Pros
Monthly BBQs, lots of free booze, and gatherings. (Though don't let the festivities fool you into believing that there is any sort of communal "culture" here.) Cool workspace. (Though it would be cooler if you employees were treated and respected as adults instead of feeling watched like children–constantly walking on eggshells trying to prove that you are a diligent worker.) Good work-life balance. (But only if you work on the main money-making account. If you work on new business or any of the smaller accounts–aka the only accounts the Chief Creative Officer acknowledges–you will be working nights and weekends on work that doesn't matter.) You will likely feel like the smartest person in every room. (Because if you have any legitimate ad experience and aren't complacent, you probably will be.)
Cons
Low (and outdated) creative standards that leadership is actually proud of. There is nobody there pioneering great creative work. Creative leadership is stuck in their glory days of the early aughts, instead of actively learning whats new. Absolutely no digital capabilities. Management and creative leadership do not understand what it takes to be on the edge of innovation, and thus they do not allocate proper resources and processes towards developing digital ideas. Fear-based leadership. Don't be fooled by the interview party line of leadership being open to new ideas. Anyone who comes in and suggests solutions in areas that have room for improvement will get written up and fired. This is a known pattern of the agency. Overt racial discrimination. People have openly been called "white-washed." It is very obvious that leadership's idea of diversity is limited to supporting black culture, rather than creating a truly open and diverse environment where people can accept, learn, support and grow from one another. Chief Creative Officer who openly doesn't involve himself in the one account that makes money for the agency. Who turns down new business because it isn't "dope" enough. Who hardly ever shows up to work. Who demands respect based on where he has worked in his career, instead of earning it through present actions. Who preaches a "we" culture when he can't be bothered to show up to meetings, read emails, learn the names and titles of all his employees, or be apart of anything that doesn't directly benefit his image. No HR department. There is nobody you can trust with your problems. The part-time HR manager has zero power. Huge disconnect between the LA leadership and international leadership.
