Our Founder
Mario G. Messina, President & Chief Creative Officer of MgM Gold Communications is one of the truly creative “ad men” in the advertising industry. He successfully marketed new products and services on two continents for over 40 years. His world-class creative work won him coveted awards. His skill as a marketing specialist enabled him to carve out new market niches, as well as reposition and revitalize stagnant brands.
In 1986, Mr. Messina established MgM & Partners as the successor company to an earlier advertising partnership. He immediately attracted European clients, whose primary goal was to market their products in the United States.
In 1987, MgM & Partners launched Pomì in the US market, introducing aseptic packaging to US consumers for the first time. The agency’s work for Pomì Tomato products was recognized by the advertising industry’s prestigious Telly and New York Festival Awards. In 1993, the agency introduced Parmalat long life milk to the US market. Under Mr. Messina’s guidance, the agency’s aggressive marketing and creative strategies prompted consumer acceptance of a totally foreign concept:“non-refrigerated milk.”
Mr. Messina’s creative work for Ciga Hotels helped this luxury Italian hotel chain become a household name in the US. Mr. Messina also helped increase Molinari-Sambuca’s sales by 49% within six months. His agency has created successful campaigns for clients including: Chicco Toys, Cavit Wines, Beltrami Leather Goods, Italian Beauty Innovations, DeCecco Pasta, Jolly Hotels, Buccellati Watches, Garofalo Pasta and Verdi beverages, to name a few.
With his ad campaigns, Mr. Messina has contributed to the branding of the “Made in Italy” label in the USA as a symbol of high quality in many market segments.
From Mad Milano to Mad Man
This book is Mario G. Messina’s biographical voyage and a collection of tales from his 50 years in the advertising world. The journey began in Italy, in the sixties, and tells the story of an ambitious young man who fell in love with the advertising business, and follows him all the way to New York. In the Mecca of advertising he becomes one of the Mad Men, he meets and works with his idols such as David Ogilvy, George Lois, Tony Palladino, Gavino Sanna, just to name a few.
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