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In an ever expanding media and marketing universe, our most important job and what we do best, is simple:

WE BRING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS

We narrow thousands of advertising, promotional and media choices down to just the ones that are best for you, your product, your budget, your target audience and your timeframe.

In short, we select the best vessels and routes to help you successfully navigate your way through a vast sea of traditional, digital and mobile media choices in order to reach your most desirable customers and make them aware of your company, brand and products, in as positive a manner as possible. We never leave you adrift. We steer you clear of rough seas and get you and your product on the fastest, most direct route to success and profitably, as quickly as possible without any short-cuts!

And we do it all as cost efficiently, effectively and memorably as possible...with a critical eye towards quantifiable results. It’s a one-of-a-kind, entrepreneurial skill-set and approach that only those who’ve invested millions of dollars of their own hard earned money in local, regional, national and international advertising exposure, can possibly provide.

[uniquely qualified]

A very particular set of skills

You see, PriMedia is one of the very few agencies on the planet, from sea to shining sea, who can actually give you advice and shepherd you and your brand along, based on spending millions of our own dollars on advertising and turning that into many millions more, over many, many years. “Been there, earned that” expertise that we bring to the table as a “value-added” extra to our working relationship with you.

Born of unique qualifications, capabilities and experience on “both sides” of the advertising desk, PriMedia and the people who make it successful, our very talented management and staff, draw on a wealth of direct, personal and professional accomplishments….to help minimize your risk and maximize your Return On any type of advertising Investment (ROI), something most traditional agencies never even think or talk about.

[On budget, On Target, On Time]

let´s get started

Everything you need to know about our people, our past, our previous performance, and our professional passion is contained on these pages. If you’d like to learn more, and gauge our personal chemistry and interactive skills (in the end, it’s about responsiveness, respect and creating successful relationships, isn’t it?) please feel free to call Jim Cooney, or Ed Valenti at 401.826.3600.

In an industry where client/agency relationships average about two years, ours average about 12—with some as long as 25.

We would be happy to tell you—and show you—why.

We look forward to speaking with you soon. No matter what you need, we promise it will always be cost efficient and effective; and it will always be: On Budget. On Target. On Time.

PriMedia has “…consistently exceeded our expectations and delivered on their promises from day one. I have found PriMedia to be diligent and consistently on target with the broadcast and print recommendations they have made and flawless in their execution. Based on my experiences working with them, I would recommend PriMedia and its staff without hesitation. They truly do go above and beyond in their creativity, strategic thinking, and responsiveness. We couldn’t ask for more.”

Mary Wyatt Sr. VP Marketing and Publications, AAA Northeast

“Their media buy was the best we’ve ever had, generating three times the impressions as our previous buy at the same cost. I find their representatives to be tenacious and hard working and their research thorough. PriMedia also provided enormous detail regarding services performed, so we can, in turn, provide detailed information to our franchisees. PriMedia has my most enthusiastic recommendation.”

Richard BowenPresident, Honey Dew Associates, Inc.

“I have been extremely impressed with the hard work and professional qualities PriMedia has displayed. Through PriMedia, I believe our budget is being spent as efficiently as possible and as a direct result, we are getting optimal results, in terms of the best Cost Per Leads and Cost Per Orders in our company’s history.”

Mike Charteris General Manager, Stannah

“PriMedia Inc. has done an outstanding job on our account. In fact, they have saved us approximately 30% while buying the exact same media schedules and they also delivered thousands of free spots which our in-house agency never provided.”

Ben FinneranDirector of Marketing, Dairy Mart

As Western Region Marketing Director for Blimpie International, I have had the pleasure of working closely with PriMedia for the past three years.

I have found them to be responsive and effective. They flown, driven, and ridden trains to get to last minute meetings, have joined in on conference calls on a moment’s notice, put together media plans on tight deadlines, and generally went beyond the call of duty in their service to Blimpie.

PriMedia consistently over-delivered on target GRP’s, reach and frequency on every buy they made for us and routinely negotiated 20 to 30% savings off station and publication rates. Cost per point (CPP) plus another 20 to 30% in value added exposure on every buy they made for us in numerous markets nationwide.

I wholeheartedly recommend PriMedia to any company seeking marketing and media expertise, and that is interested in increasing their business.

Greg ZearfossWestern Region Marketing Director, Blimpie International

“I have had the pleasure of working with PriMedia since 1993 (13 years) when we had just 36 stores in 3 states; today we have 85 stores in 5 states! Town Fair Tire could not have experienced the rapid growth that we have without their help. PriMedia promised to save us money and that is exactly what they have done with DOCUMENTED savings averaging 28% per year and hundreds of thousands of dollars in value added exposure. They are trusted friends and the best media strategists and buyers in New England! I recommended their professional services and personal attributes to anyone!”

Jim UlianoVice President of Marketing, Town Fair Tire

“When faced with launching our Cinnabon Brand in the UK, PriMedia put together an innovative, targeted, and affordable launch program for that country. But why stop there? They (also worked) to get us on TV in the Middle East for the first time ever. So as you can see, their expertise is not limited to the U.S.”

Greg ZearfossDirector of International Marketing, Focus Brands

“PriMedia’s strength is in securing advertising schedules at the lowest possible rates. More importantly, their entire staff works to make you feel like you are their only customer. PriMedia succeeds in exceeding our goals when it comes to securing media exposure, using every dollar as efficiently and effectively as possible. “You get what you pay for” is very appropriate for PriMedia.”

Sean HoeingFranchise & Co-op President, Sylvan Learning

“To me, PriMedia is the media police. If a station tries to charge too much, PriMedia will bust-em. If they don’t deliver the points promised, then PriMedia’s post buy analysis will bust-em. Mess up traffic instructions and they’ll be busted. I sleep better at night knowing PriMedia is at work protecting our advertising investment. It’s rare to find an organization that is as dedicated to their work as PriMedia. They enjoy what they do, take pride in it and deliver results! What more can I say?”

Mike Perlini Director of Marketing, Tasca

Awards

Over the last 30 years or so, Ed Valenti, Jim Cooney and Rick Boles have garnered over 31 of the Direct Marketing Industry’s highest awards (as both agency and client) for direct response campaigns that combine creative excellence with documented, outstanding results. Ed, Jim and Rick have won for 10 different clients and products in 14 different media categories including direct mail, television, radio, alternative media, integrated multi-media TV campaign, and most recently, best not for profit campaign and campaign for social good. Total awards for creative excellence and outstanding results: 31 and counting…Click any of the images below for more details!

Sliver & Bronze Echo Awards

Silver Echo Award

Bronze Echo Award

Echo Finalist Award

Gold Nedma Award

Silver Nedma Award

Bronze Nedma Award

The Ginsu Years…

[The beginning]

The Partnership

In 1975, a young, ambitious broadcasting executive for an NBC affiliate (Ed Valenti) and an enterprising, young AAMCO Transmission Shop entrepreneur (Barry Becher) put their heads together, teamed up and forever changed the way products are marketed on television. Theirs was a partnership that would achieve incredible monetary success, usher in the new era of marketing and communications and revolutionize the direct response industry and the way products are sold on television-forever!

[july 1975]

In the beginning

The product had sat collecting dust on retail stores shelves for years. The idea evolved when Barry was faced with the tedious chore of painting his ceiling. While looking for a quick, easy method to do this, he discovered a paint pad with densely packed mohair bristles which prevented splatter. Barry tried the product at home and discovered that it allowed him to paint his ceiling in “half the time of a paint brush” without the “mess or fuss”. After consulting with Ed, the pair dubbed the product “The Miracle Painter®” and decided to go into business together by selling it on television!

[january 1976]

Painting in a Tuxedo

After facing continued rejection from ad agencies up and down Madison Avenue, Becher and Valenti decided to follow their dream of offering a product for sale on televisions across America, on their own. The challenge was getting a 20-25 minute demonstration into a 2 minute commercial. To get consumers attention and demonstrate the product’s main benefit, Ed and Barry opened their commercial with a man in a tuxedo painting his ceiling and the immortal question: “Why is this man painting a ceiling in a tuxedo? Because he’s using the amazing new Miracle Painter® …”

[March 1976]

Painting in the miracle painter

The pair wrote and produced the commercial themselves. Becher and Valenti met with instant success! In fact, The Miracle Painter® sold over 1 million units at $9.95 each in its first year. In fact, demand for the product was so great, Ed and Barry needed to lease 747’s in England, where the product was manufactured, and fill them up with Miracle Painters® just to keep up with weekly orders!

[July 1976]

What a country

As a result of the enormous reaction to their ads, Dial Media (Ed and Barry’s direct marketing company) was opened in 1976 and proceeded to develop other multi-million selling and equally “Miraculous” products including; the Miracle Slicer®, the Miracle Duster®, Claudette Louberge Hosiery®, Royal Durasteel®, Vacufresh®, The “Chainge” Adjustable Necklace®, Lusterware Flatware®, Armourcote Cookware® and of course, the legendary Ginsu Knives®.

[january 1977]

Making it big

Thanks to the tremendous success of these products, “Ed and Barry Inc.” went from being a part-time operation run out of Barry’s garage to being one of the largest buyers of spot tv in the country, with over 150 employees and 20-30 products on the air in just about every market in the country at any given time (with Ed and Barry spending $5 million of their own money every quarter on ads all over America—an amount that ranked them just ahead of Coca-Cola and right behind AT&T on the list of America’s top ad spenders in national “spot” T.V. markets!). Total sales for the enterprising duo’s products, over a ten year period, were over 500 Million Dollars!

[July 1977]

Secrets of success

Why was Ed and Barry’s method of direct response advertising so successful? Their outrageous, extraordinary, and oftentimes comical commercials were a major contributor to that success, although that was far from being the only reason. The times chosen to run the ads, the research that went into the creating of ads and choosing the stations and programs, the use of toll free “800” numbers, the accepting of credit card orders and the daily and weekly result analysis and invoice reconciliation methods were all revolutionary direct marketing techniques, pioneered and established by Ed and Barry.

[december 1977]

"But wait, there´s more!"

What’s more, their unique style of product presentation and demonstration and “insider’s knowledge” of media buying techniques and strategies not only made them very successful, it made them profitable beyond their wildest dreams and known throughout the world. In fact, many of their colorful, “catch phrases” (“But wait, there’s more”, “Isn’t that amazing”, “Now how much would you pay?” Don’t answer!”, “Act now and you’ll also receive…”, “It’ll slice onions so fast that there isn’t time to cry,” etc.) are still remembered, used, and parodied today.

[1980]

the best brand name ever

Most of the products developed by Ed and Barry and marketed by Dial Media were incredibly successful, but only one has transcended its own success and evolved into a genuine Cultural Icon: the most memorable product ever promoted on T.V., Ginsu® Knives! After all, how many direct marketing products do you know of that celebrities ask for by name? Ed and Barry took orders for Ginsu® from thousands of stars…everyone from actors, Raquel Welch and John Wayne to comedian, Rob Riener. And speaking of comedians, it is largely thanks to them that Ginsu® to this day (over twenty years after the commercials last aired) is one of the most mentioned and well known products in history.

[1985]

making marketing history

Mentions in movies such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sleepless in Seattle and Scrooged with Bill Murray, as well as television sitcoms, are simply too numerous to mention. In addition, Ed, Barry, Ginsu® and their other TV products have recently been featured in numerous documentaries on national television networks ranging from, ABC (Chronicle) and The History Channel to The Discovery Channel and The Arts and Entertainment (A&E) Network and VH 1’s “Pop Up Videos” and MTV’s “I love the 70’s.”

[1986]

made in "japan"

Alas, even the world’s greatest legends are not completely immune from the harsh light of reality: which is why it probably won’t surprise you to learn that Ginsu®, the most famous “Japanese” product ever sold, was really manufactured in Freemont, Ohio by the Quikut Division of Scott & Fetzer. Today, Ed and Barry’s former company is owned by Wall Street wizard Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest and most successful men in America.

[1991]

oops, they did it again!

Hitting it big even once in America’s competitive business environment is an extraordinary feat...doing it twice is almost unheard of. Yet, Ed and Barry (with lone Dial Media holdover and partner Jim Cooney) went on to co-found one of America’s most successful media buying and marketing firms, PriMedia Inc. Combining a unique “virtual agency” structure that delivers top quality media, creative, production and marketing services to clients at a much lower cost than more traditional firms with the vast knowledge and pioneering experiences of their Ginsu® days, PriMedia has successfully helped hundreds of clients save millions of dollars through more efficient, targeted media planning and buying and full service advertising services.

[1995]

pop culture takeover

Gallagher made a career out of mimicking the commercial’s antics, Jerry Seinfeld did a routine on Ginsu® on Jay Leno the night of his show’s last episode, Johnny Carson used it as a standing part of his nightly routine for years, Joe Piscopo, John Belushi, Phil Hartman and Dan Akroyd all incorporated Ginsu® into skits on “Saturday Night Live,” Tony Soprano often mentions Ginsu® when seated at the “family” dinner table on the HBO series “The Sopranos,” and the comic strip, “The Wizard of Id” and The New Yorker Magazine cartoons routinely featured Ginsu® references.

[1999]

the legend lives on

In fact, it is clear that Ed and Barry’s creation, the Ginsu® knife has become a worldwide household name; a cultural icon currently being considered for enshrinement in the Smithsonian. Why? Maybe it was the catchy yet totally fabricated, Japanese sounding name or the impossible to ignore ads or the colorful, rapid fire copy; Or perhaps, it was the incredible versatility, sharpness and durability of the knife itself! Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: people remember Ginsu®—the kitchen cutting tool that can “cut through a nail, a tin can and a radiator hose and still slice a tomato paper thin.”

[2006]

Read all about it!

The Ginsu® Guys author a remarkably entertaining (and educational) book called The Wisdom of Ginsu (Career Press) and complete a successful months long national book tour including stops on Good Morning America and Fox and Friends!

[2012]

A drtv legend signs off

Beloved Godfather of Direct Response Television and Ginsu® Guy Barry Becher peacefully passes away and the world (including The Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age and national NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams), stops to both make note and mourn his passing. His own suggested headstone inscription? But wait, there’s more!

NBC News

[2013]

major honor for the ginsu guys

Ed Valenti named number 3 DRTV “Pitchmen” in the world by Xfinity/Comcast! Just behind Billy Mays and Ron Popeil and just ahead of George Foreman, Joan Rivers and Richard Simmons, and with over $500 Million in sales, Ed and the Ginsu Guys officially cement their place in Television Direct Marketing History.

[2016]

the ginsu guys today

We narrow thousands of advertising, promotional and media choices down to just the ones that are best for you, your product, your budget, your target audience and your timeframe.

In short, we select the best vessels and routes to help you successfully navigate your way through a vast sea of traditional, digital and mobile media choices in order to reach your most desirable customers and make them aware of your company, brand and products; in as positive a manner as possible. We never leave you adrift. We steer you clear of rough seas and get you and your product on the fastest, most direct road to success and profitably, as quickly as possible without any short-cuts!

[2017]

SHARPEN YOUR EDGE

If your company would like to team up with the “Ginsu® Guys” in order to “hone” your media and marketing efforts and “sharpen” your competitive “edge”, call us at (401) 826-3600 EXT. 122 or jcooney@primediahq.com if you prefer email, to arrange a meeting with Ed and/or Jim Cooney (our President/CEO). They will be happy to show you why PriMedia is uniquely qualified and “a cut above” any other media buying or direct marketing services firm you may be considering. We are also happy to discuss and detail the many ways we can help you…and your company… save money and successfully sell more products or services more effectively, cost efficiently and profitably!

Traditional, Mobile & Digital Media Buying and Marketing Solutions

THE NAVIGATIONAL EXPERTISE YOU NEED