Ronald Donato Travisano passed away peacefully after a short illness on January 21, 2025, at the age of 86.
Visiting will be on Friday January 24, 2025, at the Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home 596 Belgrove Drive in Kearny from 1:00 until 6:00 pm. Family and close friends may return to the funeral home on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. There will be a prayer service Saturday 12:00 pm at Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel Three. 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington.
He was born in Newark in 1938, grew up in Kearny (where he met the love of his life and wife of over 50 years, Frances Bongiovanni) helped raise his 4 children for a short time in Bloomfield before becoming a long-time resident in Glen Ridge. Upon his passing he resided in Cedar Grove.
Ron Travisano is an original “Mad Man”. His distinguished, diverse and groundbreaking career in advertising spanned over 40 years. As co-founder (with legendary ad man Jerry Della Femina), President and Creative Director of Della Femina, Travisano & Partners from 1967–1985, Ron’s impact on the advertising world is immeasurable. He was an integral part of advertising’s creative revolution in the 60’s and was involved in some of the most memorable work in the history of advertising during the ‘70s and ‘80s. Among his many memorable ad campaigns, he is probably best known for one featuring a cat. Ron personally created the Meow Mix “Singing Cat” commercial for Ralston Purina in 1974. Ron wrote the lyrics as well as art directing the spot. The commercial was an immediate hit, launching the still successful brand, the very memorable tagline “The cat food cats ask for by name.” and garnering a Clio Award that year. The campaign was so strong, it still lives on TV today. The New York Times called the tune “one of the best known, most readily sung commercial jingles.”
In 1985, Ron Travisano left Della Femina, Travisano & Partners to pursue his goal to be a TV commercial director, opening Travisano, DiGiacomo Films. From 1985–2001, Ron directed hundreds of commercials on practically every continent around the world. He was awarded both Gold and Silver Lions at the Cannes Film Festival for some of the commercials he directed.
In 1999, he was awarded the Pratt Institute Alumni Achievement Award for professional accomplishment and leadership in communication design and was voted Pratt Institute’s Top 125 Icons in honor of Pratt’s 125th anniversary in 2012.
Ron, known to many people as a modern-day Renaissance man, could be called by any of these monikers during his amazing career and life: artist, art director, writer, lyricist, creative director, leader, mentor, entrepreneur, teacher, humanitarian, devout Christian, commercial director, chef and most of all, beloved friend to all who have known or worked for him.
Ron was loved and supported by an incredible family. His influence on all of us has spanned all our lifetimes and will continue throughout the generations to follow.
He was predeceased by his father Ben Travisano, mother Phylis Travisano, sister Laura Sammarco and wife Frances. He will be missed by his children: Vincent Travisano (Annamarie), Philip Travisano (Andrea), Ronald Travisano (Diane Bossotti), Laura Hurley (Michael) and his grandchildren Paul Travisano (Sara Isola), Chiara Travisano, Jessica Hurley, Nicholas Hurley, Patrick Hurley, Brooks Ilg (Hana) and 4 great grandchildren.
In lieu kindly consider a donation to Good Grief in his memory
