Earlier: Rep. Waxman extends Web privacy probe to PointRoll.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
PointRoll | This is for your news and comments
Earlier: Rep. Waxman extends Web privacy probe to PointRoll.
106 comments:
Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."
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ReplyDeleteIt was a joke. Rob Gatto lied to us again! We got caught not once, but a few times. He said we are delaying our onpoint product, but reality is that Gannett told us to stop and Rob seemed defeated and rejected. Bad news here.
ReplyDeleteIt really is sad of what has become of this company. No one believes anything Gatto has to say.
ReplyDeleteI think we are done. I loved this company, but the future for Pointroll has past. The product has not evolved. We are depending on Aggregage Knowledge to save us, yet we have been told that because of privacy issues and lawsuits, we cannot partner with them.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear there is no strategy at Pointroll other than to fire anyone that talks back to management. Push campaigns out the door and hope the client doesn't ask us about our privacy policy.
There were so many great people here, but most of them have left the company. In September I am going to graduate school and will milk this cow until then. Unfortunately, for the rest of the Pointroll employees, you are screwed.
I wonder why David Payne was not at the town hall. In fact, why hasn't anyone from Gannett addressed Pointroll? Is Gracia Martore and David Payne hiding? Maybe they should be in the hot seat. Afterall, isn't she the CEO of Gannett and ULTIMATELY responsible for this mess (lawsuits and all!)?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter how crappy executive management is...bottom line is operations is run by a bunch of weak immature ass clowns. After we got the email telling people they cant day drink even the RPMs and the Directors were complaining. REALLY? YOUR SAD YOU CANT DRINK AT WORK!?!?...meanwhile these are the same idiots who bragged about drinking and partying in Vegas...our Directors claim to fame is table dancing and fist pumping at a sales conference they shouldn't have been at. All of sales thinks ops management is a joke. No wonder clients are leaving and all the good operations people have left. I am so jealous of anyone that has left this place as I sit here and rot.
ReplyDeleteToday I saw Aj in our office....I hope its because he is coming back...God knows the people running the show here aren't even half the managers he was. Just a clique of clueless idiots.
Get your resumes ready people the ship is sinking thanks to the idiots we have now.
RIP POINTROLL
We need to bring back the band. We need to have Saridakis, Ellenthal and Gelles back running this place. Heck, we will even take AJ even though he was a bit crazy!
ReplyDeleteIt was chaotic back then, but those guys really were stand up leaders. Smart,fun, winning leaders with a great relationship with every employee. It is no wonder when you see Saridakis at the Seasons52 restaurant in King of Prussia, he is always willing to talk to any former or current PointRoller. Same with Ellenthal. They are always willing to help out and guide someone in their job or with career advice.
You mean the guy who sold out and left you behind without a thought? Get a clue
ReplyDelete8:35p as opposed to this management team that can't sell shit and are lying to us everyday!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can have Saradakis use some of his billion dollars to buy back Pointroll. He can then come in a fire this management team, turn the company around and resell it back to Gannett! Ha!
He took his money and left. He may smile at you in the donut shop but he could care less. He cares more about those donuts than you.
DeleteI saw Ellenthal a few weeks ago and he said "Pointroll is fucked". Typical Ellenthal response. He is right!
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ReplyDeleteThe sales conference in Vegas was NOTHING compared to the fabricated Presidents Club trip to Jamaica!!! Someone should check those bar tabs. All spouses invited, free spa treatments for everyone, Jamaican weed...good time by all, laid for by Gannett.
ReplyDeleteHow about that Rob Gatto? Too bad all your threats to us can't work with a blog like this! Try and fire us now?
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ReplyDeleteExpect to see several sales reps exit. All of the east and most of the midwest and west are interviewing.
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ReplyDeleteIf you're going to spew your conjecture and nonsense at least do it in a grammatically pleasing way.
ReplyDeleteFor you! :)
PS Glad to see the "sinking ship" is hitting all the rev goals. LOGIC!
We are hitting revenue "goals" that are set LOWER than last years! Lets talk when Q4 comes around and if you are going to hit 60% of the years revenue in the last three months.
ReplyDeleteCome on Rob, you really are a bench warmer. The industry is throwing strikes right down the middle and you are missing. You are trying to get on base by getting hit with the ball. By cheating your way on.
Dude, you should just resign. Both you and your sidekick Sarah Ripmaster. No one here has any respect for either of you here. When clients ask about the Pointroll leadership, we all laugh.
Let's look at the timeline for a moment:
ReplyDeleteMarch 2010: Jason Tafler leaves Pointroll
April 2010: Rob Gatto takes on the CEO role that Sandy Dondici was supposed to get.
April 2010: Sarah Ripmaster and Catherine Spurway-Hepler, along with Rob Gatto and Sandy Dondici extort Gannett for loads of money to keep these four clueless leaders in charge.
May 2010: Gracia Martore gives into their demands.
Two years later, 2012, Poinroll is:
Painfully missing their revenue and bottomline projections every quarter, while the industry is passing them by. Competitors like FlashTalking (former Pointroll) is eating their lunch.
Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster form a bond and a pact to secure their payoff from Gannett and unbeknown to Gannett,mtheynstart to try and SELL Pointroll (THE COMPANY) to people.
Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster decide to place cookies on Ford's web site to extract data for their new partner, Aggregate Knowledge, so they can survive and remain relevant.
While everyone is in Jamaica partying, the WSJ comes out with an article about Pointroll's illegal cookie activity
Rob Gatto says it was a "test", but everyone knows it isn't as the campaign was still running while everyone was in Jamaica getting stoned.
Today, Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster are trying to figure out their escape plan as they have been caught. They are promising that something BIG will happen in June 2012 and that everyone should stay with them so they too can receive a big payoff.
The joke is on everyone here, reading this blog. These are two people from Chicago South-side where deals get done above the law and loyalty is built by fear. Let's understand one simple point...Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster do not care about you or Pointroll, they are out for themselves.
7:20 AM CORRECTION It's ONLY BEEN 1 Yr!!! Your timeline started in 2010 instead of 2011!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG even worse, this disaster of Pointroll has has occured in the last twelve months. It seems longer than that, but yes, you are right It was 2011.
ReplyDeleteIn twelve months, Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster have turned this company upside down. Can't wait to see how the next twelve months play out!
I love it...Chcago South Side people are running Pointroll.
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ReplyDeleteTo say they are out for themselves implies you go to work for another reason, what might that be? The love of advertising?
ReplyDelete8:09- That is true, people go to work for themselves, but PointRoll once had leadership that cared about the employees. Those days are long gone. Think back to the days of Jules, Chris, Andy, Shappy, Mario.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Sarah Ripmaster will take some more "needed time off" so she can party with al her "friends". Fist pumping and all.
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Delete"Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster decide to place cookies on Ford's web site to extract data for their new partner"
ReplyDeleteARE YOU KIDDING ME. Dear god, I hope you don't work for Pointroll, if you do, please quit now and go flip burgers somewhere.
It's really sad when people who don't have a basic understanding of technology come here to post, it makes me think that 90% of the other stuff is BS as well. Cookies are browser based sweetie, start paying attention.
For the rest of you water cooler vultures, check it out. Yes the revenue goals are lower than last year, but have you even paid attention to the CPM rates? We're working twice as hard and making less money, the landscape of the industry is changing, at least Rob is pushing forward product to try to compensate for this! Something that can't be said for Nosferatu Tafler who rested on his laurels sucking this place dry putting us years and years behind the competition.
If you don't know what you're talking about, keep it to yourself. I know it's easy to say, "Then don't read the blog, don't pay attention". But this BS is making it's way back to the floor and is messing with folks heads. This misinformation and these huge leaps in logic with zero info by TROLLS (making fun of Sarahs weight??!! Really buddy are you 15?)is screwing with people who really believe in this place and work hard.
If you fundamentally don't understand the technology, aren't paying attention to the industry, or are just a troll...sit down and shut up.
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ReplyDeleteLol I don't work for Pointroll nor would I want to be affiliated with that organization.
DeleteIf you do you want be working there either in about a month cause its gonna fold like a house of cards. I recommend you focus on your job, resume and 401k transfer instead of me who can watch from afar and enjoy in the splendor of another corrupt company going down in flames.
To the person that wrote this:
ReplyDelete"And a 13 year old star wars fan with your evil empire crap."
You show your lack of understanding and intelligence by thinking the "Evil Empire" is a Star Wars reference!! It is obvious that you are not as smart as you think.
Seems like a lot more of these comments should be removed by a blog administrator
ReplyDeleteBring back THE MITCH
ReplyDeletePointRollers,
ReplyDeletePlease stop the personal attacks on this blog. First, Jim will remove them. Second, you are better than this. This is business, be profesional, there is NO room for perosnal attacks like this. What I am seeing posted here is hurtful to those attacked and I'm upset to see it. If you're unhappy then think about how you want to spend 8-10 hours of your day moving forward, but remember PointRoll has created real careers for alot of people. Just because you dont agree with certain decisions doesnt make it right to post immature comments.
An individuals' level of knowledge is not measured by how much they know about Star Wars. Have fun playing alone with your light sabre this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhat 3:14 said -- especially the removal part.
ReplyDeleteWell said 3:14!
ReplyDeleteJim stay on this company. Looks like all hell is breaking lose on this blog. Very entertaining stuff!
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ReplyDelete10:33am!!! Rob Gatto, is that YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteIts about time you appeared.
Yes, please stop with the negative comments, you are shattering my make-believe world, where PointRoll's Executive team is super great and that every day I am doing something to better the world while being totally appreciated by Executive and Middle Management alike!!!
ReplyDeleteLol Ripmaster General is nowhere to be found.... Rambo, Kovak, Norris MIA....
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ReplyDeleteSend Sarah Ripmaster an email...this is what you will receive back...
ReplyDeleteI will be OOO, on vacation, on Friday, March 30th and Monday, April 2nd with very limited access to email. Please reach out to Katie Walsh (kwalsh@pointroll.com) in my absence. If you need to reach me urgently, please call my cell phone at 773-805-1175. Thanks.
All Gatto needs to do is put on a smile, wander on in to KOP show a little power point and wheel in some free beer, the idiots will buy it and everyone will be happy.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile he is killing the future of a company that once had a lot of promise.
PointRoll is a shell of what it once was. Executive management doesn't even know what is going on in operations, they are clueless.
Heck, the operations managers don't even know what is going on in operations, but I bet if you asked one of those morons about who got voted off American Idol the night before they could tell you.
Keep hiding in your little meetings where you accomplish nothing but gossip.
You killed this company and people like me who continue to work here with hope something will happen will sell you down the river once Gannett comes in to clean house.
The clock is ticking.
Hindenburg, Titanic, Challenger, Pointroll.
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ReplyDeleteSarah Ripmaster is a beautiful person! How dare you people! She made PointRoll!
ReplyDelete10:33's comment should be repeated until many more people get it.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know what you are talking about, then don't post. Simple as that. Don't float some B.S. and then say "Well, if you don't like it, then don't read the blog."
Jim has been way too tolerant of a lot of the ignorance that gets thrown on here daily. He should know by now that people don't have to take responsibility, and so they will write anything that might play to the masses.
Hmmm… all I can say is again another example of the "Evil Empire" at work; and for all of you dopes the "Evil Empire" was the cold war Soviet Union!! So to all you that are spewing rhetoric like 10:33 and 5:07 I am an American and I speak my mind not what my boss has coerced me into believing!!
ReplyDelete5:07 PM
ReplyDeleteGATTO!
Instead of posting here, why don't you fix the company your smothering with your greasy Chi style BS? Truth hurts buddy.
4:32 - leave Cat alone. You think Chicago style gangsters are bad. I'll show you Phila style. Dont mess with Cat.
ReplyDeleteThis is the funniest post all day!
DeleteSince I am the only one here with a journalism background, let me be the first to break the news that Ripmaster is in the process of forming her exit strategy and will occur by end of April. This will the best move of her short lived career. Good luck finding a job in this industry kid, its forums like this that give people the freedom to discuss what otherwise goes unsaid.
ReplyDeleteHave been reading this today, entertained, but mostly disgusted. However, a few things are very true. Executive Management is accountable for the state of the organization. That's what it means to be an Executive Manager. Whatever state PointRoll is in today, is a direct result of the action (or inaction) of Gatto, Ripmaster, Sandy, and Cat. If you don't like where they've landed the plane (or where it's headed), do the responsible thing and demonstrate your objection by leaving. If you're going to stay, raise your hand to help right things. PointRoll was great once - and although I am incredibly disappointed the current Exec Team has lost or let so many good people slip through their fingers - I know there are good folks left at PR. So get out - or get to work. If you stay, I wish you luck (seems from this blog, you'll certainly need it). Worst case - perhaps you'll outlive the current management to see the place rise again.
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ReplyDeleteAt least we can put this week to rest and knowing that pointroll will be moving in another direction sans the inept leadership team in place now.
ReplyDeleteSimply put...Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster obliterated this business. I have been here a while and I have to say that Saridakis, Ellenthal, Gelles, Tafler, Harvey were all good strong leaders who cared. No one ever questioned their ethics like we question the current executive team.
ReplyDeleteSure Chris made a boatload of money from Pointroll, but this wasn't his only rodeo. He has been successful three, four, five times over. He still cares enough that he is willing to respond to me and talk to others about what they should do. He still helps out and makes introductions.
I have been able to speak with both Saridakis and Ellenthal more frequently over the past two months than I have been able to speak with Rob, Sandy, Cat or Sarah all combined. Pretty sad. What does that tell you about our leaders ???
This company WAS once GREAT. Today, it is a true disaster. I am upset with the management team here, but I am more disturbed by Gannett's lack of response. We know they read this blog. We also know they probably track all of our emails and yet they do NOTHING to help.
This leadership team is killing this company and in the past year, we have all seen an unprecedented number of people leaving, acts of desperation with bad deals like AK, breaches of web publisher and advertiser privacy policies, large clients defecting and now a congressional investigation and a class action lawsuit.
CAN ANYONE ON THE POINTROLL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP STAND UP AND SAY THEY ARE PROUD OF THEIR RESULTS??? ROB? SARAH? SANDY? CATHERINE? WHICH ONE OF YOU IS WILLING TO SEND A NOTE TO ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES AND DETAIL ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS?
NO ONE! You will just sit here and collect a check and milk this company and Gannett dry.
Well said 10:15...Lets define "boatload"...
ReplyDelete$200mm on cashed out angel investments in Yahoo, Broadcast.com, LinkedIn, Groupon and other investments (according to his LLC filings/registrations)
$120mm on Doubleclick
$50mm on Pointroll
$65mm on GSI
and he has a package worth $55mm at ebay for the next three years according to their proxy statement.
I would rather link my "boat" to him, than this leadership team. I am going to work for GSI which is down the block from this dump!!!
None of that management team can stand in front of anyone and say shit. They all hide behind a powerpoint and a conference call.
ReplyDeleteThese shitbags all travel together and jerk off on each other. All at the expense of our hard work.
I am so glad Sarah is taking another vacation. Maybe she wil come back and resign.
Another person from Sarah's DETROIT team is quitting!
ReplyDeleteI wonder why?
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ReplyDeleteJust keep posting on this blog people. I say Monday we unionize, and start a petition to get rid of these guys. PointRoll is us the people, we have the knowledge and we make this place! Stand with me.
ReplyDeleteJim has this blog for a reason, so we can be heard. I say we post and keep posting everyday until either they all resign or Gannett throws them out.
I mean all of management too. Bottom feeders to the top!
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading this blog, I feel like Michael Jackson's cousin Rockwell when he sang the song, "Somebody's Watching Me." Based on all of this mudslinging, has anyone asked what Richard Nixon would do?
ReplyDeleteWas it over when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor? Come on guys! Don't give up!
ReplyDeleteBelushi, Hartman, Farley, Pointroll - it was all fun and games before the end!
ReplyDeleteIts only a matter of days before you see the fallout take place, others will be termed from Pointroll who do not share the "philosophies" of the executive team and in the end the executive brass will get their due justice. It just takes a bit more time as buyouts of contracts, terms, privacy disclosures are all being hammered out. Robb and Sarah are aware that they are being removed it is now about timelines, buyouts and maintaining the stability of Pointroll through the upcoming transition.
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ReplyDeleteThe congressional hearings are going to be a bloodbath, I intend on watching it on CSPAN will I eat my free lunch on Weds and eating a plate of cookies.
ReplyDeleteYou think Robb and Sarah will be able to spin that? Perjury is a federal offense.
These pictures from Vegas sales conference are off the wall I'm thinking of deleting them but my partner says I shouldn't. Doesn't anyone recommend what I should do with them? Its amazing how much that bar tab was let alone the "private suite" the night of the Superbowl in Vegas. Play Hard Work Hardly.
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ReplyDeleteSaradakis I looking into his crystal from his ivory tower laughing at this debaucle.
ReplyDeleteMy inside sources are telling me that Sarah will be resigning by the end of next week. I have been informed that she has the choice of resigning on her own terms or be fired without many alternatives
ReplyDelete12:13, when that doesn't happen, will you come back and admit you were wrong?
ReplyDeleteWe see these predictions here all the time. Many of them fail to happen, but of course, the person who made the prediction pretends it never happened.
The roof...the roof....the roof is on fire. LMFAO
ReplyDeleteYeah I will stand up if I'm wrong but I'm am on point it will be a "good Friday" of biblical propotions.
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ReplyDeleteGood grief. And I thought USA today was a fucked up division. You Poinrollers have dysfunctional workplace down to a science.
ReplyDeleteHow about taking Dave Hunke, Heather Frank, Tom Beusse and a few others off our hands?
Yikes no thanks they make Robb, Kat, Sarah and Sandy seem like the Dream Team. Funny thing is the most inept peopke get some of the best bonus packages. Talk about bonuses did you see the "performances/ retention" bonus that the Pointroll executive team were going to get? That is put on ice due to the executive fallout that is going to occur.
ReplyDeleteMr. Gatto and Ms. Ripmaster,
ReplyDeletePlease do Pointroll a favor and resign. You are not respected. You are not trusted. Your actions and inactions over the last year have taught us this. You owe it to us to leave and give us a chance to be great again.
Gannett,
You read this blog. Please take this seriously. Pointroll is in big trouble and we need change.
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ReplyDeletePeople are on edge here. Something is going on weird vibe.
ReplyDeleteGiven all these posts, I can't even imagine what it must be like to work at Pointroll. How do you cope??
ReplyDeleteWe cope by drinking. Well we used to.
ReplyDeleteFormer Roller left in 2011. How do you cope ? What is it with you people. Pointroll pays well, provides free lunch twice a week and runs more company events for employees than any company I know of. Flexible hours and work experience that puts you at the top of list when you do decide to look for more opportunity outside Pointroll.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you complaining about ? You need to grow up. If you are that unhappy find a new job. Is it possible you can't ???
Why did you?
DeletePointRoll of the past looked good on a resume. Not anymore. Black mark now.
ReplyDeleteBlack mark huh ? I think at least 5 folks in the sales department went to the top Video Ad Network Tremor after being heavily recruited. Seems to me still a pretty good breading ground filled with talented people. Maybe you are just out of the loop ...
ReplyDeleteIt's not hard to recruit from this place. People leave willingly.
DeleteBlack mark? More like Skid Marks. This company is going down the toilet. No drug testing here, that's how we cope, drug test this place and you will get more turn in a week than the past month.
ReplyDeleteI left because I worked for a leadership team that had their own personal interst in mind not the company or mine for that mater. Call me an idealist but those values are still important.
ReplyDeleteI worked there for the better part of my career. Didn't get the option to leave willingly.
ReplyDeleteTrust me Shappy you and a bunch of others are in the same boat, hang in there kid. Working for Pointroll is like being on Survivor.
ReplyDeleteShappy does NOT post on this blog.
DeleteTo say the Pointroll is a great place to work is to enter the Hall of Fame for Delusion. It hasn't been that for many, many years now. The salary is okay if you've managed to suck up enough to your superiors to manage some ridiculous group that was invented to hide your own lack of ability. The free lunches are there to keep you in your seat and prevent you from going outside and perhaps remember what fresh air and new oppotunities were like. "Flexible hours" means they graciously allow you to work from home, 7 days a week. Experience means gaining the fortitude to work under some of the most immature, self absorbed, socially awkward and morally corrupt managers on Planet Earth. The only good thing about Pointroll is the leaving of it, because for the rest of your life you will wake up in the morning and thank God that you do not have to be there.
ReplyDeleteDear Gannett,
ReplyDeleteThe people of PointRoll us "trolls" as management likes to call us. The ones making you money are begging for help here. Do something before all the real talent is gone from this place.
Sincerely,
Troll
If you had to analyze this company it would be as follows: fun, dynamic culture and an enterpenurial spirit. Downside executive mananagent's lack of strategic thinking and planning.
ReplyDeleteManagement doesn't have the intelligence and experierence to lead in times of conflict and distress.
If I were Cramer I would scream:SELL!!!!!
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