Publicis Modem Reviews

Pros

Good location and the new offices are better than the old ones. Easy access to the Highline on nice days for lunch.

Cons

I was warned about going to the NY office before taking the job but didn't listen (was looking at the pay/title bump I was getting). It was pretty apparent from the get go that there was no leadership and no plan. Watched a conga line of people walking out the door at all levels and the truth of the place was revealed over farewell beers with every exiting employee. Political, nasty, poor work. I made it a year plus and selling myself to get out was hard. The place is a real blemish to potential employers. All in all a bad scene, but a valuable lesson for me as far as chasing cash instead of quality.

Advice to Senior Management

I don't know what to say to them because they're roundly despised by the rank and file and it doesn't seem to matter to them. I think the holding company is happy as long as the numbers count and none of the people at the top at Modem seem to want to change. Most of those who were trying have left. The only thing I'd ask them is, "Do you really think this is how things should be?"

Pros

Some good people and good client roster.

Cons

Not enough mid-level support. Tech and production not accountable enough. Too often client demands counted for everything so quality of work suffered.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire more mid-level talent across creative and tech disciplines. More tech accountability. Lead client relationships.

Pros

Nice views of SF bay.

Cons

New management are clueless. As a result, staff are resigning in droves: several people each week. In general, few vacated spots are replaced by new-hires. Existing clients are pulling business away, yet desperate attempts to win new clients have been unsuccessful. The staff are overworked and under appreciated by those in charge.

Advice to Senior Management

Take management classes. Stop insulting your employees and learn how to provide constructive, strategic feedback. Working staff to death doesn't yield better results.

Pros

The people have been great (the ones left). Compensation isn't so bad.

Cons

A grave need to hire staff particularly at junior and mid levels. Long hours/weekends (Anyone who has worked on Citi or LG can attest!). Senior leadership tends to strictly serve clients and promise ridiculous turnaround schedules rather than give strategic or practical advice. Employees are all worn out with very little recognition.

Advice to Senior Management

Please hire. Please hire. Please hire.

Pros

Time off when needed. Breakfast 1x/week.

Cons

Treats freelancers poorly. No direct deposit, no reviews, no raises, left out of important company events/meetings/emails, no promotions and very odd. Now - they want to slash hours!

Advice to Senior Management

Stop treating your freelancers poorly. Usually, we know more/do more than your treasured full-timers.

Pros

The people that *work* here are great. Once in awhile we get an interesting assignment. The weather is usually very nice.

Cons

The new management hasn't a clue how to manage anything but sweatshop labor. They can't communicate expectations beyond a simple "More". They needlessly drive the creative process into the ground, and the frustration is on everyone's faces. It's become exhausting to work here.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your staff, in particular middle management. These people have been doing this for a long time in some cases, and yelling at them only motivates them to leave. Recognize people for the things they do, large and small.

Pros

This place the potential to be great, but isn't. Small shop in a wonderful part of New York. Chelsea Market is nearby so the food is good.

Cons

No work life balance. Expect 70 hour weeks.

Reactionary to it's clients. Often producing bad work because they are too scared to say no.
Notice how behind nearly all their clients are when it comes to Social and Mobile. This is not because PM can't do it, it's because they don't have the balls to say no to clients who have no clue when it comes to Digital. PM simply doesn't lead - it follows.

Advice to Senior Management

Actually look at your accounts and appreciate your staff. They are some of the hardest working in the business. You ignore the accounts you have completely.

Pros

Some of the people are very nice.

Cons

The leadership. For a digital agency they know nothing about digital advertising. They play it safe and do not take risks. If you are any bit creative this isn't the place for you.

Advice to Senior Management

Find a new ECD.

Pros

Use to be great until the new management took over.

Cons

The new management is trying desperately to prove themselves with little or no talent.

Advice to Senior Management

One rotten egg can ruin the entire basket

Pros

Easy to fly under the radar depending on your team. Lax vacation policy that allows for several extra days off. Very liberal "work from home" policy due to many different office locations (people were never in the same place at one time anyway.) Sometimes interesting clients.

Cons

Uncommunicative/unavailable CEO. Poor creative work; creative was very reactive to the clients. Hard workers constantly passed over for promotions, major gaps in communication and leadership go unnoticed for months or years at a time, unfair/unstructured reviews, and completely incompetent people being promoted up the ladder while being unable to spell words commonly found in the English language.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your teams, listen to the people who do the work for you. Way too top-heavy.