Ally & Gargano

Ally & Gargano (A & G) was an American advertising agency, which Advertising Age named Agency of the Year in 1982. Famous clients included Volvo, Saab, Federal Express (the "speed talker" campaign), Dunkin' Donuts ("Fred the Baker" campaign), and Commodore Business Machines.

Carl Ally left Papert, Koenig, Lois in 1962 to open his own agency. Founded as Carl Ally, Inc. in 1963, Ally elevated partner Amil Gargano and renamed the firm Ally & Gargano in 1976. Ally sold his voting stock in the agency to Gargano in 1979, remaining chairman. That year Edward M. Gallagher joined A&G as chief operating officer, and quickly brought in the MCI account.

The company went public in 1983, but a string of client losses and budget cutbacks increased internal tensions. Ally formally retired from Ally & Gargano on January 1, 1985, and in June 1986, Marketing Corporation of America (MCA) bought Ally & Gargano for $26.6 million. After further account losses, including the showcase Saab account in December 1988, MCA sold control and 50 percent of the agency to Wesray Capital Corporation for $30 million.

Carl Ally was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame in 1991. Gargano left A&G that year when his contract expired, and the agency closed soon after.

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