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Events Students

RECAP: Portfolio Series Part 1

Lauren Carmer

Portfolio Series Part 1: Pro Panel Success. Several students and local pros spent their Saturday morning chatting about design, careers, and portfolio building on October 26th, 2019.

The annual AAF Pro Panel featured a diverse group of panelists this year, where they shared their stories and dropped their knowledge from both a student and professional perspective.

Tim Staszak, veteran designer at Block Club shared some of the awesome branding work he’s done during his career for local greats such as Big Ditch and Swan Street Diner. He shared a ton of practical advice, including knowing how to build a mechanical file (Not sure what that is? Ask your professor or design mentor to teach you).

Holly Norris, designer at White Bicycle showed us all to embrace our paths and oddities, because they make for interesting skills and memorable interviews. Fun Fact: Holly started her career as an obituary proofreader, and noted how the weird job made a mark with interviewers, and knowing how to proofread has made her a better designer. If you see her out in the wild, ask to see the portfolio book she designed to get the job she landed; it’s glorious.

We were thrilled to see a fully digital portfolio shared by 2019 portfolio review scholarship winner, Andrea LoPiccolo  Her previous motion design degree shows in the beautifully designed motion page on her website. She shared all kinds of tips and thoughts for how students might land an internship, job, or win the portfolio review. And shameless pat on our back: she said that AAF changed her life because of the connections she has made. Just sayin’… get your student membership here.

Many thanks to all who attended, it was a morning well-spent and we are grateful for the panel who took the time to share insights, as well as the students who committed their morning to furthering their design skills.

AdWeek Events Speaker Series

RECAP: KENI THACKER, SPOTLIGHT SPEAKER SERIES

Greg Pokriki

To help us rethink our approach to culture, Keni Thacker joined us on Thursday, October 10 to be our first presenter in this year’s Spotlight Speaker Series.

Taking a page from a Tina Turner classic, Keni began his talk by asking attendees, “What’s culture got to do with it?” The answer: everything. Culture has everything to do with diversity and inclusion. From there, Keni illustrated what diversity, culture, and inclusion mean for our industry and what we can do to be better.

The Intersectionality of Diversity, Culture, and Inclusion

He asserted that diversity is one of our biggest dilemmas in advertising, with people of color sharing only 30% representation in our industry. To combat that, Keni suggest you assess your pipeline and consider new ways to recruit employees.

Next, he described culture as a balance of learning, caring, purpose, and enjoyment. Keni urged companies and agencies to show your people you care. Take an active part in their lives and get involved in what your employees are doing, inside and outside of work.

Lastly, Keni discussed inclusion and what we could be doing to make people feel that they are a part of our organization. He encourages us to partake in team building exercise and give people experience they’ll never get anywhere else.

Food for Thought

To improve the advertising workspace, Keni recommended you think of diversity, culture, and inclusion as a constant, reflective process. Always look for ways to evolve and reexamine what you could do better. He also suggested that decision-makers take a stand. If you have a seat at the table, use your influence to include more voices and keep your company progressing.

Keni concluded his talk with an engaging Q&A session that left the audience with plenty of ways to consider how culture makes an impact.

AdWeek Events

Recap: Speed Networking

Greg Pokriki

After the success of last year’s inaugural event, we brought back Speed Networking for a repeat slot in the Ad Week event lineup.

On Wednesday, October 9, 20 people showed up to Resurgence Brewery on Chicago St., grabbed a drink, and casually sat down at tables across from one another for a series of one-on-one chats. One hour and 10 new business cards later, attendees lingered at the bar to continue conversations and discuss projects more in-depth.

This year we added a few new specialties to the mix, including video and analytics, as well as some new, non-agency companies. As time ran out on the final rotation, attendees continued to chat long after we concluded the “official” portion of the event (making it a solid success in our book since that’s the goal). 

Upset that you missed out on Speed Networking 2019? Keep your eyes peeled next Ad Week for the 2020 edition.

AdWeek Events

Top Buffalo ad professionals join AAF panel

Greg Pokriki

Last night, we hosted a panel event at Shea’s Smith Theatre comprised of some of the top names in the Buffalo advertising industry.

The panel included:
Jim Hettich, CEO, Crowley Webb
Zach Schneider, partner, Fifteen
Patrick Finan, co-founder and principal, Block Club
Carolyn Human, Carolyn Human Communications
Bill Patterson, VP/executive creative director, Gelia
Christine Dougherty, senior vice president and managing director, Mower

The panel answered audience questions on a wide range of questions.

On the RFP process

Many on the panel agreed on being picky when responding to RFPs, not just to manage staff time, but also to be realistic about what a future with that client would look like.

On retaining talent

Each panelist discussed maintaining a work/life balance for employees to increase happiness. They each prioritized transparency throughout the agency, to further empower employees. Some ideas like flexible scheduling, dogs in the office, and even an abroad residency program were discussed.

On making mistakes

Misspellllllings, tpyos, and human resource mistakes colored the past of each participant. The main emphasis was to learn from mistakes. Advertising and creative endeavors are inherently risky. Mistakes happen. Though inevitable, the key is to not repeat mistakes.

 

Ad Week isn’t over! We’ve got more events, including our Spotlight Speaker Series on Thursday.

Events Students

Fall Student Agency Tour

Greg Pokriki

On September 28, 2019, AAF Buffalo hosted its fall agency tour. Nearly 25 college students joined us as we strolled up Main Street visiting some of the top advertising agencies in the heart of downtown Buffalo.

Students learned about how agency departments work together to create high-impact campaigns, agency processes, and they picked the brains of some of Buffalo’s top talent. Not to mention, the weather couldn’t be better. 

The first stop was Crowley Webb led by Matt Lowe. Matt gave students a tour of Crowley’s newly renovated office space, a walk-through of their departments, and provided students with insight on getting started in the advertising industry. 

From Crowley Webb, this group of students made the trip across Main Street to Luminus. Tim Bouchard, former AAF Buffalo President, gave students a tour of the Luminus office. This was followed by an overview of the company’s history, their process for working with clients, and ended with showcasing a recent multifaceted campaign.

After Luminus came Mower. Sarah Neundorfer, Creative Director at Mower, led students on a tour through their beautiful office on the 13th floor with some great views of downtown Buffalo. Sarah provided insight into how their agency works with clients and between multiple Mower offices. Students asked questions on various aspects of advertising.  

Afterwards, students made their way to The Martin Group. This tour, led by Caitlin Higman, allowed students to see the various areas of Martin’s historic office building. As students ventured through three floors of historic greatness, they were able to see how different departments in their agency worked together to complete client work. 

Then, the short walk was made to dPost. Andy Donovan and Shannon Silva took students through dPost and dStudio. While viewing dPost, students had the chance to see the final touches being added to a 3D video for a client. In dStudio, students had the chance to see what a professional video production is made of and how various set pieces can be created within their space. 

The tour concluded at Block Club, which is just a stone’s throw away from dPost. Brian, co-founder of Block Club, talked about how the agency and Oxford Pennant were started and a bit of their journey to where they are today. Students toured toured through both offices and it ended with some Q&A at the Oxford Pennant storefront.  

The students were happy to participate in this event. They gained a lot of knowledge (and connections) from within the agencies and some even had the opportunity to turn in some resumes for future opportunities! 

Events

RECAP: ANNUAL MEETING 2019

Lauren Carmer

The 2019-2020 club year has begun! This year’s Annual Meeting was held last week on Wednesday, September 11 at The Saturn Club.

More than 40 returning and prospective members mingled before President Josh Gumulak kicked off the evening’s proceedings. After the introduction of new board members, the head of each committee gave the audience a taste of what to expect this club year.

We heard from the likes of:

  •         Paige Lamparelli on upcoming events and exciting new programs
  •         Ally Ruiz Balcerzak on how to become a sponsor and which membership is right for you
  •         Casey Kelly on how educational programs are back in session for students
  •         Greg Pokriki on where you can go to get the latest communications from the club
  •         Lauren Carmer on all things ADDYs and how the event will grow
  •         Alex Keogan on how your hard-earned dollars turn into epic member benefits

In case you missed it, get ready for more professional development and networking opportunities with returning favorites like AdWeek, the Spotlight Speaker Series, the student Portfolio Series, and the ADDYs.

To get access to member-exclusive events and special discounts, become a member today.

Events Stuff

Recap: The Big Tip-Off 2019

Lauren Carmer

The Big Tip-Off remains in tippity top shape.

Last week, we hosted our 9th annual “celebrity” bartending event, The Big Tip-Off. This popular event raised more than $5,000 for the AAF Buffalo Scholarship Fund, which supports the local advertising community by awarding local high school and college students annually.

The event featured several of Western New York’s advertising bigwigs behind the bar at Soho, competing against each other to see who could bring in the most tips. A record 205 advertising professionals attended and contributed tips to the bartenders. A special thank you to our celeb mixologists:

  • Tom Burtless (Mr. Smith)
  • Joe Russell (Crowley Webb)
  • Christopher D’Amato and Molly Christman (Block Club)
  • Allie Friedman (Mower)
  • Adam Bauer (FARM)
  • Marilynn Millitello (The Martin Group)
  • Jess Kobis (Luminus)
  • Shannon Silva (dpost)
  • Mike Christensen (Fifteen)
  • Todd Harmon (Quinlan)

The Buffalo News Smiles photographer was kind enough to stop by and capture the event.

Shout out to Crowley Webb, the big winners of the night, raking in the most tips!

See you all next year, folks!

Events

Recap: Jingle Bowl 2018

Lauren Carmer

It was a very successful Jingle Bowl this year on December 6th at Kenmore lanes. Sixteen teams dressed up in festive holiday sweaters and suits to spread some cheer while bowling for a cause.

Our bowlers showed their generosity, bringing food donations to support the Food Bank of Buffalo. Together, we collected nearly 500 pounds of food (496 pounds to be exact) to help feed hungry families in our community.

We want to thank Quinlan for sponsoring the event, as well as the other agencies who support this event by donating prizes for our best (and worst) bowlers. Thank you to Gelia, Crowley Webb and lloyd for all of your support!

We also had a few visitors to help release this year’s AAF Awards theme: Saints and Sinners! We can’t wait to see everyone for the show on March 1, 2019.

Happy Holidays!

AdWeek Blog Events Stuff

Recap: Speed Networking, Ad Week Edition

Lauren Carmer

Once upon a time, 90 percent of our events consisted of just showing up at a bar and chatting with people. Now, our events are focused around shared experiences, like industry speakers, skill-based lectures, and mentoring the next generation of advertisers. We love it, and based on those surveys we send you periodically, you seem to be on board too.

But we missed the freeform networking, and members from smaller companies started mentioning it’s hard to network at some of our largest events of the year. To top it off, it was becoming commonplace to hear someone ask a friend at the agency across the street, “Know of any freelancers looking for projects right now?”

Based on all that, we set out to do something about it. Cue the creation of Speed Networking: Ad Week Edition.

We had no clue if it would work. Networking is a love-hate relationship for a lot of people. But we knew the need was there, so we decided to give it a shot. If it flopped, then at least we could show up to the Member Appreciation party and say we tried. If it worked, well, that’s why there’s a colon built into the naming structure already.

On Wednesday, October 17th, 20 people showed up to Buffalo Distilling Co. down in Larkinville, grabbed a drink, and awkwardly sat down at tables across from one another. One hour and ten rounds of self-imposed networking later, attendees lingered at the bar to continue conversations and discuss projects more in-depth.

On paper, it looked like a success. Ten companies, including six agencies, sent familiar faces (at least to anyone who has interviewed in the local ad scene lately). And ten freelancers with skill sets ranging from copywriting to videography to media education brought their A-game and elevator pitches. No one quit halfway and dozens of business cards were passed across tables.

The real proof came a few days later, when emails and text messages started trickling in from participants on both sides, thanking us for hosting the event. Real business connections were made that night, and actual working relationships had begun as a result.

Keep an eye out for more Speed Networking events in the future. If you want to see a different match-up, (perhaps companies and agencies looking for students interested in internships) let us know.

AdWeek Blog Events Speaker Stuff

Recap: Eric Bodamer & Happy Hour

Lauren 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.