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Recap: Eric Bodamer & Happy Hour

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018Lauren Carmer

When Adidas Hockey was tasked with designing the Buffalo Sabres most recent Winter Classic jersey, they did market research. They studied trends, demographics, competitors, and history. But their most valuable tool was Eric Bodamer, their Buffalo-born senior designer. Bodamer brought something different to the table. He was from Buffalo. His family, friends, and neighbors growing up were his research. He knew Buffalo, inherently.

“For a kid from North Tonawanda, it was a dream come true,” says Bodamer.

During our 2018 Ad Week in October, Bodamer came back home to Buffalo to speak to our membership and guests, a crowd of close to 60 at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery. As Bodamer relived his childhood throughout his hour-long talk, he paid tribute to his blue-collar and gritty roots with love, often praising our city and its people for contributing to his own creative process.

He provided our audience with exquisite detail into the creation and stories that went into developing the Sabres’ 2018 Winter Classic jersey that they wore New Year’s Day at Citi Field. He explained the extensive and intricate pitch process. Most of all, he was explicit in expressing that it went against his wishes to include “NY” within our Sabres’ crest for the game.

Before heading back to the west coast, Bodamer let us in on the Vegas Golden Knights team branding that he was a part of prior to the 2017-2018 NHL season. From sitting with the Knights owners to dozens of naming concepts and selecting just the right color palette, he led us through the process from start to finish.

On behalf of all true-blue Buffalonians, we thank Eric for showing his Queen City love and never forgetting where he got his start. As Adidas continues to expand their footprint throughout the NHL, we guarantee you’ll see Eric’s influence through it all.

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Recap: Tade Shows & Exhibits Skillshop

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018Lauren Carmer

A few times a year, AAF Buffalo likes to engage our membership with interesting, informative Skillshops. These sessions feature topics that can range from copyright law to analytics to trade shows and more. On Monday, October 15th, Hadley Exhibits kicked off AAF Buffalo’s Ad Week with a Skillshop of their own. The firm hosted more than two dozen club members, presenting “Trade Shows in the Age of Digital.”

Our members took an in-depth look at what’s new in the fun and engaging world of B2B marketing. Our board member, Alex Keogan, hosted the night with an interactive presentation detailing what companies and agencies can do to really engage their or their client’s audience before, during, and after a trade show. Following Alex’s talk, the attendees took a tour of the 180,000 square foot facility where Hadley Exhibits designs, fabricates, and stores displays.

Keep an eye out for our next AAF Buffalo Skillshop in January 2019!

AdWeek Events Speaker Speaker Series Stuff

Big Ideas Know No Boundaries

October 26, 2017Dan 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.”

“Big ideas have no boundaries” – Brunner Agency speaking at @AAF_Buffalo’s speaker series about 84 Lumber’s Super Bowl spot. #amazing

— Alexa Godwin (@AlexaGodwin) October 10, 2017

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.

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2017 AAF Buffalo Future Marketer Scholarship

June 8, 2017June 8, 2017Erin Collins

Buffalo Prep Gala 2017 Photos by Dawn M Gibson Photography

AAF Buffalo is proud to award the first Future Marketer Scholarship to Anthony Liriano. A senior at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Liriano was recently recognized for this achievement at the annual Buffalo Prep Celebration event.

The Future Marketer Scholarship is awarded to a Buffalo Prep student planning to study marketing and advertising in college. Liriano will receive $500 per year for the next four years for a total scholarship of $2,000.

Buffalo Prep was founded in 1989 by education and community leaders to help promising, economically disadvantaged, underrepresented students prepare for, obtain entrance into, and excel at demanding college preparatory high schools.

AAF Buffalo President Scott Bartels with Future Marketer Scholarship Recipient Anthony Liriano

During last October’s annual Advertising Week, AAF Buffalo hosted a career day for Buffalo Prep students, including Liriano. Participants visited Crowley Webb, Luminus and dPost to learn about the careers and services each company offers relative to the advertising and marketing industry. The week also included Mayor Brown’s Ad Week proclamation ceremony at City Hall, where AAF Buffalo announced the new Future Marketer Scholarship program. Liriano spoke at the event about his experience with the career day and what Buffalo Prep means to him.

In the fall, Liriano will attend the University at Buffalo and major in marketing and advertising. He one day hopes to start his own advertising agency.

Take a look at how the Future Marketer Scholarship came to be.

AdWeek

Buffalo Ad Week 2016: Focusing on the Future

October 20, 2016October 28, 2016Dan Nesselbush

By Erin Collins

It’s a time of evolution and revolution for AAF Buffalo, formerly the Advertising Club of Buffalo. A notion that rings clear after the conclusion of a successful Buffalo Ad Week.

Ad Week 2016 covered all the bases – we laughed, we learned, we lost, we cried. There was a little bit of fun, a little bit of seriousness; a nod to the old, and a salute to the new. We’re sad Ad Week’s over, but so happy it happened. See below for a recap of AAF Buffalo’s Ad Week 2016.

Monday – Buffalo Prep Student Day

14567445_10154011256375678_2224806609824080228_o On the first day of Ad Week, we suited up with 12 Buffalo Prep students to show them what a career in advertising is all about.

Visiting three agencies over the course of a day, the students gained a valuable snapshot of professional advertising. They first began at Crowley Webb, where they were introduced to the various roles of an ad agency and got a first-hand experience in working on a creative brief to create an ad for Milk Duds.

From there, the students headed across the street to Luminus Media where they were hired as interns for an hour. The group participated in a branding exercise to learn how a brand comes to life, and each was awarded an official certificate of completion.

The last stop was a few blocks down at dPost. There, the group toured the studios and spent some time in an editing suite to sample some of the great work dPost does.

At the end of the field trip-esque day, the students reflected on how their visits introduced them to careers in advertising they didn’t even know existed. Also announced as part of this event was a new scholarship, to be awarded to a Buffalo Prep student who will be studying advertising in college. The recipient will get $500 a year for four years, totaling $2,000 in scholarship funds. All in all, a nutty and knowledge-packed day.

Tuesday – Official Ad Week Proclamation; Meet Your Future: Pro Tips from AAF Buffalo

On the second day of Ad Week, Mayor Byron Brown gave to me (us)…. An official proclamation of Ad Week!

On Tuesday, AAF Buffalo president Scott Bartels, along with Buffalo Prep students and representatives, received a proclamation from Mayor Byron Brown declaring it Ad Week in Buffalo.

The Buffalo advertising industry collectively employs over 1,000 people, with annual wages exceeding $60 million. In addition, several advertising and marketing firms are either headquartered in or have recently announced plans to re-locate to the City of Buffalo. Said Byron Brown, “The advertising industry is helping to improve the quality of life of Buffalo residents, and adding to the economic development underway in our city. I am pleased to proclaim this week as Advertising Week in the City of Buffalo to recognize this important profession.”

Following the proclamation, four AAF Buffalo board members visited the University at Buffalo to answer panel questions from students studying in the fields of marketing and advertising. From awkward intern anecdotes to portfolio advice, students gained insight on how to market themselves for life after college. UB student and AAF Buffalo student liaison Daran Xu concluded his lessons learned, saying, “All the panels talked about the importance of networking with professionals. I learned that I have to push myself, get myself out of the comfort zone to talk to other people, to engage with other people. By internships and networking, I can learn more about the real world and what is really happening outside of school.”

Wednesday – Marketing Your Customers Want: The Alchemy of Content Marketing

Wednesday brought us marketing guru Zontee Hou at Big Ditch Brewery. Beginning with a familiar hypothetical – “Have you ever been sitting with a group of people, only to realize everyone but you is on their phone?” – Zontee explored ways to become the enthralling electronic advert that give those friends a reason to be glued to their screens. Filled with other real-world examples of her own work and that of her clients, she told a crowded room of creatives how to create a brand that meets high expectations and establishes loyalty. Teaching that content can be almost anything, how to use content marketing to subtly educate customers on your product, and ways to create a personality once-removed from your brand, Zontee’s talk kept her audience engaged and curious – a testament to her own success in the world of content marketing.

Thursday – Q&A: Quiz & Ale Trivia Night

slack-for-ios-upload Last but not least, Thursday provided AAF Buffalo members with a time to unwind with fun facts and friends at 12 Gates Brewery. Teams tested their knowledge on beer, advertising, and Buffalo sports trivia – with extra points being awarded to one member for singing the Armenian folk ditty of the Sabres (the ‘Sabre Dance’), and to another for remembering the obtuse inspiration behind Rene Lacoste’s crocodile logo (he lost a tennis match bet over a crocodile skin suitcase). The team of new connections and trivia champs went home with Buffalo-themed prizes, courtesy of Store716 and Martin Davison PR. And for the losing team, NOCO-branded koozies and keychains kept their spirits high.

Thank you to all of our sponsors for their generous support. All in all, this was one Ad Week for the books.

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We Got Cultured at Adtoberfest.

November 2, 2015October 28, 2016Dan Nesselbush

Workplace culture is incredibly important. It’s the difference between having a team full of Gary Go-Getters or a team full of Debbie Downers. That’s why we brought in Aaron McBride and Mark McKenzie from Brokaw, a Cleveland-based ad agency, to speak during Adtoberfest, our 2015 Buffalo Ad Week. Brokaw was named Ad Age Small Agency of the Year for Culture in 2013 and they also lay claim to being the world’s greatest ad agency, a title attributed to their sense of humor and SEO capabilities.

So what’s the secret to a small ad agency in Cleveland (practically Buffalo, just with LeBron James) getting recognized for their culture? According to Mark and Aaron it’s a simple two step approach.

Hire talented, self-motivated people who happen to be nice.

Let them create the culture.

Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? The beauty of that approach is that it isn’t complex and everyone has the opportunity to create a rockin’ culture. You want to be part of a team that wakes up every morning forgetting there is a snooze button on the alarm, don’t you?

The crutches

Of course their trip to Buffalo was more than dropping a two-sentence nugget of wisdom and a stop at their favorite rest area on the New York State Thruway (highlight video below).

Their story illustrated a simplified approach that arrived after the agency overcomplicated things and they caught themselves relying on some crutches many companies rely on such as:

FPAs (fancy-pants acronyms)
Gobbledygook phrases
Razzmatazz numbers (that video that got 4 million views from eastern Europe with no likes or comments – not truly a viral campaign!)

Known as a creative agency first and foremost, the overcomplicated approach wasn’t good for business. They took a step back and decided they needed to get back to the basics of what they knew and were good at. They focused on their creative approach rather than gimmicky pitches, fancy terminology, and a futuristic logo.

Build around the work

A fresh approach where they didn’t try to be all things to all people, which is something we’ve all done at some point, helped them create a culture that draws like-minded people looking to create great work and clients that want the kind of work they do. You know, probably the reason we all got into this field in the first place. By defining their strength and drawing a line in the sand of what they stand for, they turned things around. They got an award from Ad Age. They got great clients. They got projects they wanted to work on. They got a free trip to Buffalo. See, being true to yourself pays off!

A ping pong table and pictures of office dogs will only get you so far with your employees and customers. At the end of the day it’s about the work and the people creating the work. You know, the culture.

Bonus Materials

Missed the presentation and the post-talk shirt toss from the guys?

You can read more about Brokaw’s approach by downloading the handy guide they created to keep themselves in-check called How To Brokaw, or follow them on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Also, Mark and Aaron make up 50% of the sketch comedy group Last Call Cleveland – check out some of their work on YouTube.

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The Branding of the Bulls

October 21, 2015October 28, 2016Ad Club Of Buffalo 2 Comments

Blog post by Kyle Rogers

“Who do we want to be?”

That is a question UB’s Athletic Director Danny White has been trying to answer in his three years with our region’s largest university and a question he addressed in front of dozens of advertising pros at our Adtoberfest kick-off event.

You’ve likely heard about Danny’s strategic vision for the University at Buffalo, coined the “New York Bulls Initiative.” The vision, as explained by the AD, is to become the premier athletic department for the state of New York and bring big-time college athletics to the WNY community and the state at large.

Sure, some may see this as an attempt to rip UB’s deep roots from our community (a few joined us last night). But this is no deterrent for an innovative and progressive athletics director like Danny, who saw the potential in telling UB’s story on a national scale.

But what is UB’s story? What’s there to get recruits, fans, and donors excited?

How about:

Member of AAU (alongside big-time programs like UCLA, Michigan, Florida, Ohio State)
Largest/highest rated public university in the Northeast
Law, medical, dental, business and engineering schools all ranked Top 100 nationally
Over 220,000 alumni nationwide
$1.7 billion economic impact
Large market size with a regional population (WNY) over 2.5 million people

Danny White presents to Ad Club of Buffalo guests

Okay, that is pretty impressive. But how are you going to communicate that? And what are you trying to accomplish?

As White explained, “That’s the easy part. It took over 150 years to establish the University as a nationally-recognized research university and AAU member. Getting the word out? I’d say that’s a lot easier.”

White’s first moves were to establish a strategic vision including 4 pillars: Image, Partnerships, Resources and Facilities. Working with an impressive board of advisors and New Era Cap, the department developed a marketing and branding platform that included a new mark, a temporary signal of where the program is heading.

Content, Content, Content

UB’s creative department, built like a Big Ten school, ran with it and developed a brand that was exciting and sexy. The department developed professional level production facilities so the school can create its own video and web content to help tell the stories of UB student athletes while forming strategic partnerships with ESPN3 and media outlets across New York. A fully integrated approach that included paid, owned, earned and social media made waves across the region and across the alumni base.

Some of the early successes include shattering attendance records, record-breaking fundraising, 9,306 media mentions (ad value of $25.7 million), and three NCAA tournament appearances (UB had one before. Ever.) One of White’s proudest accomplishments? “We were the only school to go to Columbus for the NCAA regional and have the alumni pre-game party shutdown,” due to capacity attendance from excited fans that made the trip. Way to go Buffalo!

The Cal of the East

Despite these big wins, the #NYBI is still a work in progress. A great deal of question marks still remain about the long-term sustainability of the current mark, a unique game-day experience, and what the UB Bulls will ultimately be called. One interesting comment was about UB striving to become the “Cal of the East,” as a reference to the Berkeley campus of the University of California which is also the flagship of a comprehensive university system where the brands are essentially separated – academics often referred to as UC Berkeley while athletics are known as Cal.

On behalf of the Ad Club, we’d like to thank Danny for giving our club a peek at what it takes to elevate the brand of a major college athletics program as well as taking part in a great question and answer session!

“Branding the Bulls” was the kick-off to Adtoberfest: 2015 Buffalo Ad Week and continues with events Wednesday and Thursday: Adtoberfest: 2015 Buffalo Ad Week

AdWeek

Ad Week 2014 – Beer, Film & Design

November 10, 2014October 28, 2016Ad Club Of Buffalo

Trio_Image_Display
We kicked off Ad Week 2014 the only way we knew how: with an AdLab all about marketing in the Buffalo beer scene. The event was held on Tuesday night in front of a full crowd at Buffalo Iron Works, where our rock star panel included Nathan Arnone from Southern Tier Brewing Company, Ethan Cox from Community Beer Works, Tom McManus from KegWorks, and our moderator, Matt Davison from WNY Craft Beer Magazine.

Attendees listened and learned as the big names in local brewing shared stories, thoughts and insights from each of their unique perspectives. The colorful conversation ranged from the panel’s favorite beer ads to each of their individual approaches to marketing their products.

Our biggest takeaways:
• In a crowded marketplace, smaller brands can set themselves apart with personality and character
• The most important part of marketing is to start by building a great product
• To really connect with your customers, you need to speak their language
• And of course, everything seems a lot easier when the product you’re selling is beer

For our next event, we hosted a screening of the film Sign Painters at the Screening Room in Amherst. The film celebrates the history of hand painted signs, dating back 150 years.

From Los Angeles, CA to Syracuse, NY to Austin, TX, the film showcased sign painters of all skill levels and ages. It was once a thriving industry, most businesses had hand painted signs on their buildings and windows. That is until vinyl signs showed up. The industry shifted to a quicker, cheaper option. Lost was the quality, lasting impact of a hand painted sign.

While they say it is tougher to make a living now as a sign painter, they aren’t giving up on this art. Their knowledge and skills are being passed to a younger generation, teaching them the fine points of painting a sign.

Ad Week 2014 went out with a bang on Thursday as we were fortunate enough to hear from Pentagram designer, Jesse Reed from the design firm’s Manhattan office. Held downtown at The 9th Ward, Jesse’s presentation was jam-packed with examples of his work, photos, advice and humor.

A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Jesse started designing as a teenager and later graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, earning his Bachelor’s of Science in Design. He went on to work for MoMA as a junior designer and after placing first at an AIGA National Conference in 2011, he was hired as a designer by Michael Bierut, a partner a Pentagram.

With a long list of clients such as Bobby Flay, Saks Fifth Avenue, Penguin Press and the NYC Department of Transportation, Jesse’s work is seen every day by millions. Impressive, right?

Jesse concluded his presentation by sharing some simple yet important advice…
• Meet deadlines
• Be on-time
• Work with people you like
• Do things you may fail at
• Make everything up
• Be obsessed

Whether you’re a designer, writer or dog walker, do each of these and do them often.

Ad Week 2014 was a big success filled with insight, tips and a few cocktails. Big thanks to our panelists, moderator, hosts, guest speaker and attendees. You guys made each event a success and we appreciate the love.

AdWeek Events

Ad Week 2013 – From Reverse Mentoring to Questioning It All…

September 29, 2013October 28, 2016Ad Club Of Buffalo

Whoa! What a whirlwind week we had to close out September! Another Ad Week – generously sponsored by The Buffalo News – is officially in the books. And this year, we did not disappoint.

Hopefully you got as much out of it as we did. The panels and speakers were engaging and informative. And the crowds (thanks to you) were large and lively. If you ask us, that’s a great recipe for success.

In case you didn’t make it to all of the events, here’s a quick synopsis in short-bit Twitter form.

Tuesday: AdLab – Leadership at Every Level – In partnership with Performance Management Partners and Leadership Buffalo

We had a great crowd to kick off the Ad Week festivities and re-open another season of our popular AdLab series. All in attendance were very eager for a great discussion on reverse mentoring and how can generations work together.

As our AdLab offerings evolve, you’ll see more topics like this, which break from the typical marketing/communications topics and additionally explore leadership and best practices.

Throughout the year it should make for a nice mix of shop talk, but also bolster skills that will help us become more well rounded leaders in our field.

What we learned: Since anyone at any age or stage of their career can lead, there’s no reason to let generation gaps get in the way of good work. Leaders can emerge at any age or any level.

Wednesday: Social Media Coffee Talk with Craig Kanalley of the Buffalo Sabres

This Ad Week event was bright and early and had another great turnout. In conjunction with the Buffalo Niagara Partnership and the Social Media Club of Buffalo, the Ad Club hosted Buffalo Sabres Social Media Manager Craig Kanalley. Craig shared his story of being successful so quickly in the social media world, taking his talents from Buffalo, to Chicago, to New York City and now back to Buffalo.

What we learned: No matter how far you go or how successful you become, there’s always that chance to land your dream job back home. Craig did just that.

Thursday: The Golden Age of B.S. Bob Hoffman, author of The Ad Contrarian

%#$@ this was a great presentation! Pardon our French but some of Bob Hoffman’s passion rubbed off on us. He certainly didn’t disappoint the crowd by making us think about present-day advertising and shooting holes in commonly held beliefs.

What we learned: Bob believes it’s all B.S. The DVR hasn’t killed television advertising. Social media isn’t the be-all, end-all. Good creative still wins out in the end.

Friday: Ad Club After Hours

We raised a glass to a successful Ad Week at Lobby Bar at Statler City! Fun was had by all after what we believe was an invigorating and educational week.

What we learned: Every week should end with a Happy Hour!

We’ll see you at the next Ad Club event!

AdWeek Events

Great Mentoring Goes Both Ways

September 6, 2013October 28, 2016Ad Club Of Buffalo

AdLab: Leadership at Every Level (Because Great Mentoring Goes Both Ways)
Tuesday, September 24th
Templeton Landing, 2 Templeton Terrace, Buffalo
Cash Bar & Hors D’oeuvres @ 5:15 p.m. | Presentation @ 6 p.m.
Student Members: $5 | Members: $10 | Non-Members $25

RSVP Now >>

The wait is finally over. AdLab is back in action and this event is one that you won’t want to miss. We’ve teamed up with Leadership Buffalo and Performance Partners to explore how leadership happens at every level. We’ll hear from local Millennial Gen X/Yers, on the importance of letting the young guns in an organization champion new ideas or initiatives.

Let us explain a bit more. While the majority of us look up to the well-seasoned vets for their knowledge and expertise, a new trend called “Reverse Mentoring” is sweeping the industry. These vets have begun to look to the younger generation of advertisers for advice on key business objectives such as enhancing brand awareness through social media and digital spaces.

We’re certainly not discrediting the senior decision makers, but is 20+ years of experience required to take ownership of a project or come up with a great idea? We’re not convinced.

If all of this makes you a little uneasy, you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve called in some of the best in the biz to share their experiences, best practices and provide some insight on this important topic. RSVP today and join us Tuesday, Sept. 24th. We’re fairly certain it’ll be an enjoyable evening. Hey, you may even learn a thing or two!