Unbelievably, it was two years ago today we reported on our first lead. We had been doing it for 6 months before hand but that was just fooling around and we did it for free.
But on May 10, 2011, we got serious and started a real company.
Essentially, after winning dozens of new accounts representing hundreds of millions in billings over the [...]
Posts in category News: Op-Ed
2,089 Leads Later, The Ratti Report Turns 2
Unbelievably, it was two years ago today we reported on our first lead. We had been doing it for 6 months before hand but that was just fooling around and we did it for free.
But on May 10, 2011, we got serious and started a real company.
Essentially, after winning dozens of new accounts representing hundreds of millions in billings over the [...]
Get The Ratti Report Free
We’ve been asked one too many times about this so we had to act.
Starting May 2nd, the New Business Bureau is offering our first “Get The Ratti Report Free” referral program.
For every one year subscription you refer us to, we’ll give you 3 months access to The Ratti Report for free.
Now you may ask: why would I ever s [...]
10 Daily Practices to Winning New Business in Any Market
Every marketing firm wants the same thing: More new business coming in than old business going out. So long ago I decided to identify what worked and didn’t work at ever agency I came into contact with. Then I tested these ideas, programs and philosophies while directing new business at shops all over Manhattan.
Now after years of succe [...]
5 o’clock Friday’s Ad Land: Pitching Big or Small
Alright! It’s 5 o’clock on Friday and that means it’s time for our weekly installment of AdLand by cartoonist and CCO of Third Street, David T. Jones.
This cartoon reminds me of a story from the early days of one of my ex-employers, M&C Saatchi.
They were pitching British Airways and needed to look a bit bigger. Here’s the story to [...]
Land of opportunity: Toy Fair 2013
Steve’s breakdown: Having worked the floor of Toy Fair many times I can tell you the new business opportunities are in the trends not the brands. For example, as plush and tech keeps getting paired up in more and more toys, look for more experiential play stores to pop up.
Here’s the Toy Fair rundown from Robin Raskin 0f Living in [...]
Grey Poupon’s “Pardon Me” fail on the Oscars
Steve’s breakdown: Kraft is throwing the Hail Mary on this one and it’s going to be a $1.7 million fail. I know Crispin Porter did the spot that will air one time on the Oscars but, sorry folks, this is not how you sell product and CP&B knows it.
So get ready to catch Sara Braun of Kraft with a saving strategy as she falls.
N [...]
Selling consumer intelligence wins new business
Steve’s breakdown: As the new biz director at M&C Saatchi, I’d offer up our consumer intelligence about how Americans felt about British products and services. I couldn’t set-up presentations fast enough to match the demand. And did we win anything? Bentley Rolls Royce, Royal Bank of Scotland and Financial Times!
Below i [...]
5 o’clock Friday’s Ad Land: Manage the managers
Hooray! It’s 5 o’clock on Friday and that means it’s time for our weekly installment of AdLand by cartoonist and CCO of Third Street, David T. Jones.
As the head of new business, one must be able to get the team to be its very best because it’s not enough to do a good job. You must come in first.
This goes way beyond [...]
Pitch to the Demographic: VW and guys
Steve’s breakdown: I used to pitch for a toy ad agency who couldn’t win anything out of the category. That’s when I suggested pitching to the demographic. Two months later we won the Coty new product development business targeting tween girls.
Here’s another example: Since the 90s, the VW beetle has had a hard time sel [...]
Access Confidential/Ratti Report launch New Business Power Tool
Every agency knows they need three tools to win new business.
A current & up-to-the-minute source of new business leads
A deep source of global & local new business insight
A strong resource of corporate information
With these three, coupled with a new business team, any agency can be successful. And for years, The Ratti Report and [...]
Winning New Business & The Super Bowl: III
Steve’s breakdown: Welcome to our Third annual Winning New Business & The Super Bowl report.
NEW ORLEANS: Say what you want about who was in the Super Bowl, this was the best party game ever. And if you ask us, the game and the blackout are what everybody is talking about – not the ads. (Except for the geek/hottie make-out ad for Go [...]
5 o’clock Friday’s Ad Land: Read and follow the brief
Hooray! It’s 5 o’clock on Friday and that means it’s time for our weekly installment of AdLand by cartoonist and CCO at Third Street, David T. Jones.
This week’s cartoon reminds me of a true story about one of the biggest new business rules I ever learned: Read and follow the brief.
It was 1994 and I was working on th [...]
5 o’clock Friday’s Ad Land: Pitch what they want to hear
Steve’s breakdown: We are very excited to announce that cartoonist and CCO at Third Street, David T. Jones, has agreed to share his insights into the ad biz here on The Ratti Report.
And we think these insights have a lot to do with new business. For instance, David makes a good point here. Just pitch what the prospective client is wait [...]
Hostess, Drakes and Dolly Madison to get new owners
UPDATE: We’ll know what’s happening with hostess on Feb. 28th.
Here’s the original post from November:
Steve’s breakdown: This is either the biggest bluff I’ve seen in years or it’s the end of Hostess Brands. If it is the end, that means there will be new owners for brands such as Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho H [...]
On the front page of iMedia
Steve’s breakdown: A Ratti Report article made the front page on another newspaper today. Here it is:
10 Daily Practices to Winning New Business in Any Market
Native Advertising should mean more New Business
Steve’s breakdown: As soon as people start talking about ad agencies getting the short-end-of-the-stick I grab the other side. That’s how I feel about “Native Advertising”. Guys, just develop a better way to do it and make it a new service to your clients. Stop whining and make some money!
EVERYWHERE, USA: When Capital [...]
Al Jazeera buying Current TV = New Business
Steve’s breakdown: Back in February of 2011 we published an op-ed piece headlined with “The USA, Al Jazeera and New Business“. Back then we talked about the opportunities of marketing to Muslims the same way this country markets to Latinos. This move brings that reality even closer but we’ve adjusted our thinking. Don [...]
Pitching Deaf and Winning
Steve’s breakdown: I’m sure many of you heard about the deaf high school football team that won its division title. It was so big NBC News, The Huffington Post and Sports Illustrated covered it.
We saw it too and it made us think. What if your new business team did the same thing? What if they stopped listening to the crowd and w [...]
Herbalife news opens up all kinds of new biz opportunity
Steve’s breakdown: Word on Wall Street is Herbalife is a pyramid scheme. Whether you believe it or not, this news will affect more than Heralife. It will also affect all multi-level marketing companies.
Our suggestion is to check in with a few others regarding PR. Here a list of them:
5LINX
ACN Inc.
AdvoCare
Agel Enterprises LLC
[...]
Post Sandy: Boat manufactures should go for market share
Steve’s breakdown: Jim Cramer of CNBC reports that 65,000 boats were destroyed or damaged because of Superstorm Sandy. And before the storm even got here, the average age of a yacht had gone from 15 to 21 years old. Now Cramer has made Brunswick a “Buy” pick. Watch the video here.
What we are trying to do here is talk you in [...]
Gun stocks are down: PR will be needed
Steve’s breakdown: Say what you want about gun control but the market has already spoken. Gun stocks are down and if new laws go through, they will go down furthur. We suspect these companies are going to have to do some damage control and will need representation.
SPRINGFIELD, MA & SOUTHPORT, CT: Markets are surging right now with [...]
Sandy’s wave of cash is just off shore
Steve’s breakdown: There’s financial relief coming to businesses that got slammed by superstormSandy. Keep an eye on all these developments because at some point there will be opportunity. And I don’t mean taking government money; I mean advertising the companies that need to tell the world they are still standing.
TRENTON, [...]
CEOs Who Will Get Fired in 2013
Steve’s breakdown: The Street has published a list of 5 CEOs who should probably go in 2013.
Do we believe all these companies will be new business leads in 2013? No but if you’ve been following us, you know we think Best Buy, Netflix and Pandora top our list of the 5 mentioned here.
NEW YORK, NY: I use “will” in the [...]
New Business Opportunity: Cold War looming for travel sites
Steve’s breakdown: Deutsche Bank believes there is a “Cold War” for the travel sites on the horizon. As far as we are concerned, this is good news and suspect at least one of the top sites will review their advertising. Here are the top ten travel site according to Top Ten Reviews.
Smarter Travel
Expedia
Orbitz
Travelocit [...]
This is not a lead: Payless ad account in review
Steve’s breakdown: Every so often we have to remind our members not only what we report but what we don’t. We do not send you off to an ad account review with finalists. And that’s what this is. Now back to your regularly scheduled leads . . .
TOPEKA, KS: Payless ShoeSource is meeting with agencies about its creative busine [...]
Milking Leads out of Dallas: Dean Foods
Steve’s breakdown: Dean Foods, an account I have pitched and won while at Long Advertising, is in the midths of dismantling itself. That means everytime they sell off a slice, that’s a Lead. Here’s the latest.
MONTREAL, Canada & DALLAS, TX: Canada’s largest dairy processor will increase its U.S.presence by buying Dean Fo [...]
What’s up ConAgra’s sleeve?
Steve’s breakdown: They are not talking about what the real plan is with the Ralcorp acquisition. Not only do we think this move is a competition killer, it could be a new way to launch a number of new brands. And that means new advertising accounts might be in play.
OMAHA, NE: Private-label foods have hit a “glass ceiling,” [...]
Blood-in-the-Water at Agency Network
Steve’s breakdown: This is the worst kind of new business lead but it happens. An email went out to an entire region within a certain well-known agency network that included an attachment with employee salaries.
We don’t know who it is but any client that was on the edge of moving their account from this company – Will.
This [...]
The College Football Playoffs & New Business
Steve’s breakdown: Since we are all in a football state-of-mind this Thanksgiving, we thought we’d talk college for a moment.
Now that we know who’s going to be airing the new college playoffs, read below, how are you going to win new business leveraging them. Simple, go local. There’s going to be an entirely different [...]
Have you checked your “Rolodex” lately
Steve’s breakdown: This news is just as much a reminder to stay in touch with past clients as it’s a possible real lead today. Just sayin’
BTW: Peets was sold back in July which would be just one more reason to check this lead out.
EMERYVILLE, CA: Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc. today announced that Dave Burwick will be appoin [...]
A new category to pitch: Marijuana
Steve’s breakdown: This is a lead that will continue to expand year-after-year so you might as well positioned for it. Colorado & Washington agencies, you go first.
DENVER, CO & SEATTLE, WA: For marijuana entrepreneurs like Ean Seeb, the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Colorado and Washington in Tuesday’s election [...]
Orient-Express Hotels’ new lease on life
Steve’s breakdown: Sometimes we watch a company go through some challegning times and you wonder how they will ever get out of it. You just wish the company could get a new lease on life. Well, that’s just what happened with Orient-Express.
Now with no takeover from Tata and with a new CEO, we suspect there’s a new sence of [...]
Listening for New Business Leads
Steve’s breakdown: Let’s just talk about new business and where it’s going to be coming from as it concerns the federal government.
Green power technologies, manufacturing and installation.
Healthcare communication systems which we wrote about back in June with the headline: “Biggest PR account expansion ever!!“ [...]
Prediction: Saving face at Sony will mean ad account shake up
Steve’s breakdown: The new Sony CEO has got to save face – fast. He’s thinking about all kinds of crazy things to turn the tide. Well, at least people are humored to have heard these crazy things.
Anyway, if you are anywhere near these folks or one their many categories, it’s time to put your research team on the case. [...]
Inside scoop: ShakeUp at Brown Forman marketing
Steve’s breakdown: Here’s another reason to subscribe to the Ratti Report. My ROLODEX! (Do they still say that?)
I just confirmed this movement at B-F with a very close friend of mine down there. Though he couldn’t say much, he did say there was lots of movement in the department and that means opportunity!!
Between you and [...]
Surprise Lead: US may soon become world’s top oil producer
Steve’s breakdown: No matter what side of the energy equation you fall on, there’s one thing certain, “there’s goal in them thar hills.” And here’s another example that it doesn’t matter if we’re talking oil, gas, coal, wind, solar or geothermal. These companies all need marketing and the budget [...]
Lincoln makeover continues: opens design center
Steve’s breakdown: Both Lincoln & Cadillac are doing makeovers. And both are taking it seriously so look for opportunities here and there.
Quote of the article: ”Our ambition is not to be No. 1,” said Jim Farley, head of global sales and marketing. “We’d rather have a few people love us than everybody like us [...]
Agency growth by tapping Chinese tourists
Steve’s breakdown: Expanding an agency’s services is a fast way to increase revenue and one of the fastest growing markets in the world is the Chinese consumer. And we think marketing specifically to Chinese tourists is the easiest way to get in the game.
Here’s a nine-point plan to do just that.
EVERYWHERE USA: The rise of [...]
Wendy’s Makeover
Steve’s breakdown: Last March we reported: Wendy’s not fooling around: Steals Procter & Gamble exec as CMO and we predicted an account review. This new logo backs that up so make that call.
COLUMBUS, OH: Behold the new Wendy's Company logo in all it’s pigtailed glory. The fast food chain is not just modernizing its look but gi [...]
Amtrak hits record ridership & New Business
Steve’s breakdown: We like this trend for so many reasons but for our readers, this could mean more passenger train lines. Why should the Amtrak ad agency have a monopoly on train travel?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amtrak trains carried 31.2 million passengers in the fiscal year ending in September, the highest annual ridership since the railroad [...]
MeetMe.com is now integrated, global and growing fast
Steve’s breakdown: We think there could be multiple opportunites here considering their growth plans. If you dig the site, let them know and get involved.
NEW HOPE, PA: MeetMe, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MEET), the public market leader for social discovery, today announced that the transition of Quepasa.com users to the MeetMe platform is complete [...]
Avon stock jump after chairman exit signals big changes on the way
Steve’s breakdown: We don’t usually report on CEO or Chairperson news but when the ex-CEO says he’s stepping down as chairman and the stock jumps, we smell money. Not that kind of money – ad revenue money.
As soon as this house cleaning is done, expect Avon to start plans on many changes which will most likely include [...]
Unemployment Rate at 7.8% means getting ready for four more years
Steve’s breakdown: It doesn’t matter whether you’re on the right or left, when it comes to business forecasting, we are all just trying to make a living. And like I’ve been saying since 2010, if the unemployment rate is under 8% at election time, President Obama gets re-elected.
So what we’re saying is, be positi [...]
Is there an airline without an agency flying around?
Steve’s breakdown: SeaPort Airlines just got the Athens-Nashville route. Not big news but who’s promoting them? If you’re in the northwest or the mid-south, this would be a good call.
PORTLAND, OR: Federal officials have awarded a two-year subsidy to Oregon-based SeaPort Airlines to provide passenger flights from Athens to N [...]
The new Kraft needs to make up for undermarketing
Steve’s breakdown: Last year we predicted the Kraft grocery business would go into review once it was finalized. And now that the stock has been listed, analysts are saying their brands have been undermarketed. That’s Your Second Cue!
And to get you started, take a look at Jell-O.
NORTHFIELD, IL: Kraft’s North American groce [...]
World’s biggest Ferris wheel doesn’t have an ad agency
Steve’s breakdown: If you’ve haven’t heard, NYC is building the world’s biggest Ferris wheel but there has been no word on how they are going to promote this attrachtion. Sounds like an enormously fun account and I’d pitch it right now.
STATEN ISLAND, NY: The Big Apple is getting another “biggest”: Th [...]
NFL WTF!!
Steve’s breakdown: We’ve been debating whether to run this story all day. ESPN 1, 2 & 3 can’t stop talking about it. But either way, I see a PR problem and someone needs to fix it. Are you up to the task?
And Not For Nothin’: This is one more reason why unions are important.
NEW YORK, NY: I have covered the NFL for [...]
ObamaCare creates another PR agency review
Steve’s breakdown: We predicted with was going to happen in back in June when we reported Biggest PR account expansion ever!!
Whether you like it or not, the entire industry and its consumers must be aware of the new healthcare system. We suspect there will be many more like this. This time it’s Nevada.
CARSON CITY, NV: The state [...]
Mopar parts turns 75 without an ad agency . . .
Steve’s breakdown: It’s a rare moment when a 75 year old brand gets a new lease on life. And it’s a cool & global one at that! Look into it.
AUBURN HILLS, MI: Happy birthday, Mopar.
Chrysler Group LLC’s iconic aftermarket parts division turns 75 today. But it doesn’t just belong to Chrysler anymore.
Since Ita [...]
J&J in advertising hot water again
Steve’s breakdown: There’s a big debate in the advertising community about whether a pharma account is worth the trouble. On one hand, it’s big money – on the other, just look at Digitas Health . . .
Your call but J&J has got some problems to take care of and you might as well take the money.
TITUSVILLE, NJ: A John [...]
Abercrombie & Fitch is losing it!
Steve’s breakdown: The featured video is proof that this article is dead on. Please, please, please – someone get in there and fix this!
NEW ALBANY, OH: Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s soft-porn ads and nightclub vibe once delighted American teenagers and infuriated parents. Today, many aren’t even paying attention.
The [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: Accounts won one year ago this week. Source: Access Confidential
Duk [...]
The Mayan calendar just might be right: Introducing Drag Queen Barbie
Steve’s breakdown: That’s right folks! For $125 you to can get your own Drag Queen Barbie this holiday season.
What’s the new business opportunity? Well, the flood gates are open now and every toy maker, game developer and collectable manufacture is going to be watching this very closely. Just be ready to pounce.
Have a grea [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: Accounts won one year ago this week. Source: Access Confidential
Bel [...]
Liquor sales in WA are down 9.4% since private retailers took over: Advertising problem??
Steve’s breakdown: If you’re an agency in Washington, you can’t ignor this issue and the potential opportunity it exposes. There are probably 100s of small and dozens of not-so-small ad accounts out there waiting for someone to tell them what to do. Get Out There!
WASHINGTON STATE: We won’t know for a while whether Was [...]
Where there’s smoke, there’s a market
Steve’s breakdown: We love good ideas; especially when it saves homes, is top of mind and we’d all love to see it happen. Here’s one that could spark an industry.
WILDFIRE, USA: Retired Loveland Fire Marshal Tim Haag, after seeing homes destroyed by fire, thought many times over his 34-year-career, that there had to be some [...]
A new industry takes hold in Phili, Atlanta and Chicago
Steve’s breakdown: This program is meant to do a lot of things for the country including getting us off OPEC oil. You might be against it but, from our perspective, it will also create lots of new accounts. Start with ECOtality but keep an eye on the entire industry
SAN FRANCISCO, CA & EVERYWHERE ELSE USA: California company, infuse [...]
Spliting up banks = More ad accounts!
Steve’s breakdown: No matter where you stand on this issue, we here at The Ratti Report always love to hear about companies breaking up into multiple ad, digital or PR accounts. Keep an eye on this and related news and get yourself in position to pounce.
EVERYWHERE USA: In a stunning reversal, a former big bank CEO who crusaded for pol [...]
Why a Ratti Report membership costs $1,950
Steve’s breakdown: This is the forth and last of the “Off-the-Cuff & On the Roof” series.
We knew we were serving up hot leads when agencies from across the country told us to stop giving them away for free! And that’s what we did. Here’s the story.
ABOUT THIS VIDEO SERIES: During a gorgeous day in Asbury Pa [...]
Where we get our leads
Steve’s breakdown: The big question we always get is “where do you get your information.” While we do sight the source of every news item we publish, we don’t talk about our methods. This video is the closet you’ll find to an answer.
ABOUT THIS VIDEO: During a gorgeous day in Asbury Park, we just decided to get [...]