Larry M. Kruger, one of the nation's top home building senior executives is originally from a small town in Georgia, but has no trace of a Georgia accent, unless someone makes note of it. Then, his eyes sparkle and he laughs as the "down home" drawl starts flowing. He has started a new advertising/marketing agency last June, The Kruger Group, that is based in Los Angeles, but is already gaining attention in the Inland Empire.
Kruger's expertise is so respected in the home building industry nationwide, that when he notified his then employer, Ashton Woods Homes, of his plans to start his own agency—they hired him immediately!
"We at Ashton Woods know first-hand how valuable Larry is. His in-depth understanding of how to grow and make companies profitable helped make Ashton Woods one of the most successful home building companies in the nation," said Tom Krobot, president of Ashton Woods Homes. "We wish Larry the best of success in his new business venture and look forward to a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with him and his new team."
What a compliment, but then Kruger brings to his new venture an unusual breadth and depth of experience in a wide range of industries, from retail, Saks Fifth Avenue, to the nitty-gritty of home building. He has been highly successful in each of his business endeavors because of his thorough understanding of not only marketing principals, but also how to run a business – from research and development to operations – to P&L – to acquisitions – to new product development – to management.
Having done business in more than 10 states in the U.S., Kruger also possesses a keen understanding of the challenges companies face in marketing products and services in different areas of the country.
While the home building industry will initially be a key focus for The Kruger Group, vice president and creative director Bill Aitchison and copywriter and creative director Jeffrey Lee are on board, as well. These veterans have more than 50 years combined experience working with the best ad agencies in the country.
Aitchison's advertising creations are known to get people's attention and make them think, feel and laugh, as well as selling a product. Prior to joining The Kruger Group, he served as creative director for E! Entertainment Networks, and also served as vice president and creative director at the Ryan Partnership. There he led a team which developed promotional and marketing materials for a variety of products, including: Dannon Yogurt, Kal Kan Pet foods, Warner Brothers, Uncle Ben's Foods, Pillsbury, and many others.
Unless you've lived under a rock for the past 20 years, chances are you've heard or seen Jeffrey Lee's work. From national television and print ads, to radio commercials, Web sites, product packaging, etc., Lee has written creative and compelling copy for every advertising medium in existence.
Prior to joining The Kruger Group, he worked as a free-lance copywriter and in-house creative director for agencies such as: Ogilvy & Mather, Bozell, DDB Needham, Foot Cone & Belding and many more. In this capacity, Lee has worked on brands like Universal Studios Hollywood, NetZero, DirectTV, Disney, CIGNA Health Care, and Vons Groceries.
With this combination of talent, experience, and expertise, the company is positioned to work for a variety of industries, including retailers, consumer products, entertainment, food and beverages, and more.
Larry Kruger, president, is known for his superb strategic thinking, creative vision, brand building and management skills, and the uncanny ability to identify and take advantage of niche markets. These abilities contributed to Kruger's reputation in successfully growing and building both start-up and billion dollar companies. He visits resell markets and keeps up with current trends and demographics.
Kruger has a unique way of working when launching any new company, product or service. He creates what he calls a "Charrette," a French word that translates to "spoke-wheeled cart." This process involves an intense gathering of professionals from many disciplines—like the "spokes of a wheel," who present a central concept from which a product can be made or a development designed, in an extremely time-sensitive process. The players are forced to isolate what they need to do in that moment. Wasted time is a missed opportunity, the group knows. The Charrette can be adapted to any project, adding efficiency and speed, thus saving money and moving the project more quickly into the next phase.
"The cost of getting a project out the door," Kruger commented, "is the measure of the cash flow, not the measure of cost. One extra sale can bring ‘$25,000,' for example. The cost is returned in time savings. It is a philosophy issue, investing quickly," Kruger explained. "If you are a leader, not a follower, you make that extra margin and get on to the next thing faster. There is less stress, because you have a road map that clearly defines people's responsibilities. It is a facilitator that brings everything into place: ‘Focus—Fast—Fresh!'"
For more information on The Kruger Group, please visit www.thekrugergroup.com or call (310) 996-1810.