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The biggest (and best?) The 1986 merger of Needham Harper Worldwide and the legendary Doyle Dane Bernbach transformed two independent agencies that had been successful within their own niches into a global agency that, under the Omnicom Group's protective umbrella, could compete worldwide. Parent Omnicom is the world's largest advertising group. DDM Worldwide specializes in the creation and production of "custom-bundled" multi-platform advertising and promotion packages for its impressive line of over 1,300 clients including Amtrak, Anheuser-Busch, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Compaq, and Mobil. With 206 offices in 96 countries, DDB Worldwide is the sixth largest ad agency brand in the world based on gross income - $1.007 billion in 1998. A highly acclaimed company Whether you were interested in Pepsi Stuff or feel you deserve a "break today", you have probably seen DDB's work. The firm's advertisements have won hundreds of creativity awards, including the coveted "Ad Agency of the Year" honor from Advertising Age in 1995. In 1999 it was named Ad Age's first-ever Global Agency Network of the Year. Consistently honored for its stellar creative work, the company ranked first in three major international industry competitions - the Eurobest awards, the Cannes Festival, and the EPICA awards. Recent developments In 1997, the agency acquired a number of other companies and launched a new agency - a joint venture with Spike Lee dubbed Spike DDB. Its most notable tagline of the year: "Did somebody say McDonalds?" In 1998, the agency introduced a new "unified strategic-thinking process" for the agency. The process is based on a framework of "six springboards": brand foundations, communications planning, media selection, integrated communication, creative and evaluation. The company has lately moved to a focus on international growth, acquiring Germany's Hoffman Reiser Schalt (now Reiser Schalt DDB) in 1999 and acquiring a large stake in Brazil's DPZ in 2000. Recently signed clients include Dairy Management Inc., the Clorox Company, J.C. Penny, and Novell.
DDB's hiring practices are competitive, with the added allure of many international locations. Recruiting for open jobs is done by each local office, but since corporate headquarters is in New York, some senior-level recruiting for worldwide positions originates there. DDB recruits at colleges around the country, and places ads on the Internet and in The New York Times, as well as in industry trades like Ad Age and AdWeek. Resumes can be submitted by regular mail, fax, or e-mail to the appropriate office's human resources department. DDB will contact applicants within four to six weeks to set up a meeting. The interview process is ?relaxed but not devoid of technical questions.? Prospective hires meet with "all senior staff, about five to six people, in a one-on-one environment." Sources say the whole thing usually lasts about three hours. To be seriously considered, prospective candidates should have top grades, some previous experience, quality references, a good idea of how they can fit into the company, and a real passion for advertising.
Give and take DDB's environment is "on par with the rest of the advertising world." It's a "give and take industry," says one employee. "If you want to go after the big guns, your guns will have to be bigger. If you're happy with small potatoes, then you?ll get that in return." Employees are "fast-paced and aggressive when need be." "There's a lot of creativity, ready to explode at a moment's notice." Insiders enjoy a "comfortable and friendly atmosphere," and praise the company's "family-oriented" attitude. There are lots of women and several minorities in the company -- in fact one of the top female employees is African-American. Many praise the "high pay, even right after school" and the "sizable yearly raises." Dress code varies from department to department. Some say the dress code for account and media people can "border on stifling" while creative workers "come in shorts and Birkenstocks." The base workweek is 37.5 hours, "but we usually work around 40 to 50." Basically, your hours "reflect the amount on your plate -- work until you're done."
Human Resources
Grey Advertising;Interpublic Group;Leo Burnett;DMB&B;Saatchi & Saatchi;TBWA Chiat/Day;WPP Group;Young & Rubicam More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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