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Team DIGO | 07/10/2014 | in
Richard Roberts, Business Development Executive at DiMassimo Goldstein
Zero. That was how much experience I had with advertising before walking through the doors of DiMassimo Goldstein back in April 2013. As a matter of fact, it the was first time I saw the inside of an ad agency other than while watching Mad Men, even though I was already a self-proclaimed Don Draper (could also be the hair or love of skinny ties).
I was interviewing for an “Account Executive” position, but hell, I would have interviewed for a position digging ditches for DiGo, if that’s what it took to get into this industry and more so with this company. The reason I was so adamant about getting into advertising is a story for another blog, but long blog short, I got an offer despite my lack of experience. My lack of experience began to show quickly, and the agency was changing just as fast. A few months later it looked like I was going to be walking out of those glass doors (which I think might look better with ‘Roberts’ added to them as well, just saying) for the last time… a short ride that started after a year of incessant emailing to Mark DiMassimo. (more…)
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Team DIGO | 06/26/2014 | in
How do you escape the shadow of an e-commerce colossus and find your company’s voice? We look at examples from Uncommon Goods, Hallmark Design Collection, UGMONK, Noon Style, Villy Custom, Very Pink, Think Geek and Betabrand to learn how the lowest price is not the only consideration when buying online.
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Team DIGO | 06/13/2014 | in
Kevin Still, ACD/Writer at DiMassimo Goldstein
I never wanted to live in New York City, frankly the idea sent chills down my spine so cold it froze my southern roots. All I heard growing up was how rude New Yorker’s were because they got mugged every single day. Plus, where do you even get real sweet tea in New York anyhow?
So, when I received an email from an old instructor and DiMassimo Goldstein creative director about visiting and checking out the opportunity to become a copywriter here, I thought, “Eh it’s a free trip to NYC, but working and living there? Not a Slurpee’s chance Hawaii.”
I have to say, no matter where you’re from; flying over the NYC skyline is breathtaking. You can see and feel the energy, even from the plane. And for the first time in my life, I was greeted at the airport with a driver dude holding up my name on a sign. I felt like kind of a big deal.
When I walked into DiMassimo Goldstein I could feel the energy. The air was electrified with creative excitement, bursting from a sleek and strikingly designed office. Complimented by the ultimate cherry on top: a Ping-Pong table! The next couple of hours were kind of a blur; I met with my potential partner (also named Kevin) and other amazingly creative and extremely talented people. (more…)
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Team DIGO | 06/10/2014 | in
Photo by Merfam
The Inspiration
When Will Dean graduated from Harvard Business School, he faced a choice between helping the British Government catch terrorists or pursuing his dream – one that HBS called “too ambitious” when his business plan made the semifinals of the Harvard Business School New Venture Competition. Dean had soured on the corporate business world, and was in a mountain of debt upon graduating business school. He decided to focus on a building a lean startup, spending $300 on a basic website, $20 on Facebook ads and then worked hard to generate buzz for what would become the first Tough Mudder event.
The Leap to Greatness
The inspiration for Tough Mudder was the insight that, for athletes, the marathon experience can be quite dull. With over 500,000 people participating in marathons and 1.4 million attempting half marathons, the founders saw room to disrupt what were often poorly-run events with suboptimal experiences. As opposed to an individual event, they focused on teamwork. The result was a challenge that features a 10-12 mile course packed with 25 obstacles designed by British Special Forces to test the participant’s all-around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. (more…)
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Team DIGO | 06/06/2014 | in
One secret of managing for growth is simply refusing to get clogged up.
You can think of this as never letting anything sit on your to do list.
But there’s still a problem:
Some of the most important things never make it to your to do list, because you don’t know what to do about them.
That’s why you need to start off by making a Worry List. What works for you? Talking? Doodling? Taking a walk? For me, writing works best. I’m uninhibited when I write. I just let my fingers fly and write any bullshit that comes out through my fingers. No one needs to see it anyway. At some point, I ask myself how I am. I ask myself what I’m worried about. I brainstorm concerns. There’s no bad worry here. I typically learn things I already knew, but didn’t know or remember I knew.
Think of great management as efficiently moving things from your worry list to your to do list to delegated, done or do-not-do.
I’m here to help you clear the blockages. The whole agency is. That’s what it’s an agent for! (more…)
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Team DIGO | 05/29/2014 | in
Gina Sund, Operations Manager at DiMassimo Goldstein
When people ask what my favorite thing about working at DiMassimo Goldstein is, I always reply with no hesitation, “the people.” The people, along with the quirky and bold work on the website, is what initially drew me to DiGo. And to this day, it is the people that make working here so engaging and enjoyable. Something I find not a lot of professionals can say, no doubt.
When I began at DiGo, the company was a fraction of the size it is today. We could fit the entire staff around the conference room table. Since then, the company has grown rapidly. Naturally, a lot of positive change has come with the explosive growth. But of all the things that have changed, one thing I can always count on staying very consistent is quality of the employees.
I like to think we are a tribe made up of people that dance to their own beat, and wouldn’t have it any other way. We are the misfits. All incredibly different, while sharing the unique traits that allow us to fit the DiGo mold and enjoy every crazy minute of it! (more…)
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Team DIGO | 05/22/2014 | in
Marc Lefton, Growth Strategy and Brand Integration at DiMassimo Goldstein
When I started 9th grade, my first venture into graphic design was an ill-fated attempt to create my own report card. I did not succeed – part of my punishment was helping my mom around the ad agency she worked for during my school vacations. I discovered the creative department, where I put my self-taught graphic design skills to more productive use: making advertisements. I was immediately hooked. I found what I wanted to do for a living and never looked back. I loved advertising. Seeing something I worked on yesterday in the paper today was exhilarating.
The next few years were a whirlwind. Skipping college, I bounced around a few small places on Long Island before I reconnected with the art director who had taken the time to mentor me. He told me I should be an “ad creative.” I had no idea what that was. I visited his new job at seminal NYC ad creative shop of the 90s, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. There I learned that there was a job beyond just laying out ads: people came up with crazy, funny, exciting ideas as well. And they got paid for it!
When I was just 20, I was already working at one of the largest agencies in the world – BBDO, helping work on Super Bowl Commercials for brands like Pepsi and Visa. I spent my early 20s at big agencies in NYC before moving to Massachusetts. At the end of the two years I spent up there, I saw a drastic shift happening towards digital and the beginnings of social media. Realizing things were changing faster than anyone could keep up, and always trying to learn what’s next, I immersed myself in everything new and different. To that end, I started one of the first business social networks ever, Adholes.com, which for some advertising people in 2004, was the first social network they ever experienced.
Upon returning to New York, I still sought the safety of getting a job doing traditional advertising. I still liked the idea of writing a funny commercial or headline for a print ad. I wanted to switch to being a writer full-time and started to shop my portfolio around. I got Mark DiMassimo to meet with me. He looked at my portfolio and said “You’re a good enough writer, and I could hire you to do that – but everything you’re doing with social media and experiential is really exciting – you should go pursue that.” (more…)
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Team DIGO | 05/20/2014 | in
Apple. Virgin. Southwest. JetBlue. Crunch. Snapple. Groupon. BlueFly. Zappos. The Motley Fool – what do these brands have in common? They’re challengers, and successful ones at that.
They’ve mastered the art of zagging where others tend to zig. They’ve taken on the goliaths in their industries and have come out on top. The truth is, it’s a tough world out there, and every marketer these days needs to be a successful challenger or go down trying.
Market leadership doesn’t create an exception. Look at Citibank and IBM. By becoming their own best competition, they look like ready challengers, reinventing their businesses and continuing to grow.
Here’s what challengers do differently:
The top dog is INVOLVED – intimately.
Some folks think the reason they got degrees and big titles was to independently run their own empire. Some of these people are actually pretty smart; but nine times out of ten, this attitude does them in.
A boss is not a meddler to be avoided. If you were playing chess, you wouldn’t leave your queen in the background and try to fight it out endlessly with your lesser pieces. Or would you? (more…)
