Saatchi & Saatchi Reviews

Pros

The best agency brand in the world matched by a sense of mission within the agency to deliver against that reputation.

Cons

Saatchi isn't for everyone. As with most agencies, employee churn is higher than in other professional services. That means that every few years it feels like a very different organisation.

Pros

Good company culture and people. We work as a team.

Cons

During downturn where financially the company is not performing well, there's retrechment and the existing employees have to take heavier loads of work due to limited human resource.

Advice to Senior Management

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Pros

Laid back attitudes. A lot of allowance for personal life as long as you're not on deadline. Flexible hours.

Cons

Very little accountability for work on all levels. Most people just avoid taking any responsibility for work, and management encourages it. People are just making it up as they go along and trying to shift work to someones else or another department. Take initiative at your own risk.

Advice to Senior Management

There are too many managers who have been there for 10+ years, are no longer contributing, and are holding the company back. Find out what people's skills are and allow them to move to other departments or pitch in beyond their department role. Restructure executive leadership and hold people accountable for their actions.

Pros

1. limited hierarchy
2. striving
3. Initiatives are welcom

Cons

1. problem in spirit
2. problem in trust
3. lack of clear leadership
4. sad promotion choices

Advice to Senior Management

bring in advertising experts, put a team together able to draw new business, be more of a winner

Pros

Saatchi looks nice on your resume since it's a big company. Others who don't know may think it's Saatchi in NYC and not the little company of 50 people in Yardley. Money is good. Nice new offices in Yardley, PA.

Cons

Place is a revolving door. If you stay 3-4 years you'll be one of few. Management can't seem to forecast stable work needs so there are wild periods of hiring and then within a few months - layoffs. Finance and the bottom line is king. You're working on a project one day and they call you in and say they don't need you anymore. Very few of these decisions are performance driven. It makes for an extremely unstable environment, where most except for the upper management chosen few, are always worried about their jobs. It makes it for a difficult environment to be creative when you're always worried when your S&S career can end. Add to that the fact that there is a lot of gossip about each other and very little coordination,collaboration and mutual support between departments. Clients can sense this during pitches which is why this division wins very little new business.

Advice to Senior Management

Let employees know that if they do a good job-you'll in turn support them and keep them employed during the dry times. Foster a more collaborative environment.

Pros

Learned a few things about the business

Cons

Wish to be more involved in the creative work

Pros

The office has a GREAT view of lower Manhattan and the Hudson river. There are some genuinely great people who work here that are fun to be around. Befriend the production team that works with S&S. They are the best people you will meet on this planet and they will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know.

Cons

The cons depend highly on which account you are work. General incompetency abounds everywhere. Some Creative higher-ups have serious egos and divas. Beware the account bullies that will try to get you to do work that ISN'T YOUR JOB. In the end, Money rules everything, so your GREAT ideas will be shot down in order to keep the clients happy and SAFE.

Advice to Senior Management

There needs to be more solid communication/transparency between all levels of a project.

Pros

dynamic company with many opportunities, great on a resume, great experience

Cons

big company, sometimes overlooked, mediocre salaries, no bonuses/raises

Pros

it has an international reputation, great resources, enviable client list, and a revolving door of strong talent. the compensation is very good, but you can lose your soul in the process.

Cons

Upper management is only concerned about numbers, like most places, but it's a constant battle between creative and management. Egos are outsized and respect is hard to find.

Pros

People are friendly, work environment is comfortable and the benefits package is good.

Cons

They are not very integrated.

Advice to Senior Management

Be serious about integration instead of just talking about it.