Pros
For transparency, I worked in the (then-named Brand Experiences) Branded Content/partnerships team. - Incredible briefs crossed our desk every day that would be the envy of any creative agency or publisher - a large sales force to aggressively pursue said briefs and close deals that helped bring everyones dreams to life - INCREDIBLE creative talent : the photography and art team in particular are second to none. Constantly imaginative, convention-bending, culturally-dialed-in visuals and storytelling that was inspiring to be around -work that will make you famous: 29rooms, other award-winning initiatives e.g the stock photo stuff for Getty images, is something that you will be able to talk about for the rest of your career. -Refinery29 is not b*tchy. I have never had a less dramatic or complicated social experience at work. Being surrounded by so many ambitious, talented, creative and intelligent women meant there was always an air of 'lets get this sh*t done'. Put your pre-conceived notions away! - throughout the org, there are some notably great leaders who are champions for positive change and creative solutions to big challenges both in the company and culture at large. Piera in particular is a consistent champion for representation, inclusivity and the power of imagination and creativity to effect change. Alison Meyer on the Brand solutions team is one of the best managers i have ever had in my entire career.
Cons
-experiences can vary wildly depending on the team/dept you are in. the culture is a little inconsistent between teams, but that is understandable. -process, siloed depts and a lot of different stakeholders can make new initiatives or thinking a little challenging