Solid customer acquisition still depends on messages that reach the right people with clarity and credibility. Agencies that combine careful research, disciplined media planning and channels such as direct mail continue to deliver results that purely digital approaches often struggle to match. Firms that treat every campaign as a long-term investment rather than a one-time experiment stand out because they help clients move minds and open doors with consistency.

Riger Marketing has practiced that approach for seventy-five years. The agency traces its roots to 1950, when Fred Riger, a World War II combat pilot, left a promising opportunity at a New York City public relations firm and returned to his hometown of Binghamton, New York. Together with his wife Martha, who managed the office and books, he started Fred Riger Advertising Agency in a single room inside the Press Building. What began as a modest local operation grew into a full-service firm employing dozens of people and serving hundreds of clients. Fred brought a distinctive mix of optimism, realism, creativity, and discipline to every decision. Although he retired in 1984 and passed away a decade later, those values remain the quiet standard inside every staff discussion, client meeting, and strategic choice the agency makes today.

Riger is now the oldest and largest advertising agency of its kind in South-Central New York, working with organizations across Upstate New York, Northeast Pennsylvania, and beyond. Clients come from healthcare and hospitals, financial services, education, fundraising and nonprofits, B2B, retail, automotive, tourism, and other consumer-facing sectors. The agency’s mission centers on satisfying client needs through continual improvement in creativity and quality, building mutually beneficial long-term relationships, and maintaining a workplace guided by respect, teamwork, integrity, and professionalism. Its vision is straightforward: to be the first-choice provider of proactive, creative, and effective marketing and fundraising solutions.

Research That Grounds Every Message

Effective marketing communications, in Riger’s view, require more than a clever idea or a fashionable typeface. They need roots in methodical research that identifies the right audiences and the right messages. The agency invests time in understanding who needs to hear from a client and why those people will care. That foundation shapes everything that follows, from copy and design to media selection and timing. Direct mail benefits especially from this discipline. By combining list work, clear offers, and thoughtful creative, Riger helps clients place relevant messages in the right mailboxes, creating tangible connections that digital channels alone cannot always achieve.

Full-Service Communications That Stay Coordinated

Riger operates as a true multi-service marketing communications agency. In addition to direct mail, the team handles digital and social media marketing, copywriting, graphic design, television and radio advertising placement, public relations, media services, research, sales promotion, recruitment marketing, special events, digital video and print production, email marketing, content creation, and strategic planning. The advantage of keeping these capabilities under one roof is coordination. A campaign that begins with research can move smoothly into creative development, media buying, direct mail execution, and ongoing measurement without the friction that often appears when multiple vendors must be managed. Clients benefit from a single point of accountability and a consistent strategic voice across every touchpoint.

A Legacy of Trust That Continues to Shape the Future

Riger’s longevity is not simply a reflection of survival; it is evidence of continuous adaptation without sacrificing core values. For seventy-five years, the agency has evolved alongside changing technologies, media habits, and customer expectations while remaining committed to client-focused service, long-term relationships, teamwork, integrity, and professional excellence.

Its mission emphasizes satisfying client needs through continually improving creativity and quality, nurturing mutually beneficial relationships, and fostering a respectful, employee-friendly culture. That internal culture has become a competitive strength because agencies that value collaboration and professionalism are better equipped to build the trust necessary for successful long-term partnerships.

As businesses continue searching for marketing partners capable of delivering measurable customer acquisition, integrated direct mail expertise, strategic communications, and lasting brand growth, Riger represents a compelling example of what enduring excellence looks like. The agency has shown that sustainable marketing success is achieved not through shortcuts or trends, but through careful research, disciplined execution, creative insight, and genuine commitment to client success.

From its humble beginnings in a one-room office to its position as a respected regional marketing communications leader, Riger has remained true to the principles established by Fred Riger more than seven decades ago. That rare combination of heritage, adaptability, and results-driven thinking continues to make the agency a trusted force in direct mail, customer acquisition, and integrated marketing communications for organizations seeking growth that lasts.

Jamie Jacobs | Owner & President

Jamie began her internship here at Riger in the summer of 2005. She was hired as an account assistant upon her graduation from Binghamton University’s English Department the following year, then advanced to account executive, partner, and then managing partner. A copywriter and strategic planner at heart, Jamie leads teams who serve clients from these widely ranging industries: financial services, nonprofit, healthcare, education, retail, and B2B. She has served in board positions for the following community groups: Binghamton Sertoma Club, Binghamton Salvation Army, and Broome Leadership Institute Alumni Association (co-chairing the Canstruction of the Southern Tier initiative).

She currently serves on the boards of the PRSA Finger Lakes Chapter, United Way of Broome County and the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation for South Central New York.

“Our primary mission is to satisfy the wants and needs of our clients with a customer-focused staff continually working to improve creativity and quality in all our work.”