RAPP Reviews

Pros

Fun atmosphere, flexible schedule, very comfortable dress code, lots of activities for the employees

Cons

Very dynamic environment, little heads up for projects

Advice to Senior Management

Include technical team earlier in decisions

Pros

wide variety of work, exciting possibilities

Cons

focussed mostly on short term

Advice to Senior Management

care about your people, focus on skill developement, listen to their issues,

Pros

Very Smart People
Decent Compensation and Benefits
Relaxed Dress Code
A Desire To Do Good Work
Open Door Office Across the Organization

Cons

No Clear Direction from Leadership
No Defined Processes or Methodologies
Very Little Benefit to Clients for the Money
Creative Product is Weak
Most Employees Work as Individual Contributors
Emphasis Placed on Winning New Business Instead of Servicing Existing Accounts

Advice to Senior Management

Find an identity for the organization instead of chasing the next great catch-phrase. Pick a strategic direction and stick with it. Lead by example not just empty words.

Pros

Culture - great perks and talented people

Cons

more transparency on career development

Pros

The agency has a strong vision for the future. What was once a direct mail agency has truly evolved into a full-service, multichannel creative shop. I don't think there is a person here who is not willing to do whatever it takes to do great work. There's also a pretty good work/life balance, which can be tough to find in advertising. The culture is very laid back - no big egos and people are nice and approachable, even in senior positions.

Cons

At times, executing on the agency's vision can be problematic. We can deliver top-notch digital projects, but the path towards that delivery can be painful. As RAPP grows, the company needs to ensure that they have the right digital skill sets in house and continue to refine process in order to deliver efficiently for clients.

Advice to Senior Management

Stay close to staff, don't float above problems. Also, continue to listen to employees and implement changes - it's much appreciated.

Pros

With a Terrific Creative Team, Strong Management and some very talented, dedicated and driven employees, RAPP certainly is an agency on an upward path. Office layout being redesigned to leap impressively into the 21st Century. RAPP is poised to cross into that next level of Top Tier Ad Agencies. Free breakfast is a treat. Corporate culture is collaborative and encourages independence and creativity.

Cons

Work can come in waves and with no complete vacation break over the Holiday season, keeping ones batteries charged can be trying at times. Some of the Bathrooms are right out of the 70's.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to grow the company with a diverse client list. Listen to employees, they really do care. Follow through with initiatives.

Pros

One of RAPP's best qualities was its strong company culture and attention to community building and ongoing learning. The best example was their book club. Every six weeks, they would leave free copies of a book intended to educate/inspire the team and hold a meeting to discuss the topics. This was all in an effort to support the company's transformation from a direct marketing company to a digital advertising agency.

Cons

Unreasonable project deadlines that come from a result of a team who didn't clearly understand the requirements digital work as well as inadequate staff and talent in these areas.

Advice to Senior Management

The biggest problem I saw with executive management was their tendency to over promise to clients. They were still in the early stages of getting into the game of digital design and often failed to take the advice of colleagues who were hired specifically to guide the company in the transition. It was a lot of hubris, actually---thinking they had enough knowledge to make decisions without the curiosity or humility to bring the ones with true expertise along with them.

Pros

A place to work in a recession

Cons

Figuring out which round of firings will you be in.
Looking at photos of last years X-mas party and counting who's not there
Rude people

Advice to Senior Management

Stop hiring your friends and hire people who have a clue.

Pros

Pay is comparable with market

Cons

Long hrs
Too many leaders with different goals
Disfunction within matrix organization

Advice to Senior Management

Align your goals And processes, it is confusing to answer to so many leaders and views. Respect the people that have given blood, sweat and tears.

Pros

There are a few good people there, mostly in tech and delivery. There is free breakfast if you get there early enough (or haven't left from the day before), and pretty decent free coffee.

Cons

- Unbelievably long hours
- Absolutely horrible working conditions because of constant construction in and around the building
- Detached and dismissive 'leadership'
- Workload allocations that constantly go over 175%
- Clueless and dismissive Managing Director
- Questionable ethics at the top levels - including Client Services
- If you aren't in the 'in' crowd, you are doomed for failure from the get-go
- Finance makes all the decisions and most of the decisions that are made are, ultimately, wrong for the employees, customers, and industry
- No process for digital work
- Unhappy employees

Advice to Senior Management

Listen. Evaluate. Learn. Act.

Please understand that you must take care of your people first, then worry about everything after that. Understand that while you take your lavish vacations and spend entire weeks out in the Hamptons, your minions are working their fingers to the bones to service sub-standard clients and brands while you take all the credit. Lead by example and get out of the corner office and walk around and get to know everyone - listen to them and get over yourselves.