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AKQA

Acquired by WPP

Is this your company?

Minimal respect for technology process and development - Senior Creative Developer AKQA Employee Review

1.0
May 21, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Office location, people, client list

Cons

The SF office is driven entirely by account and creative people. Account promises everything to make clients happy, even if what they promise is an entirely unrealistic deadline, or even impossible. As a result, developers work long hours under insane pressure and no personal life. Anytime technology pushes back or tries to have a voice, it is squashed with an attitude of - well, you have to just do it! I've lost count of how many technology employees have left within the last 3 months. Virtually all of the Creative Technology managers have left along with several developers and architects (including myself). Morale is horrifically low and I'm sure over 50% of employees are interviewing elsewhere. Honestly, if you are thinking of working in tech for AKQA - DON'T! It's Silicon Valley - you can get a job elsewhere where you will be 1) paid more and 2) actually respected. It boggles my mind that a company that produces digital experiences can be so utterly clueless about the development process. Recently a CTO was (finally) hired and he was proclaimed to be amazing and going to fix everything. Cut to 2 months later where he presents 20 reasons why the company is failing on delivering technology and is so disgusted that he quits. And - of course - upper management makes no kind of announcement. It was like he evaporated into thin air and they hoped no one would notice. Seriously - it's a mess over there. I am in shock leadership hasn't been overturned.

Explore other reviews about AKQA

5.0
Mar 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

solid people, remote work, good work

Cons

company is a little lost at the moment. struggling with profitability

3.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Design and Strategy teams on the west coast in 2021-2023 incredibly smart and strong in their craft. Overall it is hard not to be impressed with the output and some of what the brand can produce

Cons

NY and DC teams were unpleasant. Competitive fearful vibe compared to other creative and tech industries I have been in. My guess is because everything is based on what accounts and projects they can capture and during this time tech accounts were pulling out of further business as their markets slowed. WPP (the parent company) began lay offs and shuttered whole agencies exasperating this.

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