The Star Group won its first customer
before it even had its
first computer.
That was in 1985.
>>>More than 20 years later, The Star
Group is one of the largest marketing
communications firms in the southern
New Jersey/Philadelphia region.
>>>The road there wasn’t easy, says
Linda Rosanio, the chief executive
officer. “Competing as a small South
Jersey agency with the Philadelphia
and North Jersey advertising establishments
was a significant challenge
in the beginning,” Rosanio
says. “Also, competing as a womanowned
agency in a traditional man’s
world in those days was tough, especially
when we were depending on
bankers to fund our growth.”
>>>The Star Group offers an array of
communications and marketing
services, including branding, advertising,
strategic planning, public
relations and direct marketing,
among others. Clients include companies
in the retail, entertainment,
arts, finance, hotel, gaming and
health care and food and beverage
industries, as well as governments
and nonprofits.
>>>In addition to its Cherry Hill headquarters,
Star has offices in
Morristown, Philadelphia, Kansas City,
Kan., LasVegas andWilmington,Del.
>>>While Star resembles its competitors
on the surface, the agency
strives to distinguish itself through
its “brand personality.” The
approach calls for an energetic,
entrepreneurial and thoughtful work
ethic that looks for hidden insights
and opportunities, as well as new
possibilities, for its clients.
>>>For instance, in 2003 Star helped
launch the concept for Margaritaville
Seafood, a branded food product that
sought to capture the spirit of a
Jimmy Buffet concert.
>>>The agency has also taken an
equity stake in Coffee Legends Inc., a
private-label coffee company in
Little Rock, Ark. Star is responsible
for brand strategy, corporate identity,
advertising, package design and
other marketing communications.
>>>Overall, the agency’s goal is to
grow sales, generate revenue and
advance the bottom line for its clients.
>>>Star’s own bottom line took a big
hit in 2000 as a recession chilled
spending on advertising. Some
agencies went out of business as
clients cut spending on marketing.
Star posted the steepest financial
loss in its history
>>>Although Star faced layoffs for
the first time, the company did what
it could to preserve jobs, recognizing
the talent it had built up in its ranks.
>>“The strength that helped Star
survive came from our people, who
demonstrated uncommon, almost
heroic flexibility and resourcefulness,
qualities that made the company
survive and thrive,” Rosanio says. |
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>>>Indeed, a key piece of Rosanio’s
approach is a focus on people.
>>>“‘It’s all about the people’ not only
defines our culture, but is an incredibly
valuable business strategy,” she
says. “Invest heavily and steadily in
the best people you can find. Invest
further in their development, trusting
them to meet whatever new challenges
come their way and helping
them respond to them.”
>>>Star’s investment includes the
creation of Star University, an internal
training and development program
that offers courses in areas relevant
to staff members’ jobs. The
program also encourages crosstraining
in other areas of the communications
business.
>>>Rosanio also makes room for
fun. Each summer, Star puts on a
full-day outing designed to boost
teamwork and company spirit.
>>>From a recessionary low of 65
employees, the firm has rebounded to
185 today. The company’s growth over
the last two years reflects the fastest
pace in its more than 20-year history.
>>>Star tripled the number of its
clients in the gaming industry from
six to 18. Based on its track record
with Margaritaville Seafood, the
agency landed more clients in the
consumer packaged-goods industry.
>>>Last year, Star purchased Shipley
Associates Inc. inWilmington, creating
Star/Shipley, an agency with
clients such as DuPont, the Delaware lotter yand WSFS Financial Corp.
>>>In Philadelphia, Star plans to
enhance its presence by moving
from rented space it has outgrown
into a newly renovated building
>>>In addition to its work in the
corporate market, Star has lent its
expertise to charitable causes as
well. In 2001, for example, a team of
agency executives created an advertising
campaign for the United Way,
focusing on homelessness and
domestic violence. The campaign
won local, national and international
awards.
>>>This year, Star has been working
on a pro bono campaign on behalf of
the Delaware Valley region to promote
awareness of emergency preparedness
information.
>>>As it plans for continued growth,
Star hopes to remain an independent
agency and preserve what it considers
its unique personality, values
and culture. u
Visit The Star Group Website |
