If you’ve worked at an ad agency, you most likely have seen people running from one place to another because of some urgency. Well, I never run to catch a train, and I certainly am not willing to break out a sweat just because someone wants something done quickly.

I’m working on an acquisition e-mail project, which let me say is extremely small on my client’s radar. He really barely gives a damn about this thing. Anyway, just before I send it to my client, this internal strategy department guy decides that he needs to take a look at it. He requests 2 minor […]

You can more or less guess what everyone’s level in the hierarchy is at this place by their age. The AEs are all the same age, the Account sups are all the same age, there isn’t a VP under 40 and the SVPs are 45+. That infers that one’s level of responsibility is tied to […]

We’re planning a pretty big campaign for my client. The only people on the agency side who have client contact on this project so far are several layers above me. They want to create “a big splash” around a particular announcement. It will be centered in New York City.

We get into a brainstorming to talk […]

I’ve found this to be true at other large agencies as well, but because of the hierarchical structure, you end up with a lot of people with inflated egos who want a say in everything. However, it’s impossible to get projects moving if you have to wait to get feedback from every single person.
I’ve been […]

Usually, what drives people to get disgruntled at work leading to job searching are one of the following things - too much work, a boss who you don’t see eye-to-eye with or a client who drives you crazy.
However, at this point for me, there’s only one thing that makes me not want to come to […]

I won’t ever get promoted because I don’t fit the mold at this place. I’m seen as a renegade. I read and write in blogs despite the fact that there is a no-blogging policy. I question the way that things are being done here, and occasionally make people look stupid (it’s mostly just 1 person) […]

Like many mega-agencis, my company has a bad website. The site title looks more like a description, makes a bit of a preposterous claim and also the meta description tag shows the same thing as the title.
So what did I do about this? I e-mailed around, and figured out which group is responsible for the […]

I work with someone who is at the same level as me, but for some reason gives off the vibe that she’s my superior. I’m sure I’ve mentioned her before, but she is the one who incessantly calls and e-mails me with administrative requests.
Anyway, today I caught an oversight by my group - we had […]

Not all of them, but the ones around me are. They get wined and dined by sales reps and in exchange, they give the the reps business. They get completely manipulated by the industry, and many of them are unaware of it. Um, hello. You work 9-6 and then you spend evenings at dinner with […]