Ellis Verdi on hospital marketing, Hillary's 2000 campaign and tropical fish

Aug 19, 2026

42:08

Business Pharma & Biotech Healthcare Business & Marketing

Episode Description

Few things in life carry as much vintage prestige as the presence of a real New York adman.

That rarified air is typically reserved for the likes of a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue, a 1957 Chevy or a Patek Philippe watch.

Ellis Verdi is a classic New York adman with more than a few dozen stories to tell. Ellis worked across various brands and ad agencies in the 1970s and 80s before founding his own firm, DeVito/Verdi, in the latter part of the decade.

Known for its at-times irreverent, at-times provocative creative output, DeVito/Verdi has endured as a New York-based institution throughout the years and even appeared on the MM+M Agency 100 list.

From a medical marketing standpoint, Ellis has worked with a number of prominent hospital and health system clients, which scratches my itch after having covered the provider sector earlier in my career.

Over nearly 40 years, DeVito/Verdi has worked with Mount Sinai, Lenox Hill Hospital, Mass General, UChicago Medicine, VCU Health, BayCare and MetroHealth in Cleveland.

Ellis also has tales from the halls of the White House after the agency pitched and won the right to provide ad support for former First Lady Hillary Clinton’s senate campaign in 2000.

It’s our 60th anniversary year, so who better to have in the studio than an industry legend like Ellis for a longform, wide-ranging interview.

Music: “Deep Reflection” by DP and Triple Scoop Music.