Lot's of change happening. I think I missed the good times.
Pros
As far as packaging design in Chicago goes, you get the best work at Soulsight. It's not only creative but also challenging. The team is made up of some of the most talented individuals I've had the pleasure of working with. Located downtown (but not too far into the loop) its easily accessible via public transit/bike and has a great office view. There is free bike storage and gym (those are the only "perks"). Beer cart on Fridays - only Miller brands and whatever sku's are being worked on at the time.
Cons
If you enjoy being a worker bee then this is the place for you. There is no ownership or leadership of projects unless you are a director. You will not be included in client meetings and will be lucky if someone let's you know "the meeting went great". There are no debriefings after client presentations and your chances of being shown the final presentation decks are slim to none. There are some people who often overstep their boundaries and try to art direct you despite having no training or experience as a designer. It is a very quiet office - most people have their headphones on and feel like they will get in trouble if they engage in chit chat. In the past 2 years there has been a lot of growth and the small studio has been filled with more desks to accommodate all the new people. That has resulted in more of an office vs creative studio feel. There's often a fight over conference rooms/war rooms because there is not enough space. Efficiency is more important than employee engagement or appreciation. There is no option to work remotely so if you have an appointment etc in the middle of the day you will be forced to use your PTO time. There is no HR or anyone unbiased to talk to. I often heard lots of good things about "how things used to be" under old management. It had just switched over to new ownership which came with a lot of change and loss of culture. It's no longer a small, family-feel agency.
