The A-List Podcast

The A-List Podcast: Franklin Tipton & Libby Brockhoff by Tom Christmann

The A-List Podcast: Evelyn Neill by Tom Christmann

The A-List Podcast: Jason Musante by Tom Christmann

In the latest episode of The A-list Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann is joined by Greg DiNoto, an award-winning creative and the founder and CEO of DiNoto, Inc.

His agency, which is based in Brooklyn, unlocks the potential in brands with compelling platforms that define a uniquely ownable emotional space – and drive content, experience, and engagement. DiNoto’s clients include Disney/Freeform, Corcoran Real Estate, Synchrony Financial, Deutsche Bank, OnVocal, and Untuckit. Prior to opening up his own shop, DiNoto was a Partner and Chief Creative Officer at Deutsch, where he helped the agency grow significantly.

During their conversation, DiNoto talks about launching his agency without having a client, the pros and cons of awards, the importance of networking, how freelancing can help you develop your personal brand, and much much more. Show notes below!

Show notes:

• [0:00 – 1:24] Intro

• [1:25 – 6:38] Growing up in Garden City, Long Island, and the TV spot that cultivated an enthusiasm in him for the advertising industry

• [6:39 – 16:30] DiNoto reflects on his time as a student at SUNY Albany and talks about the creative ways post graduates can stand out while hunting for a job

• [16:31 – 27:45] The early days of DiNoto’s career as a writer at both Greenstone Rabasca and Bozell, and his first award-winning campaigns

• [27:46 – 32:09] Donny Deutsch’s healthy disdain for award shows, being hungry, and the importance of networking

• [32:10 – 41:34] The difference between making and managing, why rivalry can be healthy, the pros and cons of awards, and the growing pains of a growing agency

• [41:35 – 49:43] Opening his own shop without a client, the advantages of freelancing, and how the advertising industry is all about people

• [49:44 – 56:36] What he looks for in new hires, creative athleticism, and how to work through a communications strategy

• [56:37 – 57:23] 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.

On this week's episode of The A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann is joined by Justin Gignac, a renowned freelance artist and co-founder of Working Not Working, a network that works to eliminate the obstacles between creative people and opportunity. Prior to launching Working Not Working in 2012, Gignac spent years in the industry as an award-winning art director and creative director.

Gignac is well known for helping create "Elf Yourself", an interactive website built for Office Max in 2006 that instantly became a worldwide phenomenon, amassing over 36 million visits in just five weeks.

During their conversation, Gignac talks about the time he famously sold garbage in New York City to prove that packaging matters, growing up in the industry before eventually growing out of it, the value of a good support system, and how helping people get what they want is a good way to get what you want. All that and much much more. Show notes below!

[0:00 – 2:07] Intro

[2:08 – 8:04] Gignac talks about growing up in Connecticut to a father that was an actual clown and a mother who was a class clown, and how that influenced his creativity

[8:05 – 14:30] Aspiring to be in advertising at an early age, and the Jasper Johns painting that convinced him he could turn those dreams into a reality

[14:30 – 26:00] Gignac reflects on his time as a student at the School of Visual Arts, what he loved about advertising, and the time he famously sold NYC garbage

[26:01 – 33:33] Working at Ogilvy with the “young guns”, why it’s important to have a healthy ego, and how every brief presents an opportunity

[33:34 – 41:22] The backstory behind the viral “Elf Yourself” website, and why challenger brands need to be courageous to make something great

[44:10 – 1:07: 30] Gignac talks about growing out of advertising and launching Working Not Working, how the network has evolved over the years, and why having a strong support system is crucial at every moment of your career

[1:07:31 – 1:08:34] 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.

This week on The A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO is joined by industry icon and Advertising Hall of Famer, Linda Kaplan Thaler.

Over the course of her illustrious career, Kaplan Thaler created some of the world’s most famous advertising campaigns, such as the Aflac duck. She also authored and composed two of the most globally recognized advertising jingles: “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid,” and “Kodak Moments.”

Kaplan Thaler’s impressive resume extends well beyond advertising. She is a nationally acclaimed author with several best-selling books to her name; she has worked on two presidential campaigns; and she has become a familiar face on several television programs.

In this interview, Kaplan Thaler talks about leading with kindness, how to write a good jingle, what it was like interviewing Warren Buffet and Jay Leno, and much, much more. Show notes below!

Show notes:

• [0:00 – 1:59] Intro

• [2:00 – 13:30] Growing up in the Bronx, and how Kaplan Thaler first got into singing and writing both music and comedy

• [13:31 – 16:38] The famous jingle she wrote for Toys ‘R’ Us, and the worldwide reaction it received

• [16:39 – 22:19] The secret to writing a good jingle, the story behind “Kodak Moments” and putting humor into advertising

• [22:20 – 27:53] The moment she knew Robin Koval would be a perfect business partner, and the importance of leading with kindness

• [27:54 – 33:57] Working on presidential campaigns, and the story behind her interviews with both Warren Buffet and Jay Leno

• [33:48 – 38:10] Her latest book, Grit to Great, and what “grit” means to her

• [38:11 – 42:30] The one big piece of advice she has for young creatives

• [42:31 – 43:58] 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.

On this week’s edition of The A-List Podcast, Jamie Barrett calls in to the studio for an inspiring interview with host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO, Tom Christmann.

Barrett is the Founder and Executive Creative Director at barrettSF, an agency he launched in 2012. Before opening his own shop, Barrett made a name for himself as an esteemed creative, delivering world famous campaigns for many of the most renowned agencies in the industry such as Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Fallon, Wieden+Kennedy and Chiat\Day.

In this episode, learn all about Barrett’s life before advertising, where he spent one summer teaching tennis and windsurfing in the French Riviera and the next at a Bootcamp in Virginia. Hear what he learned working under some of the most iconic names in advertising, why he views his job as a glorified hobby, the importance of great account people, and much more. Show notes below!

• [0:00 – 1:27] Intro

• [1:28 – 12:22] Barrett reflects on his childhood, talks about teaching tennis and windsurfing in the French Riviera, and talks about his experience spending one summer at a boot camp in Virginia.

• [12:23 – 18:15] His time at Princeton University, aspirations of becoming a sportswriter, and the moment he realized he wanted to go into advertising

• [18:16 – 29:42] Trying to break into the industry, being denied 15 straight times, and the awesome story of the dinner with Pat Fallon and Tom Mcelligot that landed him a gig at Fallon

• [29:43 – 36:00] Barrett reflects on many of the amazing mentors he worked under before ultimately leaving Fallon to take a job a Chiat/Day in New York

• [36:01 – 39:40] His short yet meaningful time at Fallon, and the transition between being a writer and becoming an Associate Creative Director

• [39:41 – 50:00] Barrett talks about his different experiences at each of the agencies he worked at, and how they all helped shape the creative he is today

• [50:01 – 53:56] The importance of great account people, the emotional intelligence required of good creatives

• [53:57 – 1:01:26] Launching his own agency, why he doesn’t shy away from the word “advertising”, and the meaning behind the agency’s tortoise mascot

• [1:01:27 – 1:04:14] What he looks for in young creatives.

• [1:04:15 – 1:05:24] 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.

On this week’s episode of the A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann is joined by Eric Weisberg, Global Chief Creative Officer at Doner, where he oversees creative across the agency’s 600-person micro-network in Los Angeles, Detroit, New York City, and London. Beyond his achievements as an award-winning creative, Weisberg is renowned for his ability to blend ideas, technology and media.

In this inspiring interview, Weisberg talks about the innovative ways he would reach out to agencies as a young creative looking for a job, what inspired him at Cannes this year, why collaboration is essential to bringing great ideas to life, and much more! Show notes below!

[0:00 – 1:30] Intro

[1:31 – 5:29] Weisberg talks about his childhood in Ohio, the tagline used for his father’s meat company, and deciding to leave the family business to find a new adventure in life.

[5:30 – 10:30] Weisberg reflects on his time at Syracuse University and the teachers that ultimately inspired his career

[10:31 – 17:00] Living on a couch in Manhattan to work as an intern, and the creative ways he reached out to agencies for a job

[17:10 – 20:58] Eric talks about his first gig at Griswold in Ohio, and the funny story behind him leaving to go to Leo Burnett in Chicago.

[20:59 – 31:47] Creative partnership, his first shoot, and the moment he realized he could be have a successful career in advertising

[31:48 – 35:30] Weisberg talks about the time an executive fell asleep during one of his presentations, and why he decided to go back to New York to work for Walter Thompson

[35:31 – 45:00] “The Story Starting Process”, what he learned under Ty Montague, and helping J&J become the first company to advertise on an iPhone app

[45:01 – 48:40] His current role at Doner, and the importance of collaboration

[48:41 –54:05] How Cannes re-inspired him this year, and the power of creativity and where it’s going

[54:06 – 56:06] Why everyone should eventually teach

[56:07 – 58:01] Outro

“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, 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.

The A-List Podcast: Chris Beresford-Hill by Tom Christmann

The A-List Podcast: Tiffany Rolfe by Tom Christmann