Pros
Great leadership, from heads of department to MD and CEO, who is one of the original founding partners. Three of the founding partners are still in the agency.
People are action-biased, invested emotionally in Poke and want the best for the agency in the long term.
Great opportunities for ambitious mid- to senior-level people to take ownership of cross-agency projects in the group.
Kept a quirky, loveable culture and independent spirit alive as employee numbers swelled. You're guaranteed to find a friend at Poke in the first weeks, and create long-lasting friendships.
People keen to build meaningful things, rather than shiny trinkets and campaigns.
Good work-life balance, have rarely worked weekends, left work late on a daily basis. Pitches often required late nights but not superhuman sacrifices.
Perks: snacks and own coffee machine, discounted gym membership, glasses for work, bike, etc.
Cons
Natural growing pains as a result of acquisition by Publicis and integration with other agencies and services in the group. When lots of parties are involved too many cooks can spoil the broth.
Speed (or lack thereof) from idea to execution. People here care about their craft, which can be a good thing, but can slow down the pace of work. It's not a "done is better than perfect" place.