An odd culture of fear, disinterest and fun. - Anonymous employee AKQA Employee Review

2.0
16 Sept 2019
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

AKQA is big enough that many staff can get away with not working too hard, especially if they’re 100% dedicated to a big client. There are a lot of junior staff who lurk on Slack and slack at work, so it’s not a bad place to make friends. If you’re lucky, you’ll have good projects and caring managers. And no one ever complained about the free beer and wine, except maybe some account people whose project team was simultaneously missing a deadline, drinking beers and playing pong.

Cons

Problems, like many clients and staff, change frequently. But the essential problem of the business remains: you can’t make your clients happy if your staff don’t feel appreciated, empowered and supported. Lots of great people used to work at AKQA. Ask just about anyone who did and they’ll tell you they’re glad they’re gone.

Explore other reviews about AKQA

5.0
13 Mar 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

4.0
7 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

AKQA is a great line-item for your resumé. You'll work with excellent talent, and will (likely) get to work on some exciting things.

Cons

A lot of changes in the organization lead to a tangible decline following its acquisition by WPP. The "spark" that comes with a talented and exciting independent agency was noticeably lost – it began functioning more and more as a cog in a machine, leading to a lot of talented leadership leaving behind the Founder, as well as the loss of valuable clients. Limited transparency in career roadmaps and growth opportunities. Low pay considering the size of the organization (and its clients), no transparency regarding pay increase/bonus (if you get one at all). All things considered, if you're thinking about joining AKQA, I would (currently) approach it as a stepping stone in your career rather than a long-term home.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All