Pros

In my field, Ketchum is recognized as a true leader. I have phenomenal resources from throughout the agency to help me and my team deliver top results to clients. We really care about doing excellent work and having a thriving workplace. We work with colleagues from different offices throughout our network and the Global Practice Leader for my specialty area is one of the brightest in the business.

Cons

Ketchum is owned by Omnicom, which is a publicly-traded company. As such, we must adhere to very strict rules and some procedures can be cumbersome.

Pros

Engaged, interested, intelligent colleagues
Opportunities to work on some of the best blue chip clients
Excellent growth and career progression opportunities
Opportunities to work in other Ketchum offices around the world
Open door policy from senior management
Regular social activities
Competitive remuneration
Great office location in a fun and lively part of London, in the heart of the City
Flexible working hours (with prior agreement from management)

Cons

Sometimes the working hours at Ketchum are unpredictable

Pros

Talented and creative staff, great clients and culture that fosters break through thinking

Cons

Very fast-paced environment that demands commitment

Pros

The people are genuinely nice and care about each other, which can be rare with PR agencies.
Opportunities for growth within company are strong.
Ability to get exposure to smart people to learn from.
Interesting client work that's fun.

Cons

Career mobility is limited by years of experience and not ability.
Growth can be stunted if gap between supervisor and direct report is not wide.
Disconnect between strategic decisions about future of the agency and the feet on the ground doing the work.

Advice to Senior Management

Get digitally/social media savvy fast, as it's a major point of differentiation

Pros

We just love to keep growing whatever the ecomonic climate.

We have over 200 amazing people here in London and an incredible worldwide network at our finger tips. We have great clients and great challenges that keep our minds fully active and our hearts racing. Ketchum provides real opportunities to deliver on your dreams - be it: global issues management; celebrity social media campaigns; development of umbrella strategies; delivering the goods in emerging markets; helping people grow in their careers - the list is endless.

I love the generosity of our leaders and we know how to work together as teams and can bring experts to bear from many specialist disciplines that are truly marvellous.

We know how to flex our staff capacity in intense work times - we commit to great freelancers and they commit to us!

I love our location too - in the heart of The City and on the edge of Shoreditch - we are truly blessed!

We also have a chance to make a difference in the community with our CEO generously giving us a Community Action Day where we can get away from our desks and help those local communities that are less privileged. We've painted playgrounds, transformed community gardens, transformed community halls and brought overgrown gardens back to life.

Cons

When we have great ideas our clients just want more and often this is at no notice. So, if you don't like the heat - keep out of the kitchen! The pace here is fast so you need to really keep focused on the right work / life balance. My tip - walk away from your desk and phone a friend when it gets too hot. I know I need to pace myself better throughout the year to make sure we don't burn out. It's up to us to slow things down at times.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep growing the vision even in turbulent times. Keep breaking down the barriers to any success. Keep believing in your next generation they are amazing.

Pros

fun, caring people, career development, dynamic, interesting

Cons

public company restrictions (approval needed a lot)

Pros

Emphasis on the right areas: excellent client service, collaboration, strong culture, stable senior management, one of the few places in the industry where people can make a career and continually reinvent themselves, strong ethics and values, good career opportunities for those who work hard and share the companies ethics, great focus recently on creativity and differentiation

Cons

some managers are too comfortable in their positions and not held as accountable as others; not every office leader in the organization buys into the Ketchum culture and this can create a disconnect for some people

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what your doing, creating an ethical, friendly work environment for people who deliver great results for their clients. But also make sure that everyone in the organization is held to the same standard.