Maybe it was a big idea.

After six years of writing and producing radio and television commercials,

Michael Fasone landed the top creative job at the biggest agency in Kansas City.

But then he made a discovery that changed everything.

He discovered that most big agencies didn’t really do good creative. They were out of touch and too corporate. Clients settled for work with little or no bang.

So he had an idea.

What if he started an advertising agency known for great creative work.

An agency willing to boast with certainty they can impact the client’s selling process.

An agency that talks without corporate double speak.

An agency that always promises to do the right thing.

An agency willing to try and hit a home run every day.

Michael wanted to create a little agency that roars! And so he did.

Michael’s first few clients were other advertising agencies.

They were the only business people that were familiar with his work.

One of those agencies was run by George Reuter, a 42-year-old art director from the Bronx, complete with an east coast accent.

Michael was a 29-year-old writer/producer from the little Italy section of Kansas City.

After they worked on projects together for year or so, the art director and the writer formed a new agency. They intended to shake things up in the advertising community.

In January 1975, they made it official. Rueter Fasone Advertising, Inc.

They published their philosophy of business inside the agency and in various business publications. Do the right thing and create advertising that Roars!

The first two years proved to be a struggle, like most start-ups. But their creative was hot and they felt they hadn’t lost sight of their philosophy.

About four years into it things were really starting to cook.

They were doing great work and clients were hearing and seeing their work.

But George, the art director from the Bronx, fell in love, married for the second time and the new bride talked him into moving to a small town near Seattle, Washington. George had never been west of Kansas City. But nonetheless, he moved. Then maybe it was out of fear of survival or massive insecurity, but within the first year of George’s departure Michael doubled the billings of the agency. He had five employees, strong media and the creative was hot.

He didn’t own a suit or tie during those years, but “the times they were changing”.

By 1979 Michael had become professional friends with a talented writer from one of his former, freelance agencies. His name was Larry Garrett.  Larry called Michael for help on production projects and found they liked working together.

Larry wanted to quit the big agency life. It’s monotonous syndrome: a factory.

Larry would call a few times a year when he reached a point of real disgust and talk about coming to work for Reuter Fasone at half of his big agency salary. Michael would counter him by saying that he wasn’t worth even half salary and if he wanted to come and work for the agency, Michael would give him an office and charge him rent. Larry showed up one day and was given an office rent-free.

After a few years Larry became part of the agency, part of the stew that was brewing.

It was time for a name change. Reuter Fasone Advertising no longer reflected the product.

In 1983, Michael officially changed the corporate name to Fasone Garett Advertising.

At that point, Michael had expanded to six people.

That same year, in August of 1983, Janette Boehm joined the agency. She too came from the creative side, having written and produced for such high-profile clients such as Sears and Coca-Cola.

Good work and steady growth continued. And they were still willing to learn.

By 1989 the agency was so involved in client business they no longer did just the advertising, so they went through another dba to really reflect the product. Thus, Fasone Garrett Marketing became the new, official name.

By 1992, after two previous nominations, the KC Media Professionals named Fasone Garrett Marketing the “Agency of the Year.” They were the most talked about and hottest shop in Kansas City.

In January 1995, on the agency’s 20^th anniversary, Michael made another change, adding Janette Boehm’s name and changing the dba to Fasone Garrett Boehm Advertising & Marketing, Inc.

In July of 2006 Michael changed the name to Fasone & Partners, Inc. to prepare for the future involvement of other key people in the agency. It remains the same corporation with the same phone number since 1975.

Today there are only a handful of agencies in the country that have been in business over 45 years and counting. The agency operates under the ownership of Karol Angotti and Michal Fasone and continues to be the most award winning and recognized agency in Kansas City.

 As for Michael, they let him write copy on rare occasions but he’s at home in the country writing other things. And quite content to know the philosophy continues.

So maybe it was a big idea…the world was ready for a little agency that roars!