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JOHN MCNEIL STUDIO

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Unstable from the top down - Designer JOHN MCNEIL STUDIO Employee Review

2.0
Aug 28, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Individual relationships are strong The office is inviting and the layout creates a sense of openness that encourages collaboration

Cons

Burnout is the norm here. You’re either pushing yourself past the limit or risk being seen as not working hard enough. There isn’t much mentorship, and you’re often expected to churn out ideas without real guidance. The open floor plan suggests collaboration, but the culture doesn’t really back that up. Leadership is overbearing at times, which makes the environment uncomfortable. Growth for women is especially tough, and the turnover rate reflects that. Overall, management is disorganized and quick to lose their temper, which trickles down to the rest of the team. Don’t say anything about it though, that really won’t turn out well.

Explore other reviews about JOHN MCNEIL STUDIO

5.0
Jun 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

John McNeil is a small, dynamic agency based in Berkeley. Working in production, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate on a diverse range of projects, gaining valuable exposure to different aspects of marketing and advertising. The position provided valuable professional growth opportunities, along with the chance to work alongside a talented and dedicated team.

Cons

As with many agencies, workloads and priorities can shift quickly, requiring flexibility and adaptability. However, there is a supportive team culture, and colleagues consistently work together to navigate busy periods and meet client needs.

2.0
Jun 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

an intense place but worthwhile if you’re passionate about B2B marketing. the studio environment in berkeley is lovely which can spark creativity. they used to do weekly “dinners” for staff which was a nice token of their appreciation.

Cons

i advise staying away. here’s why: - toxic management all around - leadership is a joke - the head of brand strategy is borderline combative - they’re not capable of selling any real digital media capabilities to clients other than web redesigns and half-baked comms strategies - hard to do meaningful work when all of strategy is dictated by the CEO - don’t get me started on how poorly Ops is ran overall the agency is ran by ego-driven “marketers” who reached their peak in the dot com era. they will sadly get eaten up by AI soon.

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