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On this week’s episode of The A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO, Tom Christmann is joined by none other than, our chief and the founder of DiMassimo Goldstein, the most Inspiring Action agency in the world, Mark DiMassimo!

Okay, we can’t lie, we’re obviously excited about this episode. As chief, Mark has overseen the production a lot of great work in the advertising space over the past 23 years. However, Mark was not always the leader of an ad agency…

After a career as a young entrepreneur and musician, Mark DiMassimo began his second career at twenty-five years old in the direct marketing division of BBDO. There, Mark apprenticed to the Direct Marketing author, Ed Nash, and soaked in the atmosphere at a time when direct marketers were entrepreneurial, and brands where built through direct marketing.

As an account executive and without asking permission, Mark started writing ads for a client that had frustrated the creative department into mass creative block. Instead of being fired, he was invited into the creative department with the proviso, “But you won’t be able to tell us what to do anymore.” With time, he emerged as a pre-eminent creative with his career took off due to his track record of success.

Mark worked on choice assignments and launched major brands with the philosophy of exploiting the blind spots of fellow direct marketers by using brand insights to create integrated brand response advertising campaigns that dramatically out-performed more tactical work.

Mark led integrated creative departments and produced notable work at some of the best creative agencies in the world before founding his own in 1996. He founded DiMassimo Goldstein in the spirit of leading the charge for “a brand revolution among direct marketers and a direct revolution among brand marketers” as well as laying the groundwork for our practice of #InspiringAction.

On this episode, we follow Mark through his career and delve into his gritty origin story from start to finish.

You’re not going to want to miss this one. Listen here!

Show Notes:

[0:00-3:00] Intro.

[3:01-7:25] Mark talks about growing up in NJ and his early upbringing.

[7:26-9:29] Mark’s imagination and first forays into creativity as a profession.

[9:29-13:46] Mark’s super-dark childhood short story and learning how to express himself.

[13:47-16:11] Wayne Dyer’s ‘Erroneous Zones’ as a marketing inspiration.

[16:13 -20:23] SUNY Fredonia, majoring in music, and discovering the library.

[21:17-24:45] Transferring to Cornell and Industrial and Labor Relations.

[24:54-27:44] How he made the switch to communications and ultimately deciding on Advertising as a career path.

[25:00-32:30] BBDO Direct and Mark’s first job working on brand accounts in advertising.

[32:31-40:20] Mark discusses his first creative experiences as a copywriter and being challenged for the first time.

[40:42-49:00] Being laid off, freelancing, and getting copywriter positions.

[49:15-55:59] Mark on his rise through the ranks and deciding to start his very own agency.

[56:00-57:37] Outro.

 “The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, an inspiring action agency, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.