Pros

Online advertisement industry is very attractive, and aQutive is the leader in this industry. Great product and market execution. Good company overall. That's probably why they got bought by microsoft, although they lost quite a few major clients after that aquisition.

Cons

Only part of the company got fully integrated into Microsoft. The Agency division, known as Avenue A & Razor Fish is not part of Micorsoft. Although they carry Microsoft blue badges, their compensation system, benefit are quite different from Microsoft. There was a rumor Microsoft was gonna spin off AARF division very soon, however, it has been almost two years AARF is still there.

Advice to Senior Management

Think more about your employee.

Pros

Because it's good to be able to laugh while you work, because knowledge sharing is encouraged and rewarded, because your opinion is valued, because teamwork is the norm, rather than the exception, because the days fly by, because every day you learn something, becasue you are empowered to make decisions. Having worked in other organizations that talk about "fostering an environment of excellence" or "being above the line" it is extremely refreshing and exhilerating to be in an environment that doesn't talk about these ideals, but rather lives them. I may not always like to get up in the morning, but I do very much enjoy coming to work - given the amount of our lives that we dedicate to work, it is a HUGE deal to want to come to work.

Cons

Having to negotiate some of the intracacies of the Microsoft aquisition.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to foster the corporate culture of innovation, flexibilty, responsibility and change for the better - don't get bogged down in the minutiae of being a member of Microsoft.

Pros

A positive is that they do a really good job there of recognizing people/employees when they deserve to be recognized.

Cons

I would say that I was rather impressed because the transition has been really smooth, although they were acquired recently.

Advice to Senior Management

Atlas senior management has been great!