Ad Execs Launch Marketing Incubator

Perhaps it’s a little late to the starting gate, with dot-com companies value (and presumably marketing budgets) dwindling, but the Ad Incubator, a start-up agency specializing in nurturing its fellow start-ups, thinks its approach is a winner.

The new company launched on Thursday, promising start-ups services, pricing and systems attuned to the needs of young companies.

“Traditional marketing firms are geared to research, planning, testing and mass media,” said Rena Kilgannon, principal and co-founder of the Ad Incubator, who was a principal for Kilgannon McReynolds.

“This works well for established old economy clients, but not for start-ups. They need identity, collateral, design and tactical PR and they need it in a hurry. The Ad Incubator will focus on guerilla marketing and below the line disciplines.”

The idea for the incubator was born from the founders’ dissatisfaction with working in a traditional agency and trying to serve start-ups.

“All we did was frustrate our start-up clients,” said Michael Reineck, principal and co-founder of the Ad Incubator.

“In the Ad Incubator we have reengineered systems to meet these needs. The Ad Incubator will not use account people or retainer fees.”

The upstart agency also says it will consider taking stock or warrants as compensation. It intends to work with start-ups only until they are ready to “graduate” to traditional marketing firms.