Apply with Caution, as you wiill need many therapy sessions to maintain a small level of sanity. - Anonymous employee Known Employee Review

1.0
Jul 20, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Barista; Fancy Coffee in the office (see con re: this below) Office in NYC is in an easy to travel to location for most train lines. Located at Bryant Park. If you can travel to Times Square, Bryant Park, or Grand Central- the commute is not bad.

Cons

No Boundaries from Leadership: (iykyk) - Calls received late at night and on weekends. It is mandatory to have your cell on your email signature. - Multiple missed calls without voicemails after working hours. If it's so important - you should leave one, right? - Creative teams pushed to work late and check emails while on PTO. I have documented times of senior leadership reminding folks that they should check their email while on PTO (one time when someone was getting married). Lack of Appreciation & Mentorship: - My promotion was only followed after one of many rounds of layoffs in which main mentors and managers were laid off. - Many upper and middle management left in Q2 2024, some without other roles lined up. They had to leave for their mental health. Mis-scoped Work & Toxic Work Culture: - Accounts never properly scoped for what Account Management and VPs continually promise to clients in silo’d one to ones. - Constant fear for job security due to toxic culture supported by HR, senior leadership, and account management. For example, I was promoted coming out of a layoff round where my main mentors had been laid off. Less than an hour after this very traumatic moment occurred, a deeply empowered college came to be warning me that if someone wasn't working out, they would be removed (like the folks who had just been laid off). It was made clear to me that this employee had power and was using it for evil. -Teams working 12-hour days with unreasonable timelines. Often being asked to work at 3am with VPs. - Account management and media overstepping creative leads, going directly to junior designers after hours. Incidents documented, but HR chose to do nothing. Lack of Recognition for Hard Workers: - Several workers overworked, beaten down, and overlooked for promotions. Lack of Financial Transparency: - Pressured to maintain incredibly high margins, out of line with industry standards, while delivering more than the resources can handle. - Poor financial management, including paying for a barista and extravagant drinks while laying off employees. - Spending up to $6k on client dinners on the same day as layoffs. Alcohol-forward office culture with senior leadership drinking expensive spirits during the day. I have seen the CEO make a martini at 3pm more than once. - Forcing people to return to the office just to sit on Zoom calls, while spending heavily on real estate just to house the bodies that could be home.

Explore other reviews about Known

5.0
Aug 27, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Amazing CEO and amazing coworkers. Continues to grow in terms of client work and is such a better place to work than some of the larger agencies. No notes!

Cons

None. Literally none. I recommend everyone apply here.

4.0
Apr 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- good people and culture

Cons

- good culture but you need to "fit" into that culture

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