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ADDYS Blog

Our site is up for a Webby.

Ad Club Of Buffalo

The dust has barely settled from the scientific soirée that was our 2013 ADDY show, and the website promoting our event is already up for a Webby Award for Best Events Website. Exciting, right? The Webbys are the digital world’s highest honor and judged by industry experts, along with some of the world’s most powerful people. So the nomination is an honor in and of itself.

Created by Crowley Webb, the site carries the Science of Persuasion theme and includes little nuggets of fun for visitors looking for information on our ADDY show – including a neat comparative of past and present tools of the trade. Check it out here.

With the nomination, the site is also automatically up for a Webby People’s Voice Award. That’s where you come in. You can vote for the site right here. And be sure and spread the word to your social networks to help put this thing over the top. Come on Buffalo, we can do this.

Blog

Hot off the (digital) press!

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Final-MP-Logo

Written by ACB Sponsor: Dave Zalenski

Minute Print Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of a high-speed digital production press. As of December 2012, the Konica/Minolta 8000 has enhanced our production capabilities by offering an expanded range of colors and more accuracy to your projects’ original designs. Thanks to its unique ink-to-stock fusing technique, greater contrast levels will enhance your intended design.  Our new press can provide you with a wide range of paper options as well, producing materials on 50# offset stock up through 16-point board stock.  The equipment comes with complete industry certification to meet industry color reproduction standards (G7 Gracol Color), and reflects our commitment to providing our customers with printed materials that live up to their original specs, creative vision and expectations.

The Konica/Minolta 8000’s scanning densitometer allows us to target specific colors – PMS in particular – and gives us the ability to match them with a closer approximation to process colors than ever before. This is a great feature for accounts that require specific color consistency for corporate branding– an impressive ability which influenced our decision to invest in it.

More than just a copy shop, Minute Print is a full-service print facility. We offer small- to medium-sized digital press runs (up to 5000 pieces competitively), as well as in-house offset printing.  We also offer a wide range of finishing services, creative approaches and technical solutions to enhance your design.

I hope you’ll consider using Minute Print for your upcoming projects, where we’re proud of both our upgraded facilities and our reputation for providing print solutions with your budget in mind.  With 27 years of printing business experience behind us, Minute Print truly is a “Time Honored Print Solution Provider.”

Contact Dave at DZalenski@minuteprint.net

Dave Zalenski
General Manager
Minute Print Inc.
3774 Harlem Road
Buffalo, NY 14215
P: 716.834.1895

AdVENTising Blog

Do you really need to send out RFPs?

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Written by Member: Rick English

So you’re a small to mid-size advertiser and you need to hire a marketing communications firm––an ad agency. Easy. You send out a Request-for-Proposal to the dozens of agencies in the Buffalo/WNY phonebook(s). This assumes you still use a phonebook. Or you went to the Business First List. Stop! This is not New York, LA or Chicago. If you’re a good marketing manager, you should know by now who the shops are that can provide you with services clever enough to solve whatever problem you have. The most valuable product agencies have is their ability to sit and listen to what your challenges are, propose and discuss alternative paths and then creatively execute solutions. That doesn’t come out in responding to an RFP.

And whatever you do, don’t ask shops you’re considering to respond in an RFP how they would approach your project. Until senior agency staff members have had in-depth conversations with you about your situation, how could they possibly provide a meaningful response? Furthermore, 35 years of hard experience on both client and agency sides says most clients don’t really know what their problems are. A key skill good agencies bring to the table is their ability to define the client’s problem. It’s a skill most client-side people just don’t have.

Screw the RFP. Go talk to a few shops. If you don’t know any, ask around town who the good shops are. Talk to similar size companies about who they’ve had experience with. And accept that there are only three things you need to know about an advertising agency.

▪ Do you like the work they’ve done for their clients? If you personally like their work, you know that the agency can do work for you that you’ll be proud of.

▪ Do you respect the clients and brands they represent? If they are working for companies that you can recognize and respect, then they can do work for you. If you like the work but have never heard of any of their clients, keep looking.

▪ After having met them and discussed your issues and marketing communications in general, do you like them? Great work comes from great relationships and lots of collaboration. You’re going to spend a lot of time with your new agency. You better be able to get along with them.

Two other points. If an agency brags that they have never lost a client, don’t take that as a positive. It just means they haven’t been around very long.
Finally, don’t ask them how much they’re going to charge for everything. If they don’t know what the problems are, they can’t know what to do or how much to charge. A good shop will have smart people that you can trust. They’ll work with you to develop a budget strategy.
If you work for a company or institution that absolutely requires that RFPs go out, don’t let that stop you from sitting down and talking to some good shops prior to sending the RFPs. They won’t mind and you’ll learn a lot that will stay with you regardless of who you ultimately select.

Blog

Year in summary

Ad Club Of Buffalo

If you’re reading this, then…CONGRATULATIONS, we made it.  Silly Mayans.

Here’s a quick Club update as we turn the page on 2012.  While only a few months in as president, I must say that I am enjoying my new role very much.  Thanks to everyone including the board for the continued support.

I’m happy to report that our membership numbers are strong and the composition of our membership provides a wonderful balance of agencies and client side professionals, strategists and creatives, photographers, writers, students and more.

Regular attendance at our events seems to be as high as it’s been in recent years.  THANK YOU!  It’s great to see the many familiar faces as well as new professionals coming out to network, learn and just be involved.

Support in blogs and social media continues to help elevate our awareness.  Overall feedback has been great but I still encourage everyone to share any additional thoughts they may have on how we can continually improve and make the Club even better.

In looking to next year, we will continue to bring great events and programming to our Club members.

AdLab will pick back up in February and will offer a great selection of topics throughout the Spring.  UberBowl will return for its fourth appearance on February 4, and will provide a revamped and fun format.  The finishing touches are already underway to help our student members and emerging designers at Portfolio Review in April.

Tricia Barrett and Jason Yates are leading the charge for what’s sure to be an exceptional Addy’s show, and the team at Crowley Webb is working diligently to put a creative, yet scientific, concept on display at the show on March 15 at the Buffalo Science Museum.

Apart from the above “regularly scheduled programming,” we’re working on bringing in another national speaker in 2013, and we’re always tossing around additional ideas for something fun to do.  Stay tuned.

Finally, and most importantly, on behalf of the Ad Club Board of Directors, I’d like to extend best wishes to each of you for a safe and happy holiday season.

All the best,

Charlie Fashana

Blog Events

Twas 2 weeks before Christmas

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Written by board member: Shannon Fisher

Twas 2 weeks before Christmas and all through the bar,

Board members hoped friends would come from near and far

The Food Bank barrel was placed by the front door with care

In hopes that food donations soon would be there

Members started arriving with colleagues and friends

While visions of cold drinks danced in their heads

Some from ad agencies and some from PR

Had just settled in for a long open bar

When what to our wondering eyes should appear

But a full barrel of food long before the end of the night was near

With members and friends always giving their all

We knew in a moment they had answered the call

On soup! On pasta! On tuna fish!

On food upon food to fill many a dish!

The night was great, everyone had a blast

The only complaint we heard was it went by too fast

And we heard them all say before they drove out of sight

Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!
Food Bank of WNY

“Thanks to the generosity of our members, the Ad Club donated 179 pounds of food, $100 cash and $50 in TOPS gift cards (donated by Pat McCarthy http://patmccarthyphotography.com) to the Food Bank of Western New York. Special thanks to: Jenemy Juhasz and Polla Milligan from the Food Bank; Arielle Blanchard for event planning and April Chmurzynski for event creative. Cheers!”

Blog

Ad Club of Buffalo Panel Recap ~ Being [and Building?] Your Own Brand

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Written by ACB Member: Liam O’Mahony
November 27, 2012

Most people can quickly deliver their organization’s elevator speech when prompted, but what is your response when asked what “your brand” entails?

Tuesday night’s Ad Lab presentation by the Advertising Club of Buffalo featured a panel of local creative executives, entrepreneurs and brand leaders exploring the topic of “Being Your Own Brand.” Nearly 70 members and guests turned out at Templeton Landing along the downtown waterfront to network and participate in the multi-layered discussion on the ever-expanding (and expounding) industry narrative on branding in the congested, comprehensive digital age of sharing personal content.

The panel consisted of Jordan Hegyi (Owner of Riveter Design), Warren Stanek (Owner, Warren Stanek Photo), Patrick Finan (Founder of Block Club & City Dining Cards) and Jeff Pappalardo (Creative Director at Crowley Webb).

Ad Club President Charlie Fashana did a great job of moderating and keeping the discussion on track concerning the pros and cons of personal branding and summarized key points from last month’s Wall Street Journal article on co-branding between employees and their companies (“Your Employee Is an Online Superstar. Now What Do You Do?).

While Fashana noted the four major steps in personal branding ~ development, creation, communication and maintenance, the panelists agreed that personal branding, whether or not it is supplemented or supported with social media outlets, relies on consistent performance, your developing portfolio, trust and your ensuing reputation. Furthermore, being true to yourself and projecting passion for your profession will always go a longer way than any excessive, engineered self-promotion. Fashana recommended trying the “three-adjective test” to describe your brand and then test it out on others to see if it translates clearly.

Read the rest of the recap on Liam’s Blog

Blog

Coats. Coffee. Caring.

Ad Club Of Buffalo

The Ad Club wants you to show your sweet side – help Sweet_ness 7 keep our West Side neighbors warm this winter.

blog by: Wendy Reynolds, Copywriter, 3rd Learning

We all do it. As the temperature drops, we all root through our closets and figure out what needs to be replaced, what’s been outgrown, and “what the hell was I thinking when I bought THAT?” We all bag it up, promising ourselves that we’ll drive to Goodwill and drop it off. And then, the bag sits in the back of the closet, forgotten. This year, instead of forgetting, let’s remember there are families – neighbors – in our area that can really use what we no longer need.

This week, instead of shoving that bag in the closet, put it in your car. Drive it to work and add it to a collection box in your office. And on Friday, October 26, have a few volunteers from your office drop it all off at Sweet_ness 7’s Grant Street or Parkside locations in support of their efforts to help the West Side immigrant community. They will distribute the clothes to the people who need them. (And you’ll have a clean closet.)  Have a cup of coffee there with your coworkers — and know you did a great thing for some neighbors in need, and a great thing for a great Buffalo business.

Blog Events

The Big Tip-Off Pays Off Again

Ad Club Of Buffalo

The second annual Big Tip-Off event helped raise serious cash for our scholarship fund again this fall. Several generous Buffalo agencies, businesses and individuals came out to tip their favorite bartenders and support a good cause. This year’s Advertising Club of Buffalo media sponsor The Buffalo News helped kick-off the event with their support and then the tipping began.

  
Checkout the rest of the Buffalo.com recap here for all the details.
The Big Tip Off brings in big bucks – PHOTOS

blog by Kathryn Przybyla

Anytime we get to dress up in Buffalo.com hipster glasses and splatter paint t-shirts is a good time.

Katie and I had a great time playing “co-guest bartenders” for the The Big Tip Off at Encore on Tuesday. Although neither of us had ever poured a real drink or bartended in our lives, we were definitely up to the challenge.

Overall, $2,875 was raised in tips with all of the proceeds benefiting the Ad Club of Buffalo scholarship fund. Although we tried our hardest, team Buffalo.com did not end up the winning bartenders. But we were thrilled to have added some assistance to the money raised.

Larry Robb, owner and CEO of SKM Group, ended up raising an incredible $816 and was presented with an awesome trophy and bragging rights for the night. Greg Meadows, Vice President and Creative Director at the Martin Group came in second place with an impressive $547 raised. Sandy Gingerich, Senior Partner and Director of Client Services at Eric Mower, rounded up the top three with $530 raised in tips.

Big thanks to all the hardworking bartenders for raking in the cash for a good cause! We hope to see you all again next year to challenge the returning champs SKM Group.


Blog Events

Stuff Aaron Draplin Says

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Aaron Draplin

So who is this large man coming to speak here in Buffalo? Get a little more insight into Aaron Draplin from his interview on the Adventures In Design podcast, or one of the youTube videos that have gotten him a cult following:

Why America is Fucked.

Advice For the Young Designer

Trinkets and Treasures

Check out his website, or come meet him in person next week and see what else he has to say.

Aaron Draplin: “Tall Tales from a Large Man”
A Part of Ad Week 2012
October 11 | Pearl Street Grill & Brewery | 76 Pearl Street, Buffalo
Cash Bar, Hors D’oeuvres and Mingle with Aaron @ 7 p.m. | Presentation @ 8 p.m.
Get Your Tickets Now >

Blog

Quinlan & Co Give Back with an App Giveaway

Ad Club Of Buffalo

Quinlan App Give Back

By Board Member Elizabeth Chatterton AdLab Co-Chair

It’s no secret that advertising professionals possess valuable skills, talents and connections. To use those aforementioned abilities to wow clients, drive sales, and increase business is a wonderful thing – and when you have the time and occasion to use them to help the community as well, it’s nothing short of incredible.

To celebrate 25 great years as a Buffalo advertising agency, the extremely generous folks at Quinlan & Company [www.quinlanco.com] have decided to give back to their city – and they need you to be involved as well.

With an exceptional “tradigital” advertising team in-house, Quinlan has decided to build a custom app that they will graciously give away to a local nonprofit for FREE.

Yep, that’s right – for FREE.

They know what they want to do, and they have all of the right people to do it –  they just need the right recipient. That’s where you come in.

Nominate your favorite nonprofit organization & help us spread the word!

Take these 3 simple steps and you too can make a BIG difference for a local charity or organization:

  1. Visit quinlanco.com/appgiveback
  2. Register online and nominate your favorite nonprofit
  3. Click submit

Once you have your nomination in, make sure to tell your friends!

Nominations will be accepted through October 7th and voting will begin Sunday, October 14th.

For the official rules, just click here

We love to spread the word when our ACB members are doing great things in the community. If you’re a member and would like to share your story on the ACB blog please contact Terri Swiatek at tswiatek@traverscollins.com about becoming a guest blogger.