Tuesday, April 10, 2012

PointRoll | This is for your news and comments

Amid speculation about PointRoll's future, I've created this thread exclusively for Gannett's digital advertising services subsidiary.

Earlier: This thread started last week has more than 100 other comments.
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57 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:12 PM

    Well thanks Jim for this special section., as we all know Pointroll is a total disaster and several select people have been attending private 1:1 meetings with Rob Gatto who informed them that he is planning on leaving soon to join a company in Pittsburgh, PA.

    He hopes that Gannett will just fire him so that he can receive his severance.

    It seems like the "investigation" of Pointroll's deliberate privacy breach and the internal investigation of Pointroll's leadership team has uncovered many defficiencies in our leaders.

    Theismwill most likely result in Sarah Ripmaster being removed as well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:20 PM

    I too heard that Rob Gatto is out and Sandy Dondici is taking over for him.

    Whoo how the mighty fall!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:24 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:35 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  5. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. Anonymous4/10/2012 10:47 PM

    We love Tria in Chicago...so much better than Sarah!

    Tria rocks the house, party people!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jim Hopkins4/10/2012 10:54 PM

    I'm going to be moderating comments in this thread very aggressively -- especially, posts that make fun of anyone's appearance.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:07 AM

    As mentioned in a prior post that Jim just deleted.

    SARAH RIPMATSER IS GOING TOO,

    IT'S ABOUT FUCKING TIME,

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:39 AM

    It seems the crybaby gang that left Jersey found new jobs moaning at Poin Troll - anybody poop on your floor yet?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:49 AM

    Rob Gatto should take a lesson from Brian Dunn the Best Buy CEO that resigned yesterday PRIOR to his board's findings of their investigation!

    Seems like inappropriate behavior runs rampant.

    Gatto, what do you have to say for yourself?

    Ripmaster, what about you? Do you like being lumped together with a declining business, failed leader and industry that shuns you?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:08 AM

    The rapture is upon us, judgement day has arrived. The executive team travels to McLean Va today to meet with Gannett. The company is waiting with abated breath on the outcome.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:19 AM

    Jim you need to update the blog with the new logo

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:21 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:23 AM

      This is not fair, Sarah is a great manager who has the ability to lead thru times of crisis. She is motivated and inspiration to others and is well respected. Lol, I'm just kidding.

      Delete
  14. PointRollers, GET MAD!4/11/2012 9:35 AM

    Let's take a look at Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster's Record for the last 14 months (other Rollers, please feel free to add to this list as I am sure there is so much more I missed):

    1. Severe revenue miss across the board, which has Gannett forcing severe cost reductions and has our own employees not receiving bonuses.

    2. No innovation. Mobile is non-existent, Analytics is a joke and our interface is pathetic. Our product manager builds ad servers!

    3. Our EBITDA, as Rob always refers to, was as high as 51% back in 2008 and has been dropping, but the biggest drop was the last year down to 30%. Meanwhile the industry is still growing significantly and we are getting killed by faster growing companies.

    4. Sales rep turnover is at 80% in ONE YEAR! What should we expect, our head of HR lives in CHICAGO with Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster. Meanwhile HQ is in King of Prussia and NYC is our second largest office. Seem strange to you too? It should!

    5. Most sales reps that leave go to competitors and take our business away (Flashtalking, DG Fast, Spongecell).

    6. Client turnover is at its worst levels due to the absent SVP of Sales and severe sales turnover. We have lost 5 of our top 10 clients! Ford has announced that they are reducing dependenacy on Pointroll as is Apple. (clients number 1 and 2). Ford alone is 25% of Pointroll's revenues and 35% of Pointroll's profits. Yes, we lose them and we are fucked!

    7. Privacy breaches have occured across multiple campaigns. What the WSJ reported on is only one campaign. An investigation will reveal that there have been multiple campaigns for MONTHS that have been developed and run across hundreds of websites that breach all sorts of privacy settings. Congressman Waxman's investigation along with Gannett's own internal investigation might reveal some of it, but some of the documents are being "shredded" as we blog!

    8. Stature in the industry since these two Chicago mobsters took over has been tarnished. From an employee career persepctive, senior leaders like Ellenthal, Saradakis, Gelles, Tafler among others have explicitly stated that Pointroll employees are not valuable to companies in the digital industry as Pointroll has become irrelevant and meaningless in this digital media industry. Good luck finding a job.

    9. Our clients have very little respect for our leadership team and this is squarely due to Rob and Sarah's dictatorial leadership styles. Ask Mediavest how they feel about Sarah blowing off meetings.

    10. Our relationship with Gannett is a disaster and since Gannett ripped ShopLocal from us, we have been treated like third class citizens.

    11. Finally, the largest internal investigation is occurring at Pointroll where everyone is being interrogated by lawyers both internally and externally and Rob Gatto has been brushing off this investigation as a bunch of "clueless attorney's trying to figure out what we do". He has now decided to hold one-on-one meetings with him so he can state his case to employees that Gannett and the lawyers are wrong and he is right.

    12. One other point, we know Sarah Ripmaster reads this blog as she makes comments about it to her "inner circle" that she wants to find the "fuck that is posting on the blog and make their life miserable". Yes, that is an actual quote!

    So, PointRollers, how do you feel about the last 14 months here? If you don't feel good about it, send an email to Gracia Martore at Gannett and post your thoughts to this blog. We are a strong group that is not going to have a bunch of loser mobsters from Chicago control our fate.

    Either speak up, or don't show up and lets see Rob, Sarah, Sandy and Cat all scramble!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:38 AM

    Poor old Sarah. We feel really bad for her. NOT! She is smart enough to realize that if she supports Rob Gatto and all his bullshit and abandons this great company, then she should face the reality of what comes with leadership.

    If she can't handle the heat, then get the F out of the kitchen.

    She should just quit before she gets fired. Her threats to employees is uncalled for and Gannett is going to end up with quite a few lawsuits if she fires anyone else.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:42 AM

    PointRollers,
    If you don't like what you see here at Pointroll, SAY SOMETHING.

    SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. There is A LOT of illegal crap going in here.

    Report it to the lawyers who are investigating Pointroll.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:50 AM

    Pointroll is a prime example of what happens when ego, arrogance and greed run rampant and unchecked.

    Capitalizing Pointroll isn't going to save the company and it sure as hell isn't a strategy. Gatto, Dondici, Ripmaster, Hepler: you sold your souls for the almighty dollar. Redeem yourselves and get the *uck out. Pointroll is better off without any of you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jim Hopkins4/11/2012 10:02 AM

    9:19 I've added PointRoll's new logo. (I see they added "A Gannett Company." But could the type be any smaller?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jim Hopkins4/11/2012 10:10 AM

    The video highlighting the "new" PointRoll appears to have been embedded incorrectly into the company's blog.

    When I played it, some of the image was cut off on the right-hand side.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jim Hopkins4/11/2012 10:22 AM

    9:35 I can fill in another figure within your date range, regarding your point No. 3.

    PointRoll's EBITDA for 2010 was roughly 49% (around $45 million).

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous4/11/2012 10:28 AM

    Jim, don't bash the work of Cat and her team. She is a marketing genius. That is how she got to where she is at PR.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous4/11/2012 10:29 AM

    How many employees total have left this year? Sales and Operations. Off the top of my head I can name well into the double digits.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous4/11/2012 11:07 AM

    6:35 you obviously don't work at or know much about Pointroll. Several points are wrong. Goals have been exceeded and we're getting bonuses. In meetings yesterday Rob and Sandy went over details that contradict what you're saying and there are new products. Get your facts straight.

    ReplyDelete
  24. NY SALES4/11/2012 11:31 AM

    The majority of NewYork sales has been interviewing over the past 3 weeks as there has been a lack of leadership here in NY. The one person who actually stood up to make things better for us in NY was let go becuase he stood up to Sarah.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:05 PM

    The new logo is going to be the saving grace of our corrupt company, embarrasing. Can't put perfume on a pig.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:09 PM

    Sarah has no filter like Ozzie guillen. Her inner circle leaks all the info about her power trips, associate issues, personal issues etc....

    Nobody respects her, she doesn't respect herself.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:19 PM

    To the person who posted on this blog that there are NEW products...Please tell me what they are as I am A SALESPERSON HERE and haven't seen anything new to sell to our clients.

    Rob,
    Stop posting on the blog as we see through your bullshit.

    Gannett,
    Get real, stop investigating these idiots and just throw them out. I have sent information to my attorney already to make sure I get me payout too when I get thrown out by Sarah Ripmaster.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:30 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  29. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:32 PM

    Sarah Ripmaster is on hiatus AGAIN. Got to love a woman who can take all this shit and then just throw it back by taking another vacation. She is an amazing woman.m the kind that Gannett aspires to have lead a company.

    I wonder if Sarah is part of Gracia's 70% mandate for senior level women in the company.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous4/11/2012 12:45 PM

    Jim,
    Please STOP deleting posts to your blog as the PointRollers will just start our own blog and cut you off!

    Put back the last post you deleted or send it to Gracia Martore as it is all fact! And if you do not believe it, email rgatto@pointroll.com and have him defend it publicly.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jim Hopkins4/11/2012 12:47 PM

    12:30 I would be delighted to see those PointRoll documents.

    But I had to remove your comment for several reasons, among them:

    * You wrote about someone reaching an "underhanded deal" to avoid detection by the finance team, and of making "sideways payments funneled" to an individual. That's a very serious allegation. But I need to see hard evidence that it's true.

    * Accusing someone by name of "covering up 'strategy' notes" implies an effort is underway to destroy evidence that might be of interest to the investigators you cite. That, too, is a very serious allegation.

    * discussing someone's health issues.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:28 PM

    Sarah and Robb are not going anywhere, as long as Gracia is here those two useless leaders will have a job. Sandy and Kat are just puppets.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:36 PM

    9:19 if you are a SALESPERSON here and obviously a poor one at that due to sales performance, why don't you have the testicular fortitude of putting your name out there and stop hiding behind the blog ??

    You are spineless and your comments go without merit.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:55 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  35. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:56 PM

    Catherine Hepler...Nice job on the logo...So creative. You must be a phenomenal marketer and clearly you are a great strategist!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:57 PM

    Todd Pasternak...Anyone know what this guy does here? Is he another Rob/Sandy crony?!?

    He was the MOBILE guy. Todd, where is the product?

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous4/11/2012 1:58 PM

    Can someone please send all the emails to Jim Hopkins about all the illegal shit that is going on here so that he will STOP deleting factual posts? I have a few, we need the one from the Jamaica Presidents club trip and the one where we talk about how screwed we are now that Apple found out we breached the privacy settings on Safari browsers for an APPLE campaign!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous4/11/2012 2:01 PM

    Let me post what appears to be the most telling quote I heard a day ago...

    "The Pointroll management team is one of the stupidest this industry has. To think we would actually BUY them was a total farce. They have no idea how screwed tehy are." David Jakubowski, CEO Aggregate Knowledge

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous4/11/2012 2:16 PM

    Aggregate Knowledge totally played upon the stupidity of Rob Gatto and Sarah Ripmaster. Even worse, the company is a total scam and our lead "strategist" Catherine Hepler was "all in with AK". Another Joke!

    The only one who was smart enough to call bullshit on the whole AK crap with Amy Wilson and Julie Murphy.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous4/11/2012 3:09 PM

    This blog is only a forum to provide a bitch session, there is not one ideas other than tossing the executive out the door that will help move the biz forward.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous4/11/2012 4:12 PM

    Does the executive team have any ideas to move the business forward? AK partnership was an epic fail so Pointrollers are all ears but since there is no strategy there will continue to be churn and a cry for new leadership.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous4/11/2012 4:24 PM

    All that's needed, sounds like.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous4/11/2012 4:30 PM

    Pointroll executives should be sent to jail.

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  44. Anonymous4/11/2012 4:38 PM

    julie murphy is phenomenal. we all love Julie!

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  45. Anonymous4/11/2012 5:26 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  46. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:11 PM

    It's 5:10 cst, unfortanately looks like Gatto and Ripmaster live to see another day. Oye vey!!

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  47. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:16 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  48. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:33 PM

    Julie and phenomenal are two words that should never be in the same sentence.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:38 PM

    Jamaica....Presdients Club trip for sales reps, executives and their significant others that cost over $500,000!

    Las Vegas...table dancing by sales reps, gambling that was expensed! Another $500,000 price tag!

    Extra payments to the person managing the Mid West Sales $100,000

    Guaranteed payments to Aggregate Knowledge for a failed partnership...$200,000 A MONTH FOR ONE YEAR!!!! $2.4 million in total.

    Do we even need to spend anymore time debating whether Rob, Sarah, Sandy and Cat should be in charge.

    I thought Gannett was a frugal company, but even I cant sit here and think about all the other people on this blog that work at Gannett and are worried if they are going to be fired or furloughed and we are spending like drunken sailors!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Anonymous4/11/2012 6:49 PM

    Julie Murphy is great. She is the real deal. Sarah Ripmaster is just jealous that she is liked by many people, including Saridakis, Ellenthal and Tafler.

    We need more people like Julie who are willing to speak their mind and challenge people like this leadership team.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Anonymous4/11/2012 7:08 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  52. Anonymous4/11/2012 8:09 PM

    Lol what a witty retort (response) so clever. Whoever wrote that is a nitwit.

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  53. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:02 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  54. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:45 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  55. Anonymous4/11/2012 9:46 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  56. Jim Hopkins4/11/2012 10:02 PM

    Everyone who could be bashed seems to have been bashed in this thread -- including yours truly -- so I think we can all move on now.

    ReplyDelete

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