From Madison Avenue to Xhilarate: Russ Napolitano's Mission to Build Brands That Last

August 18, 2025 at 16:05 PM EDT

After more than three decades in advertising and branding, Russ Napolitano, Partner and Creator of Opportunities at Xhilarate, has refined a career-long mission: helping brands forge meaningful, lasting connections with their audiences.

From his formative years on Madison Avenue to co-founding Philadelphia-based Xhilarate, Napolitano has been instrumental in securing and growing relationships with leading organizations including McCormick Corporation, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, Logitech, Temple University, and Meadowood Senior Living.

Xhilarate is a digital-first branding, design, and content creation agency dedicated to helping organizations engage, excite, and inspire.

The Agency’s Expertise Includes:

Brand Strategy – Positioning, messaging, brand architecture, stakeholder research
Brand Identity & Design – Logos, visual systems, style guides, packaging, collateral
Web Design & Development – UI/UX, responsive design, content management, technical consulting
Content Creation – Photography, videography, storytelling, copywriting, AI-enhanced creative
Marketing & Campaign Development – Integrated campaigns, geofencing advertising
Specialized Services – AI-powered image enhancement, naming/tagline development, event branding, and brand health checks

With a client list that spans healthcare, pharmaceuticals, higher education, fintech, insurance, consumer products, and technology, Xhilarate combines big-agency quality with the agility, flexibility, and personal attention of a boutique firm. By assembling senior strategists, designers, and a curated network of expert partners, the agency delivers tailored solutions that drive measurable results.

5-Star Recommendations Include:

"They had the ability to flex resources depending on the project need. … Regardless of whether they were Xhilarate or contract an employee, everyone worked as a cohesive team." Chris Marchand, President, Automotive Videos Made Simple, LLC, on Branding and Graphic Design Services

“Xhilarate did an excellent job rebranding my company and relaunching our website. The outcome has been better than expected … The team is great, they get projects done quickly and efficiently and work on the fly as needed when urgent items show up. I highly recommend Xhilarate as a partner.” Eric Kaneps, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Renaissance Pharma

“They designed a very unusual legislative book on artificial intelligence regulation for us. They managed to take extremely esoteric ideas and put them into absolutely beautiful layouts with so much creativity and meaning behind each page.… On top of the creativity, the team was easygoing, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. I look forward to engaging Xhilarate again!” Emily Benson, previously Manager, Transatlantic Legislative Relations, The Bertelsmann Foundation North America

About Russ Napolitano

Russ Napolitano is Partner and Creator of Opportunities at Xhilarate, a Philadelphia-based branding, design, and content creation agency.

With more than 30 years in the advertising and branding industry, Russ specializes in cultivating client relationships, developing new business, and connecting brands with the strategies and creative talent they need to thrive. He has played a pivotal role in securing and expanding partnerships with organizations including McCormick Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Pfizer, P&G, Nabisco, Temple University, and Meadowood Senior Living.

Russ serves as Chair of the Philadelphia Ad Club’s Content Committee, is an alum of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, and is active in the Center City Business Association and the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Known for his ability to open doors and build enduring connections, Russ continues to guide Xhilarate’s growth while ensuring the agency stays true to its mission: to engage, excite, and inspire.

"At Xhilarate, we believe the best brands are built on insight, creativity, and trust," said Napolitano. "Our unique structure gives clients direct access to senior talent and the flexibility to bring in the right specialists for every challenge - ensuring we deliver work that not only looks exceptional, but drives real results."

russ@xhilarate.com

Media Contact

Name
Xhilarate, Inc.
Contact name
Russ Napolitano
Contact phone
(215) 983-9990
Country
United States
Url
https://xhilarate.com/

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From Madison Avenue to Xhilarate: Russ Napolitano's Mission to Build Brands That Last

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