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I’m from Richmond, and it’s a fantastic place to live if you’re ready to settle and have a family. There’s a good mix of city-ish things to do, like boutiques in Carytown, the VMFA, solid restaurants, and a quieter/laid back environment you’d find in smaller towns. Housing is of course much more affordable. That being said, you will exhaust everything there is to do in a few months, and it is still very much The South (I’m talking people parading around Monument Avenue waving Confederate flags) - although on the flip side, the people are also really polite. Your job options are also limited - it’s either Martin, Capital One, or Arts and Letters. Maybe Mobelux or authentic if you’re looking for something purely digital.
No firsthand experience with Martin except that every creative I know who’s gone there has hated it and left for Cap One or Arts and Letters.
The above is helpful but I'd disagree that you exhaust everything to do in 6 months and people parade around with confederate flags. Yes, that's happened a handful of times but all those people were from out of town and the same people who killed a lady in Charlottesville so don't let that be a reflection of the entire city. There is traveling broadway, University and minor league sports. Cost of living is stupid cheap compared to any big city but you get big city pay. The restaurant scene is pretty awesome too. Even greater city if you love beer and the outdoors but don't have to love that to find your people.
While there are Confederate monuments here (as in, oddly, some Northern cities), if you’re displaying a Confederate flag in Richmond city proper, you might just find yourself some trouble.
It’s a good place for a very specific type of creative. If you’re big on comedy-driven TV then you’ll do well. They’re getting better at digital but funny tv spots is their bread and butter. And don’t expect to touch Geico, that’s a pretty isolated crew
Very helpful, thanks for sharing. Would you elaborate on the Geico bit?
Karen is dope
Richmond is boring AF if you’re coming from somewhere like NY or SF
I haven’t worked there personally, but have known many people I respect that have. Here’s what I’ve surmised:
Richmond is boring AF if you come from any big city.
It will feel vanilla and not super diverse.
The agency is a one-trick pony. They do funny/quirky Geico-eque ads (and they aren’t even as good as they used to be IMO). Case in point: their recent Sling and LIDL work.
They used to be pretty bro a few years ago. They have some new female leadership that I hear is making a difference.
I have heard strategists say Martin has a very strong strategy group. I don’t know that the work shows this, but it’s nice to know it is an external POV.
I’ve heard the new leadership is doing great things but it was pretty rough for women when I was there. The Joe Alexander stuff was an open secret and I’ve never worked anywhere where I felt more conscious of my gender. And all of that sexism was buried under some good ol boy passive aggression. Also as others have stated, your options are very limited career wise in Richmond. While there are options, you’ll be competing against lots of other Martin people for every open slot. I still hear about people being laid off and then being forced to compete for the few handful of jobs in RVA.
That being said, Richmond is actually a really great city. The VMFA is world class, the beer scene is amazing, and the river is really fun. It’s easy to have a very nice life there, which is why so many people at TMA never leave and the whole place is like half VPs and super top heavy, directors directing nothing and no one.
I’ve lived here for 12 years and I love every aspect except the career growth. That can be very slow and frustrating. The city is only part of the area. You are very close to lakes, mountains, and beaches. Perfect for taking a break. The majority of the city is African American and racism is not seen at all like they noted above. There are few places with as many award winning restaurants too. It also used to have a huge punk scene so there are vines of that still felt. Gwar is from here and very loved. It’s one of those cities that has a scene for any type of person and it’s small enough that you will run into people you know. I highly recommend it and the agency. Just make sure you negotiate for a nice salary because that will probably not increase for a while.
Thanks @SAD1 that’s really helpful insight. Did those people you know felt like they were stuck there?
If you work at Martin or Arts and Letters, I think you'd be fine to move again. Others might make it more difficult. I know a dude who started his career at Martin and was there for a while and decided to move be to LA and works for MAL so at least one example of it not restricting your career?