Rico DiGiovanni

President

 If you’ve ever met Rico, you know why he has made such a major impact on the marketing services community for the past 25 years. With an infectious passion for new ideas and an endless supply of energy, Rico loves to develop innovative marketing solutions that drive record sales and build brand equity.

Having cut his teeth in the old-school days of promotional marketing, he quickly progressed to presidential assignments at Marketing Drive and Capital C, where he honed his expertise in creating award-winning, integrated promotional, experiential and digital campaigns. In 2004, he achieved his dream of building his own agency and Spider Marketing Solutions was born.

Rico’s love for the business is also expressed in his involvement on the executive boards of the Marketing Agencies Association Worldwide, and the National Advertising Benevolent Society. He is also a founding member and past president of CAPMA and a juror for the Cannes Lions (Promo Awards).

Rico is proud to have helped a very long list of blue-chip companies to exceed their marketing goals, including: Maple Leaf Foods, Barilla Pasta, Clorox, Energizer, OLG, Mattel, Church & Dwight, Nestle, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Microsoft, IBM, Molson, Frito Lay, Reckitt Benckiser, Silk and Kellogg’s.

Is there something that people may be surprised to know about you?
I have never lost a game of Trivial Pursuit. Bring it on!

In your opinion, what’s the greatest thing about marketing?
Every project is a new challenge with a custom-made solution.

What drives you?
Solving problems creatively.

When things get crazy, what’s your de-stressing secret?
Playing basketball or going for a drive.

Do you have a personal mantra?
Two, actually: “Carpe Diem” and — my favourite — “We’re here for a good time, not a long time.”

Name your favourite desk-top item.
My glass-encased tarantula.

If you had a chance to re-establish Spider’s office dress code, what would we be wearing?
Super-hero outfits.

Fill in the blank: “A day without technology would be…”
…refreshing.

Name the last book you read.
“Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett.

The only thing missing from the Spider office is…
…music I can actually sing to!

If you could teleport yourself anywhere in the world right this second, where would you go?
The tip of northern Scotland. Its beauty is raw — and it was the setting of Local Hero, my all-time favourite movie.

What piece of advice would you share with someone thinking of breaking into the industry?
Determine what makes you unique, and then market yourself.

You’re writing a song about marketing. What’s the title?
“Start Me Up”.