With its origins in the Mad Men era, one of the Philadelphia region's oldest marketing agencies has undertaken a complete makeover for the digital era.
The Conshohocken-based agency, formerly known as Diccicco Battista Communications, has a new name – DDCworks – new ownership, expanded and redesigned office space, a recent acquisition, a growing staff and a new organizational structure.
The just-announced changes were two years in the making, says Tim Cifelli, the new president and COO. His partners are CEO Mike Diccicco and Sean Donahue, executive vice president and creative director. “We're a 45-year old start-up,” says Cifelli. “We are young, entrepreneurial owners and we are rebuilding the agency to make it relevant for 2013. But we have four-and-a-half decades of experience and infrastructure to back us up.”
A key aspect of DDCworks' growth strategy was to bring in new talent and develop new positions such as “creative technologist” to meet demand for digital capabilities across all agency operations. DDCworks has almost 30 employees, four of whom filled new positions created in 2012, Cifelli says. He anticipates another four hires this year. In December, the agency also acquired DeFazio Communications to bolster its public relations capacity; Tony DeFazio is the new head of PR.
Another big change is a new cross-disciplinary approach, integrating agency services such as creative, media placement, digital and public relations that once operated in separate silos. The agency's expanded and remodeled 12,000-square-foot office is the physical manifestation of the new structure, with a new, open space design that fosters collaboration and brainstorming, says Cifelli.
Unlike many agencies, the agency is a generalist. But Cifelli notes that real estate and finance clients, quiet for several years, are starting to return as they emerge from the recession.
Source: Tim Cifelli, DDCworks
Writer: Elise Vider