Search

Blog

Blog Speaker Speaker Series Stuff

Hiking the breadcrumb trail of food typography

Dan Nesselbush
By Jaime Applegate

“My ideas have always been bigger than me.”

In the second Spotlight Speaker Series of the year on November 8, Danielle Evans took us down the breadcrumb trail of her journey from art school to her coined profession, food typographer. It was a rocky road, and at some points she wanted to give up art altogether. Even her art teacher didn’t seem to have faith in her. Her drawings were good, but not great so she tried her hand at photography next. Then sculpture, then interiors, then design. Nothing seemed right. Finally, she tried her hand at typography and realized a passion developing. She loved the letterforms and how they conveyed an inherent meaning. Evans explains it this way, “there was a moment when things clicked – the breadcrumbs of my past brought me to this point.”

Evans decided lettering would be her specialty but she wasn’t able to find much work doing the type of design she wanted. With limited money and art supplies, she started lettering with different materials including food. Some of her ideas “just needed to get done” so she started producing the work she loved and posting it on Instagram under the handle @marmaladebleue. After just a few jobs, Target called and commissioned her for a project. After that, her career took off and she went on to do work for Disney, Condé Nast, and Bath & Body Works, just to name a few.

Evans captured the audience at the nearly sold out talk with her “dad joke” humor and inspiring story. She took us through many examples of her work, explaining her process along the way. She starts out with a sketch before getting her hands dirty with the ingredients – some of which she has been able to travel to different states to retrieve. Below is a sketch and final product using mined crab legs and claws.

One thing that stuck with me about Evan’s talk was this, “the work you covet, isn’t always the work you create.”

You can “covet” the design work of Danielle Evans, but that might not be the path you are supposed to take. You might even need to invent your own niche as she did with food typography. Evans did, however, recommend playing with your food and creating your own art if you are at all curious (just not on new marble countertops – they will never look the same!)

Finish out the Spotlight Speaker Series with us in 2018. You’ll even get to hear from one of Evan’s design idols – Tad Carpenter on May 16. You won’t want to miss it!

 

 

Advice

AAF Asks: Where do you get your news?

Jenna Hutzler

The digital world has diversified the media landscape and lowered the barrier of entry into widespread publication. The ramifications are both good and bad. In a world with more options than we’ve ever seen previously, where do our AAF Board of Directors get their news?

“Whoever controls the media controls the mind” — Jim Morrison

 

Jaime Applegate
I just got my news this morning from reading the theSkimm! I signed up a while ago and it sends an email every morning highlighting a few hot topics in the news. If I’m interested in a story I can click on the link to the actual article.

Ally Balcerzak
I follow a bunch of traditional news and digital-only publications on Twitter so I can easily see headlines throughout the day – New York Times, Washington Post, AP, CNN, WIVB, Mashable, etc. I’m also an avid BuzzFeed reader. The editorial team at BuzzFeed is full of graduates from top journalism programs, and their “heavier” content cites quite a bit of research, as well as subject matter experts. Give BuzzFeed a chance!

Greg Pokriki
The benefit of my Twitter timeline is curated content from people I follow and respect. The news sources tend to still be traditional– NYT, WaPo. I do get The Buffalo News print delivered on my desk each morning too. Richard Deitsch, Sports Illustrated media writer and Buffalo expat/fan, is a great follow on Twitter, especially for great journalism.

Erin Haskell
Feedly – from Washington Post, New York Times, Politico, BBC, Fast Company, The Verge, The Atlantic and The Globe and Mail.

Alexa Godwin
theSkimm is my source along with the very millennial answer of Twitter. Also, the morning news.

Noah Herman
Primarily the iOS News app because of its availability.

Shannon Silva
The 11:00 news – WGRZ and hopefully I don’t fall asleep before the weather.

Teresa Carosa
I love theSkimm – it totally sums up everything with some tongue and cheek humor. I also am kind of old school and get the Buffalo News, Buffalo Business First, and (sometimes) the New York Times. theSkimm is great for national news, but I like to stay up on things going on in Buffalo..

Tim Bouchard
For local business news I lean on Business First and LinkedIn. When it comes to the industry I follow AdAge, Adweek, and a few industry leaders on Twitter / LinkedIn. When it comes to regular news I stick with local/network channels and try not to use Twitter without finding references since nothing is sacred now.

Brittany Klotzbach
The Skimm is my source!

April Brown
Every morning when I wake up, I turn on the morning news, but I also subscribe to The Skimm! Absolutely love it. It’s a great way to learn about everything you need to know that’s going on in the world in a short, concise and casual way.

Jillian Minderler
The Huffington Post and watching the news.

Josh Gumulak
Twitter. Although it may be too easy of an answer. There can be a lot of clutter and unreputable sources, but if you follow a credible and respectable lineup of reporters, outlets and journalists, there’s no outlet that works faster, especially when it comes to live events.

Jenna Hutzler
The Morning Briefing Newsletter by The New York Times does a nice job of summarizing the news each morning. I know you aren’t supposed to look at screens right when you wake up but I do! For local information, I watch the news (old-fashioned) or read BBF and Buffalo Rising.

Dan Nesselbush
My career started in broadcast journalism so I use Twitter the most since it’s the closest thing to the news ticker feeds we’d get when I worked at WKBW. I follow outlets like Buffalo Business First,The Buffalo News, and the AP; while I stumble upon stories from many more I don’t follow. I’ll also read small local newspapers which do the important job of covering stories that have a direct impact on the communities we live in.

Stuff

AAF Buffalo holds its annual Student Panel

Jenna Hutzler

This past Wednesday on October 11th during Ad week, AAF Buffalo held its annual Student Panel for college students at Daemen College. While midterms may have kept most students locked away in the library, the panelists got the chance to have a round table bad-and-forth discussion with two great students from University of Buffalo. The talk touched on a plethora of topics ranging from the ins-and-outs advertising agencies, directions to go in as a designer, and what it’s like to work in the business world of marketing.

Finding out your own path as a student can be very hard. You hear about all these cool ad campaigns, brand identity projects, web development jobs, and are inspired to continue your schooling and keep working, but then you think, wait, what do I want to do? For one of the attendees, who is currently a freshman, this was the problem. To help answer that question the panelists talked about their career path, which inevitably lead to a multitude of side discussions. In these side discussions the panelists explained the industry, their individual job roles, and what they see as valuable characteristics going forward in the industry. Discussing things back-and-forth to give developing thoughts a new perspective was a big component of the talk.

This may seem beneficial to those who are still searching but what happens when you’ve already defined things for yourself? Even though you’ve worked hard to get your diploma and you have a career path in mind, you still don’t know how to get into the industry or how it even works. These were some of the problems for our other attendee who is currently a senior. The panelists tackled these problems by shedding light on the logistics of the advertising world and gave practical knowledge of how things work on a day-to-day basis. What job titles do what, how an advertising agency is structured, how to network, what the heck an “in-house” is, and how advertising works in general were big topics in this end of the talk.

Overall, learning about everything that makes up the back end of the advertising world is a daunting task. One talk can scratch the surface but it only begins the discussion on how many different doors can be opened in the future. So until the Portfolio Seminar in November, keep learning, designing, and keep sticking your foot in as many things as possible (inside joke, you had to be there).

AdWeek Events Speaker Speaker Series Stuff

Big Ideas Know No Boundaries

Dan Nesselbush
By Dan Nesselbush

Disruption. That’s the name of the game. The pursuit and execution of an idea that makes an impact on a company or cause is probably why most of us chose to pursue careers in marketing communications. It’s also a safe bet that the creativity found in Super Bowl advertising had an influence as well. That’s why we thought it’d be interesting to hear about the process of taking a disruptive idea to the biggest stage in advertising as our second year of the Spotlight Speaker Series kicked off during 2017 Buffalo Ad Week.

Enter Kevin Corfield and Derek Julin of Pittsburgh agency Brunner. The duo came to Buffalo seven months after they did what every marketing pro dreams of doing; they created a Super Bowl commercial and arguably one of the most memorable in recent years with 84 Lumber’s The Journey.

Kevin and Derek’s story began with Brunner getting a call on Friday, December 9 from the president of the lumber retailer with the plan of doing something to grab the attention of everyone watching the biggest football game of the year – which was less than two months from happening. After a weekend under the directive to be controversial, their team ultimately settled on a story that would incorporate the theme of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

What followed was an interesting timeline that went behind the scenes of an ad from a newcomer to advertising’s biggest stage with tidbits such as:

  • The wall was real – they constructed a 60 foot wide by 30 foot tall concrete wall with a door built into it for the shoot
  • The final scene took four takes on the last day of shooting – because the wall wasn’t finished until then and there were significant wind and dust storms that swept through that day
  • Having to find a solution to FOX’s announcement, during the script approval process, that they wouldn’t run the ad if the wall was shown as it was deemed too controversial
  • The flag in the ad was made from scraps found at their various shooting locations, adding to the authenticity of the story

Ultimately their work moved the needle which is what we all try to do. It did its job of being controversial and got people talking. The film has had over 11.2 million views on YouTube. The 84 Lumber brand gained national attention and they received over 60,000 applications (employee recruitment was an underlying goal of this project afterall).

The thing that stuck with me the most was when they said “big ideas know no boundaries.”

These guys are proof of that statement. They work in Pittsburgh at an agency with roughly the same number of employees as Crowley Webb; not an agency behemoth from New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles. The fact their team was able to make one of the most talked about Super Bowl ads happen under the added pressure of a time crunch speaks volumes to how important a creative approach is.

There were a bunch of other really interesting things that happened during Brunner’s creation of The Journey, but you probably should’ve joined the 60 people who attended the talk. You have your next chance to better your brand during our Spotlight Speaker Series event on November 8 with a presentation by Danielle Evans, a designer with a passion for food typography.

A special thanks to our sponsors Gelia, FB Displays & Designs, VSP Graphic Group, and Luminus for their support in making events like this possible.

Advice Board Stuff

BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JAIME APPLEGATE

Jenna Hutzler

Role/years with AAF Buffalo: Secretary starting July 2017, board member since January 2016

Occupation: Marketing Manager at NOCO

Where do you work, and what does your role entail?

I have worked at NOCO for 4 years. I started out as a graphic designer and was recently promoted to marketing manager of the NOCO Express division. I assist in developing marketing plans and strategies for all 39 NOCO Express stores and manage a graphic designer, including assigning daily tasks and providing art direction on all projects. I also help collaborate and design larger projects including store redesigns and billboards.

What drove you to get into the advertising/marketing business? I have always had a passion for art and design and began my career as a designer in 2003. For 8 years, I worked as a free-lancer and developed all print material and websites for a furniture company. In 2010, I decided to pursue my passion and I went back to school for Communication Design at Buffalo State College. I’ve worked as a graphic designer and marketing specialist at two local companies and in February, I was promoted to Marketing Manager at NOCO.

What do you like best about what you do? I love being able to solve problems for my client. As a designer, I attempt to put multiple elements together, and turn it into a story or a statement to attract the viewer. There are many ways to achieve it since everyone has a different style but when you are finished, your work is a reflection of you as well. It’s an amazing feeling to hand a project over to a client and to see them so excited about the result.

What do you find challenging in our industry? Pleasing the client even when you feel it might not be the best option is a difficult part of being a designer. We can fight for what we believe will work best and explain why but in the end, it is the client’s decision and we have to be okay with that. Some designers have the freedom to pick and choose what projects they want to work on but in the corporate environment we are at the mercy of our clients and managers and it is important to be respectful of their requests.

What advice do you have for emerging talent in your field? Always be willing to learn and enhance your skillset. I am fortunate enough to work for a company that really cares about their employees’ development and I’ve had many opportunities to attend workshops, conferences, leadership classes, etc. If you desire to move up in your career, not only will having these new and different skills boost your skillset but your drive and willingness to learn will put you at the top of the list for promotions within the company.

What was your first job? Sandwich Artist at Subway when I was 16. I somehow managed to incorporate art in to all of my jobs!

What’s the last thing you read? The Handmaid’s Tale. I actually listened to it while in the car and traveling. The Hulu series was great too!

What’s your favorite hidden gem in WNY? I used to love sitting at the top of the toboggan shoots at Chestnut Ridge at night to look at the city lights and the stars. Since I live in the Northtowns now, I don’t get to do much of that anymore.

 

Let’s talk a little about AAF Buffalo.

Why did you join AAF Buffalo? I first learned about AAF Buffalo (known as Ad Club back then) as a student at Buff State. The events and portfolio review really helped me to connect with others and learn more about the careers in advertising. After graduating, I was excited to become part of the club that helped me through school and to give back to others as well. I also joined to continue to learn more about the advertising community, network, and enhance my resume.

What role(s) do you play on the AAF Buffalo board? I have been on the board since January 2016 and recently took on the role of Secretary in July 2017. I am on the programming committee and have helped plan a few events as well as design artwork.

What has been your proudest moment in your role on the board? Receiving the AAF Achievement Awards and Club of the Year in New Orleans. I’m proud to be a part of a club that works so hard and then to see how that work has paid off was pretty awesome.

What’s your favorite AAF Buffalo event? The Big Tip-Off – you really get to know many of the players at the local agencies and have the opportunity to network with others as well. It is a time to have fun with your coworkers and friends outside of the workplace, but also to give to a scholarship fund that supports local students in programs related to our industry.

What do you enjoy most about AAF Buffalo? The people – we know how to have a good time but also how to work hard when it matters most. I will definitely continue the friendships I’ve made long after I leave the board.

How has AAF Buffalo impacted you professionally? I’ve had the chance to wear a few different hats outside of my job title. I have planned events, coordinated with speakers, and even had a chance to speak on a panel. It has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and do things that I might not have had the chance to do in my current position.  

Why would you encourage others to join AAF Buffalo? It’s a great way to network and learn more about your field. We bring in speakers from all different careers in the advertising industry and also have a few workshops throughout the year where you can learn new skills. And then of course there are the ADDY’s where you can enter your work and hopefully win some awards to add to your resume!

Save

Save

Advice

AAF Asks: How do you work through creative block?

Jenna Hutzler

April Brown

I always try to take a few steps back and really think about to function of whatever it is that I’m making. Form follows function, so that usually helps.

Brittany Klotzbach

Coffee (specifically Starbucks) is my weakness. I often go grab coffee when I need to take my mind off of things. Sometimes I’ll also change what I’m doing and come back to what I’m struggling with at a later time.

Greg Pokriki

I do some word associations. I take walks. I play with a stress ball. I watch this Ira Glass motivational video on creativity. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a creative idea while on my phone, so I try not to do that (Failing often, though). Creativity comes to me in weird places, so I try to visit them.

If it’s long term writer’s block, I read instead. You only become a better writer by writing and reading. If I can’t produce my own work, I should at least be reading others for inspiration and ideas.

Andrew Bevevino

I do a good amount of writing at work, and for anything that’s longer form, I write by hand. It really helps me keep my flow going, whereas if I try to type out longer pieces, I find that I get blocked up and just stare at the computer.

Ally Balcerzak

When writer’s block hits, I go for a walk. Stepping away from your desk for a few minutes can do wonders for the creative process. If I’m still stuck when I get back, I set the piece aside for the next morning and tackle it as soon as I get in. Your brain subconsciously thinks about things even when your mind is focused elsewhere. So even though I haven’t consciously thought about the piece I need to write for 16+ hours, when I sit down at my desk, most of the time I can at least bang out a basic rough draft.

Kyle Rogers

As a writer, especially in a fast-paced environment, it’s not always easy to crank out a polished piece during the 9-5 workday. Sometimes you feel like your tires are stuck in mud and you’re going nowhere. You may need to come back to a project one or two times before you have a creative breakthrough. And that’s okay. Sometimes ideas will pop in my head at unexpected times like when I’m on a run or getting ready in the morning. Manage your time effectively to allow for the stops and gos and your work (and stress level!) will benefit.

Jaime Applegate

I like to do research online to get other ideas or talk to others and get opinions. Collaboration really helps to get the ideas flowing in my opinion. I also try to work on another project if I am really stuck or take a break altogether and come back to it later.

Shannon Silva

Take Pippa for a walk!

Jenna Hutzler

I always go for a walk or exercise when I’m struggling through a project. It helps mentally and physically to step away from screens for a bit. When I focus my attention on something repetitive, like putting one foot in front of the other, my brain stops wandering and allows me to filter my thoughts easier. Sometimes even a simple conversation will suffice. A coworker might offer a different perspective that sparks a new idea and will quickly move you out of a rut.

 

“You cannot wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London

Skillshop

Skillshop Recap: Analyze This

Jenna Hutzler
by Brittany Klotzbach

“Google Analytics” is a familiar term in the marketing industry, but what does it even mean? This past Tuesday, Brett Perla from Crowley Webb, an expert on this topic, dropped some analytic knowledge on a group of twenty curious students. This course was a 101 level tutorial on the basics, associated terms, and importance of Google Analytics.

Although there are several different website analysis resources, Google Analytics is free and user-friendly which was why this was the focus during this skillshop. Brett began the lesson by teaching us how to create an account, and then led us through the entire process of loading our website information and learning how to utilize this tool to get a good glance of user interaction with a website. The ultimate goal is to make sure your website is working in an optimum way. Brett was very thorough in defining the various associated terms (i.e. session, users, new users, bounce rates, etc.). During this terminology lesson, I specifically learned that a session is a visit; users refer to unique visits; and bounce rates refer to when a user does not engage with the site during their visit.

Brett also showed us the various ways you can run reporting. The main tracking for reporting, which you can set to run a report at any time-period, includes audience, acquisition, behavior, and conversion. Your audience reporting would focus on demographic statistics or geographic locations; this helps determine who your users are that are going to your website. AdWords are another reporting function to help create a robust search for knowing what keywords on your site best trigger interaction. The behavior reporting tracks interaction on the website and the functions or pages within the website that are most effective. Lastly, conversion refers to significant interaction or deeper action on the website. This includes a goal for the final destination on the website (cart check-out, “contact us” page, etc.), as well as tracking duration someone is on your website.

This member-only event was our initial Skillshop of the season, and I can say as one of the attendees that I certainly learned a lot in a short period of time. Since I do not often work on digital projects, it was a fresh perspective on the importance of website tracking and how companies are constantly reviewing statics about their website through analytic programs to enhance user experience.

Advice

AAF Asks: Which productivity tools do you use?

Jenna Hutzler

The AAF Board of Directors is a collection of creatives and media gurus in different industries and crafts across Buffalo. However, we all work in different ways. For some of us it is a meticulous and technologically advanced process. For others it is post-it notes stuck to their monitor, desk, wall, and even one on the lamp shade (You only get that type of detail if you live it).

So, as a service to you, the valued reader, we are unlocking the vault and letting the secrets to success out. Below are some of our favorite productivity tools. This will be a running series of shop talk. Sometimes on craft, sometimes on Buffalo, and always on point. Enjoy.

 

What productivity tools are you using?

Greg Pokriki

I couldn’t live without Trello. I run my editorial calendar through it. It keeps everything organized and color coded and assigned and dated and no I do not have OCD!

I also use Pocket. With the Google Chrome and Twitter extension, I can always save articles that I want to read for later. I previously would DM or email myself links. Now it’s Pocket. It’s my virtual book case.

Tim Bouchard

I live on Slack. As someone who gets an average of 90 emails a day I need a tool that cuts through the clutter for quick answers and feedback. We also have a remote work policy so Slack helps those not in the office communicate faster.

For the developers out there, Springloops (likewise, Beanstalk) is the other tool we couldn’t live without. Having a running repository of code commits with deployment is such a huge time saver.

Ally Balcerzak

I’m in the process of switching my team to Asana. It has both a list and calendar view for every project, which makes it easy to manage our multiple editorial calendars, events, and traditional marketing projects from a single tool. If you’re a list person, Wunderlist is where it’s at. The folder functionality makes it easy to group multiple lists together so you can easily keep track of to-dos, ideas, and links by topic or organization.

Erin Haskell

I’m obsessed with Asana. There’s even a gantt chart plugin for when I want to see visual timelines. I use a combination of Asana, Slack, dropbox and emails to keep things running smoothly for our in-house marketing team.  

April Brown

At FARM we use Workamajig to keep track of projects, schedules, timesheets and billing. It helps everyone stay on track–Account Service can input all of the information needed for every project, Project Managers can see all of the active jobs and their deadlines, and the Creative team can see what projects we’re responsible for, what’s needed for each project and when it’s due. We also use it to digitally route things which has become really convenient!

Alexa Godwin

At Crowley Webb, we are big fans of TeamWork. It keeps all conversations, files, tasks, and timelines all wrapped up neatly in one place. No more digging through zillions of emails and old versions of documents!

Grace de Rosa

Trello is king. Being a part of a small team, having a program that can organize clients, projects, production and billing all in one is great. We use Trello in our weekly meetings to go through each client’s status, what’s hot and what’s coming down the pipeline. With a bunch of projects up in the air, adding Trello’s due dates and task lists helps me to prioritize and not go crazy. There is no better feeling that clicking that checkmark when you’ve made the deadline on a project.

Josh Gumulak

Trello to plan ahead, Slack to stay in the moment, Pocket to come back to it later. Using these 3 as complementary parts to each other keeps things simple and straightforward. They each serve such a specific functionality that there is not much wasted effort by incorporating all 3 either.

Jenna Hutzler

In our office, we use Wrike for project management. It has all the bells and whistles! Time tracking, project assignment, file organizer, color coding, etc. The program is expansive. You can message within the platform, tag co-workers, copy emails to project folders. I know it’s not new or unique but I’m also a big fan of Google anything, the way I can sort my email, Google hangouts for quick office questions, calendar functionality. The integration and organization make my life so easy.

Andrew Bevevino

I’m a huge fan of Slack. I’m someone who needs to have my inbox as clean as possible, and Slack helps cut down on those one-off messages that add to the clutter. I also love the Momentum Chrome extension. When you open a new tab in Chrome, you can make a to-do list, and write yourself a short message outlining what your main focus for the day is. Momentum also has a new motivational quote and background image for you every day to keep things fresh.  

Blog Students Stuff

A Few Sips for the Scholars.

Dan Nesselbush
By Brittany Klotzbach

Last Thursday, we held our seventh annual Big Tip-Off. This event has become a favorite tradition of ours, combining friendly competition with a casual environment for networking. The venue allows us to mingle with peers in our industry. Each company that participates has their own representative bartender, pouring drinks for a good cause: raising money for the AAF Buffalo student scholarship fund.

Our bartenders were more than just baristas the night of the event. They also created some promotional videos that helped us boost the event on our social media channels. And it worked; we had our highest-ever attended Big Tip-Off with a whopping 183 attendees (increasing last year’s record by a whopping 73 people!). Our bartenders kept the excitement going, as many of them brought treats and decorated their tip jars. There were even sales to purchase pins raising money directly for the cause. This year’s Big Tip-Off brought in a total of $4,462.21 in tip money, which is more than $745 increase from the year prior. A special congratulations goes out to Biagio Patti, this year’s winning bartender who raked in an impressive $1,219.21 (and those 21 cents really played into effect!).

AAF Buffalo is proud to provide scholarship opportunities to local marketing students through the money we raised collectively at this event. A special thanks is owed especially to our celebrity bartenders who worked hard to earn those tips alongside Biagio Patti, representing Crowley Webb: Tim Staszak, Block Club; Doug Bradley, clevermethod; Grace Durant, Quinlan; Dan Gigante, 19 Ideas; Josh Robinson, Luminus; Kelsey Hanks, Martin; Max Principe, Fifteen. We would also like to thank all of the generous attendees that tipped big.

We hope to see you all again next year to challenge the returning champions from Crowley Webb!

Advice Blog Board Stuff

Board Member Spotlight: Brittany Klotzbach

Dan Nesselbush

She’s known to throw a good party with her involvement in The Big Tip-Off, Holiday Bowling Tournament, and the Buffalo edition of the American Advertising Awards. Get to know Brittany Klotzbach in this Board Member Spotlight.

Let’s hear about your day job.

Where do you work, and what does your role entail?

I work at Gelia as the Senior Creative Project Manager. Essentially, I’m the liaison between the creative and account service departments and my job is to manage and monitor projects from start to finish. There is a lot of communication within my role.

What drove you to get into the advertising/marketing biz?

When I was in college as a Communication major, I took an internship at The Martin Group. I quickly found an appreciation for the fast-pace creative work environment. I was lucky enough to be offered a position there during my senior year of college, and when I graduated I became the full-time Traffic Manager.

What do you like best about what you do?

I get to see projects from start to finish, as well as all the changes in between. It’s rewarding when projects are complete and feeling like I was a part of the team that accomplished it, but I also really have such an appreciation for the talented people I get to work with every day. My role is one of problem-solving, and that typically allows me to be pretty active with projects to always make sure that everything is running as smoothly as possible.

What do you find challenging in our industry?

Our industry is very client-driven and you always want to make your client happy. It can be challenging to always be accommodating, as sometimes projects are needed in a quick turnaround. I have found that with positive client relationships and strong teams within the agency, even the most challenging circumstances are manageable.

Describe a recent success.

Although I’m a project manager on most projects I touch at Gelia, I’m also an account executive on a couple of our pro bono projects throughout the year. The two projects that I managed that are dear to my heart won a total of three ADDY awards. I was extremely proud to be part of the team and to get recognition for the work we did for nonprofits that have my full support.

What advice do you have for emerging talent in your field?

Try to be as involved as possible; stay patient during the challenging times; celebrate with your team through the successful times; and remember at the end of the day, it is advertising.

Tell us about organizations/charities you’re passionate about.

We have two pro bono clients I work closely with at Gelia: Food Bank of WNY and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I was passionate about Food Bank since I was little, as it’s also a passion for my father who was on the board of directors there for several years. Being involved in projects for them is special to me because I know the good they do for our community. I didn’t know much about JDRF before working at Gelia, but the local chapter has taught me so much about the organization, and it’s something I can see myself supporting for many years to come. Each year it seems JDRF gets closer to finding a cure, and you know that the support and money they receive is really making a huge difference to those it affects.

(Unrelated to advertising): I’m also very passionate about the Kevin Guest House, a Buffalo non-profit that provides a comfortable place to stay for families or family members receiving treatments at our local hospitals. It is right on the growing medical campus, and it continues to expand. I learned about this organization a year ago through an organization I belong to, Junior League of Buffalo, who is a big supporter of the cause.

When you’re not working, how do you spend your free time (hobbies, side projects, etc.)?

I play tennis recreationally (sometimes competitively). I enjoy working out, but balance that with a healthy amount of TV watching (specifically, Bravo). I’m also involved with Junior League of Buffalo which allows for hands-on volunteer projects that I’m very passionate about and thrilled to be involved with. Lastly, I’m mildly obsessed with my nieces and spend a lot of time with my family.

What’s one thing not many people know about you?

I went to states three years in a row for tennis in high school. This is one of my more proud accomplishments/achievements in my life. I also went to St. John Fisher where I played tennis for my freshman year of college. I retreated back to Buffalo because after one year away, I realized that Buffalo will always have my heart.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Moe’s and Bravo. (Ideally eating Moe’s while watching Bravo.)

Duff’s or Anchor Bar?

Anchor Bar!

 

Now, let’s talk a little about AAF Buffalo.

Why did you join AAF Buffalo?

I was looking for a way to be more involved within the ad community, and I thought it would be a great way to network and meet new peers that I might not otherwise get a chance to work with. I also see the value the club brings, and I wanted to be a representative for Gelia to continue the AAF Buffalo presence at my company.

What role(s) do you play on the AAF Buffalo board?

Much of what I do for the board is event-based since my background isn’t in copywriting or design. I’ve enjoyed my involvement with the ADDYs and events like the Big Tip-Off and the annual bowling tournament.

What’s your favorite AAF Buffalo event?

My favorite event is The Big Tip-Off. The venue being at Soho Burger Bar has made it really nice and fun in the summer, and it’s a great event to have a lot of active industry people together mingling in a casual atmosphere. And the best part is that it’s all for a good cause raising money for student scholarships.

What do you enjoy most about AAF Buffalo?

I enjoy the opportunities to meet and work with new people I might not otherwise know. I also think the Skillshops and Speaker Series provide a lot of valuable information about our industry, and I’ve personally found value in attending the various events hosted by AAF Buffalo.

How has AAF Buffalo impacted you professionally?

It’s made me more of a leader within my company because people have come to me as a sort of “go to” for information. It’s also introduced me to people that I’ve never gotten the opportunity to work with but have heard really great things about professionally. It makes me feel really connected within our advertising community, and I’m grateful for the experience.

What’s one pro tip you can share with our membership that will make their lives better or easier?

I’m not a shy person, but I think the thought of “networking” makes people anxious or nervous. After attending a few networking-specific events we have held, I have to say, they’re actually some of my favorite events. If for nothing else, you get to meet other industry professionals and peers within the Buffalo community that have the same interests as you. It’s worth putting yourself out there.

Why would you encourage others to join AAF Buffalo?

AAF Buffalo is geared toward really uniting our advertising community. When I attend the events, I notice that many of our members are the people in the industry that are putting themselves out there and making an effort to learn more. We spend so much of our week at work; any attempt at trying to better yourself professionally is worth it, and AAF Buffalo provides you with the tools to do just that.

Keep up with Brittany on Instagram @brittanyklotzbach.