When John Most started his advertising agency five years ago, he wanted it to be different from the agencies he’d worked for.
Ad agencies have a way of bringing people on board, chewing them up and sending them packing after the work was done, he said.
Most, who had worked for several New York, San Francisco and Orange County agencies, said he was tired of the cycle.
“When I was an account executive in New York, I’d tell people my job is to create the environment for my people to do their best work,” Most said. “I said that when I was 25 years old, and I’m still saying that as an agency owner.”
Aliso Viejo-based Most Brand Development + Advertising seems to treat its employees more like family than workers.
“It’s such a cliche, but we try to run the business like family because I’ve been to places that say that and then you find out it isn’t really true,” Most said.
Most Brand ranked No. 3 in the small company category in the Business Journal’s inaugural Best Places to Work list.
The list was compiled for the Business Journal by Harrisburg, Pa.-based Best Companies Group, an independent workplace researcher that managed the registration process, conducted surveys, evaluated data and selected companies for the list based on overall scores from queries of management and employees.
Most’s ad shop has many comforts of home.
The main conference room is practically a living room with couches, a big-screen TV and video game consoles.
“The living room is our main meeting area and it’s just like a regular living room” with touches added by the staff, Most said.
“Guitar Hero”
It’s not unusual to find workers brainstorming or playing “Guitar Hero” to blow off some steam. Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Co.’s Wii have replaced the usual ping-pong and pool table staple of advertising agencies.
“It’s more of a high-tech way of doing what we used to do,” Most said.
The comfort doesn’t end there. The offices were designed by employees for employees to cultivate a cozy atmosphere.
The creative team also has its own little corner that has couches and a white board.
“We wanted a place that was comfortable because if you think about how many hours you spend at work, it really needs to be a place you want to go to,” said Joel Tarman, senior vice president and creative director at Most Brand.
Special events are designed to promote cooperation and fun.
Most and wife Jodi host the summer party each year with hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids and steaks for the parents.
“We had a bit of a family explosion recently,” Most said. “The summer event had about 14 kids, where we used to have three to four.”
The company, which has 15 employees, also does monthly birthday parties for the office and hosts a spa day once a year at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad to recognize the spouses and significant others of the ad shop.
“On that day we try to make sure they understand they are an important stakeholder in the company,” Most said. “We can’t be successful if there is some unrest at home, because then my employees’ heads aren’t in the game.”
To keep stress down, the agency brings in a massage therapist quarterly to give half-hour massages for everyone.
The company offers full health coverage for employees and families, a 100%, dollar-for-dollar matching 401(k) and long-term disability insurance.
“Someone asked if that’s expensive and said, ‘yes it is,’” Most said. “But if I can have the mental focus of my people on their work and not wondering if their family is taken care of, then it’s worth every penny.”
The office hours are flexible and employees can work remotely from home as needed. Laptop computers and BlackBerrys are standard issue.
“We like to remain flexible,” Tarman said. “In case something comes up, our people can still be working.”
The agency also offers gym memberships to employees depending on where they want to work out, as well as gifts for new babies and getting married.
The company has given out holiday bonuses every year, including last year when many in the advertising industry were cutting back.
“Even in a down market we still gave out bonuses and they were good bonuses,” Most said.
In the end, the agency strives to keep the same values it had as a four-person shop, according to Most.
“The people are the core of what we do,” Tarman said.
