When the Eagles snagged the three-peat from the Chiefs this past February, the energy in Philly was electric. This August, AB&C was proud to bring home a three-peat of our own. 2025 marks the third consecutive year our agency has been recognized as a Delaware News Journal Top Workplace.

What makes this recognition so meaningful is that it comes directly from our people. Every year, the award is based on an anonymous survey of employees. So, when our team shows up in big numbers to share their thoughts—and so much of it is positive—it feels like validation that what we’re building here really matters.

What Every Day Looks Like Here

I’ve always believed that culture isn’t something you stick in a handbook or a mission statement—it’s how you treat people day in and day out. At AB&C, that means making sure folks feel valued, supported and connected. Sure, we offer all the benefits you’d expect—health insurance, 401(k) with profit sharing, tuition reimbursement, bonuses—but we also try to create those little extras that make a difference: flexible schedules, summer Fridays, PTO for volunteering and more.

The Question Candidates Always Ask

In nearly every interview, a candidate asks, “What makes AB&C a great place to work?” Without fail, the first person to answer says, “The work-life balance.” And then the stories start flowing—about managers who respect family time, about flexibility during the workday, about being able to chase personal passions without burning out.

As an HR director, those moments are everything. They tell me we’re getting it right. We’re giving people the tools to do their best work without sacrificing what matters most to them outside the office.

Post-Pandemic, We Didn’t “Go Back”—We Moved Forward

One thing I’m especially proud of is how we adapted after the pandemic. Instead of trying to shove everyone back into old routines, we listened. Some people wanted to be in the office. Others thrived working fully remote. So we built a model that supports both—and invested in the technology to keep everyone connected.

The bonus? We’re more connected than ever. Whether you’re in Wilmington, Philly, Bloomsburg or Lambertville, you’re part of the team. Between virtual all-agency meetings, in-person gatherings, Phillies games and holiday parties, we’ve found new ways to come together. And that sense of connection is what makes us not just a workplace but a community.

Looking Ahead

Winning this award three years in a row is exciting, but it’s not the finish line. It’s a reminder to keep listening, adapting and finding new ways to make AB&C a place where people can grow their careers—and enjoy their lives outside of work too.

And if you’re curious about joining us, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line at tfalgiano@abccreative.com.

If you know us, you know we believe that steady growth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce exciting leadership promotions and strategic hires that will help us serve our clients more effectively and creatively than ever before.

First, we’re proud to welcome Alex Parkowski to the ownership team. As a new owner and the managing director of our Government Division, Alex joins chief executive officer Paul Pomeroy, chief creative officer Steve Merino and chief communications officer Joanna Ford at the helm of the agency.

Shawn Kessler has been named partner/managing director of Recruitment Marketing. With more than 15 years at the agency, Shawn has helped shape our recruitment division into a dynamic, results-driven offering. His fresh tools, insights and opportunities help clients find and keep the talent they need.

Colleen Masters has been promoted to executive creative director. Formerly our group creative director, Colleen will now lead the entire creative department, ensuring everything we make—whether it’s a campaign, video, website or brand—meets the high standards we’ve become known for.

Strategic Strengths, Multiplied

We’re also growing our strategic bench with two powerhouse hires:

• Alex Wittchen joins as managing director of strategy, where she’ll oversee AB&C’s entire strategic offering. An award-winning strategist (yes, she’s got both gold and silver Clios), Alex brings a global perspective and a track record of building brands across verticals—from sports and entertainment to healthcare and higher ed.

• Annette DeHaven is our new associate director of employer brand strategy, bringing more than two decades of experience helping companies articulate and amplify their employer brands.

From behavior change and healthcare to recruitment marketing and brand strategy, we’re investing in the people and expertise that help our clients thrive.

Read more about our new roles, and our new hires.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” These words from Arthur Ashe—a tennis legend who helped eliminate barriers for Black athletes in the U.S.—continue to inspire millions of people in their pursuit of a variety of goals and missions. Among these groups is the team at AB&C, who this spring took our commitment to giving back to our communities another notch higher. Year-round, AB&Cers engage in individual volunteer activities, and the agency as a whole offers opportunities to support local causes through events such as community walks, donations drives and more. But as a marketing communications agency that is always focused on innovating stronger strategies, we decided in May 2023 that it was time to apply “strategy” to elevate our impact on our neighbors and neighborhoods. We put our heads together, and Actions Building Community days were born.

AB&C facilitated opportunities for our team members to volunteer together and engage in causes that many of us didn’t realize needed our help. During Actions Building Community days, we supported four organizations that do great and critical work, and at the same time we learned more about each other, had fun and made meaningful connections with other volunteers that strengthened our resolve to keep community service central to the AB&C way.

Starting where we are

To determine our 2023 Actions Building Community opportunities, we “started where we are”—that is, in the areas where we operate our business and where clusters of our team members reside. This year, those areas were Wilmington, Delaware, and Philadelphia and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Being able to make a difference where we work, live, play and raise our families was a strong motivator for our teams to get involved.

Using what we have

Ability to do physical work. Transportation. Knowledge of ways our local leadership works to create thriving communities. Passion for helping others. These are some of our top assets, so we knew we could make a difference. Even time—which, in our industry, isn’t always readily available on a weekday—was added to the mix. AB&C gave all volunteers paid time off (PTO) for our time. We also staggered volunteer dates and times so that team members were available at the office to cover the work needs for staff who were out volunteering.

Doing what we can

From May 8 to 19, more than 50 AB&Cers participated in Actions Building Community activities. Our team members enthusiastically rolled up their sleeves and did the work that needed to be done, supporting programs that help families in food deserts and others that close the gaps of educational and wellness disparities. We proudly supported:

• United Way of Wilmington. AB&Cers helped with the installation of the first dual-language learning trail by painting and installing signage and preparing the trail for use.
• Philadelphia’s Share Food Program Warehouse. We invested hours cleaning, organizing and sorting produce, as well as packing DoorDash cars with Senior Food Box program boxes.
• Food Bank of Delaware, Wilmington. Our teams organized boxes and packed vehicles to deliver food to those in need.
• Bloomsburg Food Cupboard. We prepared, sorted and unloaded food, including weekend bags for elementary students in Bloomsburg School District.

For all of us who volunteered—as well as those who kept things moving at the office while we did—these days were incredibly rewarding and strengthened our appreciation for, and loyalty to, a company that cares about fulfilling a purpose beyond the “business of advertising.” More than 50 years ago, AB&C planted roots in Wilmington, and never strayed. Those strong roots have branched out even further to support the growth and prosperity of other communities in Delaware and beyond. We are grateful to have opportunities to engage with our neighbors, support wonderful causes and help make an impact.

At 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2019, the ball started dropping and decided to make a year of it. Like everyone else, I wish I could close the lid to this dumpster fire, but there are some things even a trash fire can illuminate. And those are the things that I never want to lose sight of. So right now, I’m taking stock of what I want to stick.
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By Lenny Prosser, Account Services Intern

As a recent college graduate, I often reflect on the lessons I’ve learned over the past 3 1/2 years. Aside from the many lectures I’ve sat through, late hours studying in the library and weekends spent with friends, I have one major takeaway: the value of relationships.

Celebrating AB&C’s 40th anniversary at a Mad Men themed party.

Many have heard me talk about how lucky I was to “fall into” the advertising business. Not sure it was pure luck—my dad owned an advertising/PR shop for many years that was located, coincidentally, about two blocks from my office today.

My entry into this business was pretty much accidental. I had given notice at my other job and told the agency I had been working with as a client that I was “talking to some folks.” To this day, I swear I had no appointments lined up, but the agency said, “Well, would you talk to us?” Three meetings later, I was in the advertising/PR world!Read full post...

Happiness is the new ROI.

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I’ve heard a lot of sentences begin with the words “happiness is.” Most of the definitions are so simple and “inspirational” that I don’t give them a second thought. But this one made me stop and click through to the video presentation given by Centro CEO Shawn Riegsecker at the 4A’s Talent 2030 Conference.Read full post...

Conferences are still a good marketing tactic

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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken social media by storm! We have witnessed friends, family, celebrities and organizations from across the nation dumping buckets of freezing-cold ice water on their heads! Our very own PR team grabbed their buckets, donated to the cause and called out the Creative department and our Philly office.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yu4r2segLI

No, this challenge is not just for our personal enjoyment, but to raise money for and awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” Read full post...

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I’m that annoying person who insists on facts: when, where, how much, what color, what size.Read full post...

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# 11 – I can write my blog with pen and paper if I want to.

The hashtag #agencylife has come into the advertising scene with a clear purpose — to let our friends who chose a profession in finance, medicine or law know that we’re having more fun at work than they are. Being quirky, spontaneous and fun breeds creative intelligence here at AB&C, and it’s important to showcase that. If you visit the popular blog http://thisadvertisinglife.tumblr.com/ it’s apparent that your #agencylife experiences are similar to everyone else’s.Read full post...

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Now at AB&C we are blessed with some of the most talented employees in the industry, but this weather makes our job harder.

Breaking news: This has been one horrible winter for any one living in the eastern third of the country. Let’s be honest, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois — even parts of Ohio and New York — you expect to get hit like this. But the South is wholly unprepared (according to my friends in Atlanta), and those of us in the mid-Atlantic region have been … caught off guard. Just talk to any school-aged kid who is losing most of spring break to make up for snow days!

Beyond the emotional frustration caused by this endless onslaught of nasty weather, there’s also the devastating impact on business. Don’t worry; I’m not going to bulldoze you with a lengthy lecture about market trends and impacts — although if you read this blog to its conclusion, you should get one marketing tip. But rather I’d like to focus on one very specific business segment — mine. Advertising and public relations.Read full post...