Directive reviews

2.8

33% would recommend to a friend

(151 total reviews)
avatar

Garrett Mehrguth

36% approve of CEO

30% positive business outlook

Directive has an employee rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars, based on 151 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Directive employee rating is 25% below average for employers within the Media & Communication industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

151 reviews
1.0
Feb 24, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are numerous talented individuals at the agency, and strong branding.

Cons

This culture is toxic. The CEO consistently undermines his department leaders, publicly and in private, and often ridicules team members, clients, and especially former colleagues behind their backs (no class). The onboarding training was entirely focused on the ability of a new hire to audit ad accounts, with maybe 5% max focused on the rest of the job to be done, which sets you up for failure. When it came time to execute the process, there was little to no documentation, and little to no support. The job is 60% trial by fire, 30% pressure from the CEO, and 10% judgement from others as you try to adapt to unwritten rules and/or learn undocumented process. The CEO will also join, and completely take over sales calls, and his success (ego) is often the central component of these calls. I witnessed numerous formerly interested marketing leaders roll their eyes and lose interest such that talk of next steps was answered with "none, we're not moving forward with Directive." 75% of the senior leadership turned over in my time there, with entire departments being created and disbanded in short order. People are routinely fired and there is no centralized process for communicating these changes to the team such that people are literally asking each other where people went and what happened. Pretending the ex-colleague didn't exist is the go-to move at Directive, except when the CEO is trashing them. In terms of the quality of their work there are strong individual contributors and there is some sound theory behind Directive's strategy, but they are clearly more intent on executing a proprietary strategy in-line with their own branding and marketing (e.g. Customer Generation, use of gift cards) than in learning about the clients' target audience(s) or creating customized marketing programs that match the context.

2.0
Nov 4, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Leadership is transparent about business goals and progress - Felt like you were a part of a team that's on the cutting edge and always pushing innovation - Work alongside some really talented people who are truly experts in their field - Ability to work autonomously and have ownership of your work

Cons

- Incredibly draining and toxic environment. Executives are patronizing and speak down to you under the guise of "genuinely caring about your growth" especially if you are female (just look at how they respond to negative reviews, it's very telling) - Lots of intimidation and scare tactics - All of the "do good" initiatives exist merely as a brand play. The executives do not actually care about paying you competitively or contributing to charity or whatever new thing they're plugging - they just want to gloat about them on social media to attract new hires and make this place seem like something it isn't. The fantastic coworkers and quality of work you get to do here are simply not worth the mental anguish. The bad reviews are 100% accurate, and I have a strong feeling some of the good reviews are from current employees who were asked to post something positive. It seems like the only people who enjoy working here are original OC hires that have been around since the beginning - they drink the koolaid cause they get rewarded for it. Until the people at the top are able to look objectively at their behavior and make a change I don't see how this place will retain the talented people who work here.

avatar
Directive Response
4y
Hey this is Garrett! Thank you for the feedback, it's tough to hear, but I appreciate it. The management team and I are excited about the progress we are making. The team and I take your feedback seriously and look forward to keep making Directive the best place in the agency world to work. I hope your next spot is a terrific success :)
5.0
Sep 25, 2025

A Transparent Perspective from the COO

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Before accepting the COO role at Directive, I reviewed Glassdoor just like you might be doing now. I saw comments that gave me pause. I believe in being transparent- those concerns are valid, and they’re part of our history. Here’s why I joined anyway: the people here are exceptional. Directive has incredible talent, energy, and potential. At the same time, we know there are areas where we need to evolve, both culturally and operationally. That’s exactly why I came onboard: to help lead that change. We’ve already begun building a clear vision for where Directive is going. One that focuses on empowering employees, creating career pathways, and building a culture that makes people proud to be here. My commitment as COO is to ensure that this becomes not just a strong agency to work for, but the premier place to grow a career in digital marketing. If the reviews here make you uncertain about accepting a role, please feel free to reach out directly. I’m more than happy to connect, share what we’re working on, and give you a firsthand perspective on the progress we’re making.

Cons

Currently, no cons to note. Only opportunities for growth.

Viewing 55 - 57 of 151 Reviews

Glassdoor has 164 Directive reviews submitted anonymously by Directive employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Directive is right for you.