ADDYS Events Students

2024 American Advertising Awards Recap – Camp Wannawinanaddy

Before we get into the whole “camp” of it all, we just gotta say: the dedication and passion from everyone who put this show together was nothing short of inspiring. Oftentimes in our industry, things can get cliquey and competitive, politics get in the way of partnerships… it’s a thing. We get it. It happens. And yes, Mr. Smith Agency, dPost, and the AAF Buffalo Board had a beautiful camp romance, but we went into this show truly wanting to make Camp Wannawinanaddy a place where we all get together and celebrate each other no matter what “cabin” you’re in. Too kumbaya? F*ck you! (Better?) But we really did wanna make the best damn show we could for everyone because we love what we do, we love what you do, and because great work deserves to be celebrated. Period. Okay, now onto the show…

Nestled amongst the Villa Maria Forest, Camp Wannawinanaddy opened for its 2024 Winter Session (although, at 60º, we hardly needed our long johns).

After months of build-up and anticipation, campers filed in by the dozens and received their final Wannawinanaddy collector pins. Decked out in shorts, flannel, and sleeping bags (we even spotted a few visitors from neighboring Camp Crystal Lake), we were treated to s’mores, PB&J’s, and coolers filled with “Mommy & Daddy drinks.” After a few hugs and “Hello’s,” Camp Director Tony ushered us from Registration, up through Brand Rapids, and into Camp Wannawinanaddy.

Once inside, Camp Creator, Frank Cappola, treated everyone to a gorgeous landscape that set the tone for a spectacular show. Our Camp Counselors, Mary, Lindsay, and Evan, kicked off the evening and we got right into the awards. It was a show that saw us celebrate tons of fellow campers for their year of hard work and creative results—including junior camper, Jennifer Lay, who took home Student Best of Show! And we honored some extra special bunkmates: Dre LoPiccolo (Future Star), Kyle Rogers (Joe Crowley Award for Service), and Crista Pfahler (Levy-Osborn Excellence in Communication). We had a sing-along, tug-of-war, there was a raccoon and a bear… it was campin’ good time.

Crowley Webb’s haul shined as bright as the stars above, taking home a truly impressive 40 awards. But smaller shops won big too – especially Abbey Mecca, taking home golds, the Mosaic Award, and Best of Show for their work with The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, “Two Wars: The Road to Integration.”

We’re clearly partial but this night felt like some good clean fun. And for as much as we wanna win an addy, we also wanna celebrate our friends and colleagues. Congrats to all the winners—we hope you had fun. If you wanna relive the evening, click here for the entire run-of-show or here for the full gallery.

(and it’s worth mentioning again… this show would not have happened without the massive support and guidance from Tracy Rozler at Villa, Shannon Silva, and Frank Cappola. A shout-out to all long-hours from the judges, Anibal, Chris, and Lauren. And one again to Mr. Smith for the theme and branding, the site, assembling awards, compiling the showbook… and dPost for writing the show, doing the reels, making some killer videos, and logistic-ing like you wouldn’t believe.)

ADDYS Events Students

2023 Jingle Bowl

The Martin Group winning team holding the golden pin.

It was the yearly unveiling of the American Advertising Awards theme, amidst agencies vying for the coveted golden pin, a plethora of donated food and cans, and one agency emerging triumphant in the end.

Crowley Webb, The Martin Group, dPost, Mr. Smith, Mower, FARM, Luminus and more gathered for an incredible night of bowling at Manor Lanes. So, who took the golden pin home? The Martin Group—congrats! 

Attendees donated to FeedMore WNY upon entering the event. Together, we collected 208lbs of non-perishables to help feed a total of 173 families in our community. Let’s go, Buffalo!

The grand finale of the night was a camp counselor’s dream revealing 2024’s American Advertising Awards theme: Camp Wannawinanaddy. For the first time ever, two agencies are collaborating to put on a show night that campers will never forget—dPost and Mr. Smith Agency! We can’t wait to see their ideas come to life.

Thank you to all who came to donate to a good cause and helped us spread some holiday cheer. We’re wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year!

The outside of Manor Lanes bowling alley.

Events Speaker Speaker Series Students

2023 Spotlight Speaker: Nihilo

As part of the 2023-2024 Spotlight Speaker series, AAF Buffalo was glad to welcome the creators of branding agency Nihilo, Emunah Winer and Margaret Kerr-Jarrett.

At Nihilo, Emunah and Margaret work with first-to-market and founder-led companies to build a unique and creative identity using their expertise across brand strategy and visual and verbal brand identities. 

Some of the key takeaways:

  • The principle of “creatio ex-nihilo” – creating something from nothing – is a challenging standard to live up to in today’s world. Giving yourself space to imagine bigger, to allow an idea that challenges preconceived standards to enter the picture, is worth pursuing. And they have found a great niche with Nihilo serving many first-to-market and founder-led companies seeking a unique brand identity to grow from.
  • Emunah and Margaret showcased several projects where they told stories through the lens of the hero’s journey. Not just advertising a product or service, but putting their target customer front and center, telling their story – and how the product or service makes an impact for them.
  • Respect your customers enough to know that they’ll “get it.” You don’t always have to spell out exactly everything you do. Honor the people who you’re for. They’ll understand the stories and the messaging you’re communicating and the value within that advertising.
  • Taking your work seriously doesn’t always mean making serious work – like the illustration for Giggly tonics pictured below, featuring a wonderful unicorn named Goldy.

Thanks to Emunah and Margaret for making the trek to Buffalo to join us, and thank you to our sponsor Crowley Webb as well as all in attendance who joined for this inspiring conversation.

AdWeek Events Students

RECAP: ADWEEK

ADWEEK always holds a special place in our hearts and is a week we always look forward to from the planning and preparation all the way to the night of and the stories and connections made that we get to hear about after. With a variety of events, all in one week, you’re bound to attend one (if not all!). This years ADWEEK, sponsored by Basis Technologies, included a returning fan favorite of course and a few new ones that are sure to make an appearance in 2024. Dig into the details below!

Stephen Gabris taking a headshot photo

ADWEEK Day 1: Headshots & Hops
Fresh off a massive Bills win against the Dolphins, AAF set up shop in the lobby of Seneca One to celebrate Victory Monday with Buffalo Advertising’s best game faces.

The Headshots & Hops event is one of the year’s favorites; a chance to network and drink and update our LinkedIn profile pics with something way better than your onboarding photo from seven years ago. 

While we chatted and clinked our pint glasses, Stephen Gabrus was on tap with some impressive glass of his own. This dude came prepared with multiple setups and gave everyone two different badass photos; one super professional neat & clean pic with traditional 3-point lighting (this is the one you show your parents and CEOs) and one rad multi-colored statement piece for the creative in all of us (this is the one you show everyone else).

Headshots & Hops was an awesome time and AAF Buffalo brought a whole new meaning to mugging for the camera. If you missed this event, you missed a good one – don’t sleep on it next year.

ADWEEK Day 2: Internship Skillshop
We spent AdWeek Day 2 at Riveter listening to a rockin’ panel share advice on landing internships. We heard from a variety of professionals including:

  • Jordan Hegyi, Partner + Creative Director at Riveter Design
  • Natalie Ryan, Account Manager at The Martin Group
  • Makenzie Fintak, Buffalo State Class of 2020 Grad + Fellowship Participant at White Bike
  • Dora Jones, Talent Acquisition Sourcing Specialist at Univera Healthcare
  • Moderator Noah Herman, AAF Buffalo Education Chair, Adjunct Professor of Graphic Design at Daemen, and freelance UX Designer 

Our panel spoke to an audience of nearly 30 students and ad professionals, giving everyone insight into finding—and succeeding at—internships in the marketing and advertising world. After an evening of great questions and conversation, attendees left with some important advice in their back pockets:

  • Know who you’re talking to—research the company and their work, along with the person who’s interviewing you.
  • Paid or unpaid isn’t everything—weigh the benefits of each including the experience you’ll get and the connections you’ll make.
  • Google yourself—because employers will too!
  • Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date—this is the first place employers will reference.
  • Have someone you’re comfortable going to with concerns—this doesn’t have to be your direct boss, but open communication with a colleague makes a big difference.

Here’s to our attendees landing some awesome internships in the future!

ADWEEK Day 3: Spelling B-e-e

“Kerning”…“Procrastinate”…“Lithography”

The first documented spelling bee in the United States took place in 1825, in a small town in Kentucky, organized by teachers as a way to promote literacy and education.

The first-ever AAF Buffalo Spelling Bee took place in 2023, pitting five contestants from the Western New York advertising community under the spotlight at Cole’s on Elmwood Avenue.

Ryan Weatherbee, content developer at Crowley Webb, came in as a highly touted speller and led off the order of participants. Scott Bartels, past AAF Buffalo President and senior digital product manager at KeyBank, returned to the club to join the festivities of AdWeek. AAF Buffalo VP of Communications Chelsea Carney joined the Spelling Bee along with her White Bicycle Colleague, brand strategist Jillian McGarry. Rounding out the competitors was Renee Helda, Senior Art Director at Mr. Smith Agency.

“Liaison”…“Minuscule”…“Advisable”

A challenging slate of opening words led to Weatherbee bowing out of the competition first, shortly followed out by Bartels.

“Optimization”…“Geotargeted”…“Analytics”

A few words for the competition drew inspiration from our 2023 AdWeek sponsor, Basis Technologies, a digital media automation and intelligence company.

“Celebration”…“Restaurant”…“Receipt”

Some more familiar words led to a fast back-and-forth as McGarry, Carney, and Helda took their turns in swift succession.

“Chautauqua”…“Scajaquada”

An interjection of some of the hardest-to-spell words from across the Buffalo region caught the contestants off guard, leading to McGarry’s elimination and leaving Carney and Helda in a one-on-one for the championship.

“Luxurious…“Lucrative”…“Succinct”

The hard-fought battle lasted longer than 60 words, but in the end, Renee Helda took home the title of Spelling Bee Champion when Chelsea Carney spelled “transformative” wrong in sudden death. Let’s just say that the stage has been set for the ultimate redemption in 2024.



ADWEEK Day 4: American Advertising Awards Q & A
On Thursday, October 5th, AAF Buffalo closed out AdWeek with an American Advertising Awards Q & A over at dPost.

Eager pros looking to shine this award season showed up and our seriously insightful panelists answered the community’s burning questions about the submission process, show night, and more.

 Here’s who sat on the panel:

  • Caroline Buchas (past AAF Buffalo President, Digital Operations Manager at Catholic Health)
  • Chelsea Carney (2x past Awards Chair, Senior Designer at White Bicycle)
  • Lindsay Neilson (current and past Awards Chair, Art Director at Mr. Smith Agency)
  • Adina Delmar (past Awards Chair, Senior Account Manager at Crowley Webb)

Emcee, Evan Pease (board member, Director of Post Production at dPost) kept the questions flowing for about an hour – sharing FAQs and taking live questions from the crowd.

The night ended with a bit of post-panel conversation, and attendees left with much more confidence leading up to the awards.

If you couldn’t make the event or have more questions as you start getting your entries in line, please send your questions to addyhelp@aafbuffalo.com. We’d love to help!

Submissions are now open and our biggest piece of advice to those entering is to start early! The platform automatically saves your work and won’t be entered for judging until you click “submit” so you can do a little here and there!

And no, the theme for the beloved AAF Buffalo American Advertising Awards was not revealed at this event. Our lips are sealed ’til Jingle Bowl on that one. 

Special thanks to our sponsors, @basistechnologies and @dpost.studio for this event and a huge thank you to everyone who came out for AdWeek. It wouldn’t have been the same without you!

Make sure to plan for 2024 ADWEEK in early October!

Announcements Blog Latest News

We’re Back-to-Back Champs!

At the beginning of the 2019-2020 club year, we made it a Board goal to build off of last year’s momentum and bring home back-to-back Club of the Year awards.

Well, fellow advertising/marketing/communications friends, we did it! AAF Buffalo is officially the 2020 Division 2 AAF Club of the Year, and President Josh Gumulak is President of the Year. 💪

This year, AAF National restructured the Club Achievement Awards, condensing the total number of categories down from eight to five. In addition to Club of the Year, AAF Buffalo also won awards in all five categories

  • Club Operations (first place)
  • Cornerstone Initiatives and Events (first place)
  • Membership Development and Communications (first place)
  • Programs (second place)
  • Public Service (first place)

While the long-form award submissions are crafted by members of the AAF Buffalo Board, the content we write about wouldn’t exist without the dedication and participation of our members — aka you and the Western New York advertising community.

via GIPHY

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years, attended events in the middle of snowstorms, and filled out a post-event survey to give us feedback on ways to enhance the member experience. You’re the reason our award submissions always max-out the page limit and include new, unique details year-over-year.

With that said, it’s time for us to go celebrate offline. Enjoy your summer and be sure to keep an eye out for announcements about membership renewal and next club year’s event plans!

Advice Board Stuff

How the Ad Club Changed My Life (And How It Could Change Yours)

I want to preface this story by telling you that the headline you just read is not one of those over-sensationalized clickbait headlines designed to draw you into an article that won’t live up to the promise of its title. It’s not my attempt to “sell” anyone on the Ad Club. This is a 100% true story — my story — of how the Ad Club of Buffalo changed my life, and how I honestly believe it could change yours too.

—–

In February of 2014, the Ad Club sent out an email to all active members saying that they were in need of a new treasurer to join the board of directors. Anyone was welcome to apply.

I was working at Quinlan at the time when the email hit my inbox, and after opening it to briefly consider its contents, I moved it out of my inbox and into the archive folder. It couldn’t have been 5 minutes later that Frank Conjerti walked into my office.

“Did you get that email from the Club?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said sheepishly, knowing what he might say next.

“I think you should do it.”

Frank was the one who had introduced me to the Ad Club in the first place and encouraged me to start showing up for monthly AdLabs. I knew immediately after attending my first event that I wanted to get more involved and eventually join the board, but I was only 2 months removed from turning 24 at the time, and I was fairly certain that I had no real shot at becoming treasurer given my relative inexperience and lack of connections.

I explained these concerns to Frank, but he wasn’t having any of it. He was already a board member at that point and was planning to run for the position of secretary in a few months. He convinced me that I’d have a shot at making it, if for no other reason than the fact that treasurer was seen as a boring job, and not many other people were interested in the responsibility.

Over the next month, I had conversations with Charlie Fashana and Scott Bartels, the president and treasurer at the time, respectively. They both gave me the same advice: Go for it. What I lacked in experience, I could make up for with passion and ambition, and the Club is always looking for eager hard workers to join the board regardless of age or experience level.

Frank and Scott went to bat for me at the next board meeting, telling the rest of the crew that I’d be a good candidate for the job. Everyone else must have been asleep or not in attendance that night, because I came to work the next day to find out that I was the next treasurer of the Ad Club.

Here’s me and Frank, celebrating like dweebs.

[responsive] Corey and Frank[/responsive]

—–

Over the course of the next year, I took on as much work and responsibility for the Club as I could reasonably handle (and sometimes maybe a little more than I could handle). Scott’s inaugural advice to me upon becoming treasurer was to do as much or as little as I wanted with it. The board was an infinite sandbox of possibilities, and he told me I’d get as much out of it as I put in.

I took his advice to heart and jumped in wherever possible. The Club had an ambitious schedule and plenty of work to go around, so  I was able to help with planning events, writing copy, sending emails, building web content, and a whole host of other tasks that I might not have been able to do at my day job. It gave me a creative outlet where I could comfortably learn new skills and try new things without the fear of losing clients over a cheesy email subject line.

By day, I was an account executive, but by night I was extremely restless. Not so much with my job, but with my entire career path. Was managing clients something I wanted to do forever? Or at least for a long time? Was I truly fulfilling my career dreams? I had no idea. But when I needed it the most, the Ad Club was there for me. It offered me a chance to explore new territory and talk to people from all different walks of advertising and marketing life.

I was also given a tremendous support system to show me the ropes and teach me how to be an effective board member. My first year on the executive board put me in the company of Frank Conjerti, Katie Briggs, and Scott Bartels — secretary, vice president, and president of the board. And in my second year, I had the pleasure of working with Matt Low and Dan Nesselbush in addition to Scott (who is never leaving the Club). I couldn’t have asked for better people to learn from, and over time, I grew to be good friends with all of them.

In fact, I grew to be friends with many of the folks I met through the Ad Club. Which brings me to the next part of my story.

—–

I don’t think there is a single thing about the Club that changed me more than the people. Getting involved with the Ad Club gives you the opportunity to meet and connect with so many people that you wouldn’t otherwise spend time with. Local celebrities, creative directors, agency owners, freelancers, photographers, designers, media planners, in-house marketers, CEOs, college students… again, you get out of it what you put into it.

As a young advertising executive, I absolutely ate this up. I talked to as many people as I could, but more importantly, I built relationships with the people I was lucky enough to call my colleagues. I sought out others who seemed to share my same sensibilities, and I quickly found people who transcended the work sphere of networking and business cards to become my real friends.

Spending as much time working with people as I spent with my fellow board members is a real exercise in team-building. You’d be hard-pressed to plan an event as big as the ADDYs and not share some good times with your colleagues along the way.

Being a part of the Club was more than just work for me; it was actually fun. Whether we were fiercely debating new events, packing hundreds of ADDYs entries into envelopes, or kicking field goals for Ad Week videos, I enjoyed every second of my time with the Club.

Here’s me in front of a goofy sign, being a total dweeb:

[responsive]Corey and a sign[/responsive]

If life is about the people you surround yourself with, then you won’t be disappointed with what the Club has in store for you. There are some really great people out there, probably people just like you, and the only way you’ll ever get to know them is by showing up and getting involved.

—–

So let’s get back to me for a second. This is my story, after all.

By the time my second year on the board rolled around, I had already parted ways with Quinlan (ugh, what a millennial) in favor of a Digital Media Director position with the Mac Groups. In this new role, I was producing content, promoting websites, and directing strategy on an everyday basis. And I couldn’t have gotten there without the Club. As I said earlier, the Ad Club was the place where I was able to hone these new skills and make myself a better, more employable worker.

The restlessness didn’t go away though. I still spent my nights wondering if I was missing out on something more. And then a new opportunity presented itself. I was able to start a new agency, Blue Oak Marketing, where I would have full control of my own destiny and the ability to take on any project I wanted. It was the answer to all the sleepless nights I’d had, and it was something I’d always dreamed of doing but never thought I’d be ready for.

I say this with full, unwavering confidence: I never would have done any of that without the Ad Club. When I was most lost and looking for answers, I found solace in my colleagues at the Club. When I had new ideas that needed confirmation, I’d bring them to meetings with me and run them by other committee members. And when I knew what I wanted to do, but thought it just might be too crazy to achieve, I sought advice from some of my closest confidants on the board and found the confidence to take a risk.

So let’s recap the ways the Ad Club has changed my life so far: it helped me build marketable job-related skills that led to a new position, it offered guidance at one of the rockiest times in my career, it gave me the confidence and support to follow my dreams and start a new agency, and it has introduced me to a handful of people that I now consider close friends.

That’s not enough for you? Ok, let’s talk about this next part then.

—–

In June of 2016, I left the Ad Club of Buffalo, and the city of Buffalo, maybe forever. Whoa. Chill for a second. Buffalo will always be my first home, and of course I’ll be back to visit, but I don’t know if I’ll ever live there again.

Over the past year, I met a girl who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, started one of these newfangled “long distance relationships,” and fell in love. Awwwwwwwwww.

Actually, I didn’t meet her this year. I’ve known her for many years. But we hadn’t seen nor heard from each other in a very long time, and we just reconnected in September of 2015. And in another life, that might have been all that it was: a random reconnection between two friends from different cities, and nothing more.

But this isn’t another life. While we were chatting, we discovered that both of us would be in Washington, DC at the exact same time only a couple weeks later. Her, for a wedding she was coordinating. And me, for the Ad Club. I was going to Washington with Scott to represent Buffalo at the annual AAF District 2 meeting, which is where leaders from other Ad Clubs in our region gather to share stories, learn from each other, and make our clubs better.

While I was there, I made some time to have dinner with Alexia, the girl whom I now love and share a 3-bedroom house with. Dinner turned into our first real date, and the rest is history. I live in Raleigh now, and, despite my love for Buffalo, moving here was the easiest tough decision I’ve ever had to make.

Here’s a picture of us in Washington, being on a date like dweebs:

[responsive]Corey finds love[/responsive]

So let’s revisit that list of things the Ad Club gave to me and add “relationship” and “new home.”

Ok, I’ll concede that it took me a lot of hard work to get each of the things on the list, and I’m not going to pretend that a random Ad Club conference just handed me a great relationship and a new place to live. But in a weird, indirect kind of way, I don’t know if I’d have those things if I hadn’t gone to that conference. And I don’t know if I’d have a great number of things in my life if I hadn’t taken Frank’s advice and responded to that email in February of 2014. So much in my life has changed since that day, and over the next 2 years, I’m sure plenty more changes will take shape. But there is one thing that I keep coming back to, and that thing is how important the Club has been as a part of my life.

—–

So now you’ve heard my story. Let’s talk about yours. No matter how old you are, no matter what stage of your career you’re in, and no matter what branch of advertising and marketing you work in, I can confidently say the Ad Club has something to offer you.

I can’t argue with the fact that my path through the Club is probably an anomaly, but I have worked with a few dozen people on the board at some point over the past few years, and what I can tell you is that the ones who get value and reward out of the Club are the ones who come to the table with something to give. Whether it’s time, passion, skill, or just an extra set of hands for someone in need, the Club will come back around and give something back to you. You’d be surprised how often that one guy who you helped with a project a few months ago ends up in a hiring position right when you need a job. Or how often you’ll run into someone at an Ad Club event who is going through (or has gone through) the exact same career challenges you are. So let me give you a simple list of things you can do if you want the Ad Club to give you the same kinds of opportunities it gave me:

  • Show up. Go to events. Participate.
  • Talk to new people. It’s tough but it’s worth it.
  • If you can, apply to join the board at some point.
  • Give. You’ll get just as much, if not more, back in return.
  • Be open-minded. Try new things. Hone new skills.
  • Say yes. A lot. Take every opportunity you’re given.

Honestly, those are probably all good points to follow for any part of your life, but they’re especially true of the Ad Club. I’ve already said it several times, but I’ll say it again: you get back what you put into it.

—–

If you’ve read down this far and not fallen asleep by now, you’re probably in this next group of people I’m about to mention, so stay with me for just one more second. The last thing I want to say is thank you. Thank you to everyone I’ve met along the way. Thank you to my fellow board members from the past few years. Thank you to Tina Pastwik, who does a lot of hard work for the Club and doesn’t get nearly the recognition she deserves. And most of all, thank you to my colleagues from the 2 e-boards I was fortunate enough to serve on. To Frank Conjerti and Katie Briggs, thanks for all the support and encouragement throughout my first year. And to Matt Low, Dan Nesselbush and Scott Bartels, thanks for one hell of a last year to send me off.

Being a part of the Advertising Club of Buffalo was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and it’s one I won’t soon forget. I loved the 26 months I spent as treasurer, and I’ll always love the Ad Club for making me a better worker and a better person. Here’s one last picture to celebrate the ride. What a bunch of dweebs:

[responsive]corey and the e-board[/responsive]

 

Blog Events

2015 WNY ADDYs

It was a rewarding night for the nearly 400 people who gathered at the Tralf in downtown Buffalo for the annual WNY ADDY Awards Show on Friday, March 6. The theme for the show, “See, the ADDYs are Rewarding,” was created by Buffalo agency The Martin Group and was brought to life through an array of performances throughout the night — everything from a magician, to a violinist, to roller girls handing out free ice cream. And of course, the most important rewards were handed out to those individuals and teams who won silver or gold ADDYs and special awards.

More than 375 entries were received, and the big winner of the night was Gelia, picking up the best of show award for their Queen City Roller Girls 2015 season teaser campaign. Watch our awesome judges from Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York City decide on their choice in this video:

The full list of winners had Gelia at the top as they were awarded the most ADDYs of the night, taking home 38 awards (13 gold and 25 silver). Crowley Webb received a total of 21 awards (three gold and 18 sliver), Block Club was honored with 11 awards (eight gold and three silver), White Bicycle took away seven awards (five gold and two silver), and dPost secured six awards (four gold and two silver). Other award winners include:

  • The Martin Group (one gold and eight silver)
  • Paget Films (one gold and three silver)
  • Quinlan (one gold and one silver)
  • Karn Creative, Inc. (one gold)
  • Luminus Media, LLC (one gold)
  • Villa Maria College (one gold)
  • Cumbo, Inc. (four silver)
  • B McCrone Photography & Design (two silver)
  • SKM Group (two silver)
  • Cenergy (one silver)
  • Eric Mower + Associates (one silver)
  • Hadley Exhibits (one silver)
  • JCharlier Communication Design (one silver)
  • Manzella Marketing Group (one silver)
  • OtherWisz Creative Corporation (one silver)
  • Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity (one silver)
  • Propellerhead Media (one silver)
  • Riveter Design (one silver)
  • State University of New York at Fredonia (one silver)
  • Telesco Creative Group (one silver)
  • Visit Buffalo Niagara (one silver)

These winning entries wouldn’t be possible without the talented individuals behind them. In addition to the gold and silver awards, this year’s Special ADDY awards were also handed out. The 2015 winners include:

Tod Martin, The Martin Group – David I. Levy Communicator of the Year Award

This award was created to recognize outstanding achievement and service in the communications industry.

Kathy Kastan, Gelia – Alex Osborn Award for Creativity

Named in honor of Alex Osborn of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn fame, this award recognizes individuals who, through outstanding creative achievements, have left an indelible mark on the Western New York creative community.

Independent Health Marketing Department – The Odysseus Award

The Odysseus Award was established in 2011 by the Advertising Club of Buffalo to honor a client in the Western New York market (individual or group/department) who has used the discipline of strategic marketing and advertising in an extraordinary way.

Jason Yates, Gelia – Joe Crowley Award for Service

This award recognizes not only hard work, but also outstanding achievement in furthering the activities and interests of the club.

Adina Pera, Crowley Webb – Future Star Award

This award honors an outstanding young professional in the marketing and advertising field who has demonstrated great potential in his or her early years in the industry.

The Xpedx creative use of paper award went to White Bicycle for the Andrea Nardello “Echo” CD Package. And the Best Showbook ad went to OtherWisz Creative Corporation.

College students were also included in the action. Taking home the student best of show award was Lisa Hinterberger of SUNY Fredonia for her Code Letterforms. Chad Hornberger from SUNY Buffalo State College also received two gold awards. Students each taking home one gold award included:

  • Tylandt A. Doyle, St. Bonaventure University
  • Maribel Avila, Alison Dyer, Kayleigh Forger, Lisa Hinterberger, Athena Kolokotronis, Anne Leue, Jon Mc Cray, Jessica Wilcox; State University of New York at Fredonia
  • Lucy Norton, Villa Maria College

Student silver award winners include:

  • Carl Hunley Jr., Villa Maria College
  • Emma Zaremba, St. Bonaventure University
  • Kerri Linsenbigler, St. Bonaventure University
  • Rachel Rising, Villa Maria College
  • Joe Carney, Villa Maria College
  • Samantha Lonczak, Villa Maria college

A thank you once again goes out to Kristen Cronyn, this year’s show chair for her leadership, commitment and hard work to make this show possible. Also, thanks to Sarah Dipofi and Christie Witt-Berardi for leading the effort on behalf of the Martin Group team. And finally, thank you to all the volunteers who chipped in along the way. We couldn’t have done it without this great support!

To see all of this year’s winners, check out the ADDY showbook below!
2015 ADDY SHOWBOOK

AdWeek Events

The Golden Age of BS

Thursday, September 26
Ad Contrarian
“The Golden Age of BS” – presentation by Bob Hoffman
Karpeles Manuscript Library | 453 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY
Discussion: 7 p.m.
Members: $25 | Non-Members: $45

Author and advertising veteran Bob Hoffman will question some of the “truths” about advertising and marketing that you may currently hold to be self-evident. He’ll nudge you toward a state of skepticism about what you hear from advertising experts and pundits.

Bob will discuss the myth of advertising interactivity; the language of brand babble; frauds in display advertising; the fantasy of social media marketing; and the rise and fall of some advertising prophets.

If you’re in the industry – or even if you’re not – this lecture is sure to leave you asking yourself about the truth behind the advertising you consume. Prepare to be challenged, but also entertained.

RSVP NOW!

Bob Hoffman  is a partner in the Type A Group, a consultancy that helps businesses understand and influence consumers over 50. He is the author of “101 Contrarian Ideas About Advertising” and “The Ad Contrarian” as well as “The Ad Contrarian” blog, which was named one of the world’s most influential advertising and marketing blogs by Business Insider.

Bob has created advertising for McDonald’s, Toyota, Shell, Nestle, Blue Cross, Chevrolet, Pepsico, Bank of America, AT&T, and more companies than he cares to remember.

AdWeek Events

Get Ready! Ad Week 2013 is Coming in Hot

Now that The Big Tip-Off is behind us, it’s time to gear up for one of the biggest weeks on the Advertising Club calendar – Ad Week. Cheers to those that filled the tip jars at Soho; it was our best year yet with over $4,000 raised for education programming.

Ad Week comes right at the start of the Ad Club membership year, which makes joining, if you haven’t already, even more essential. Get the most bang for your buck on Ad Week events and many more throughout the year by joining today.

The lineup for the 2013 session is pretty exciting, if we do say so ourselves. Much like you’ve experienced from past Ad Weeks, expect to be engaged, educated and have a little fun.

Thursday of Ad Week, in particular, is a day we’re really anticipating. It’s our Ad Contrarian presentation called “The Golden Age of BS.” Bob Hoffman will discuss the myth of advertising interactivity; the appalling language of brand babble; the massive fraud of display advertising; the fantasy of social media marketing; and the rise and fall of false advertising prophets.

It will definitely pique your interest.

Whether you decide to attend one event, or come for the whole week, we’re confident you’ll walk away with some inspiration and some industry insight that’s sure to impress your colleagues back at the office.

So here’s the rundown for the week:

Tuesday, September 24
Ad Lab with Leadership Buffalo & Performance Partners
Leadership at Every Level (Because Great Mentoring Goes Both Ways)
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

Explore how leadership happens at every level. Having 20 years of experience under your belt is no longer required to take ownership of a project, but with painstakingly visible differences between Millennials, Generation X and Y, a trend has become more apparent. The industry-wide trend we’re talking about is sweeping the marketing world and it’s called “Reverse Mentoring.”

It can lead to professional development and overall better leadership skills for promoting key business objectives such as building community and public relations, increasing lead generation and sales, and enhancing brand awareness, especially in the ever-evolving social media and digital spaces.

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Wednesday, September 25
Coffee Talk with Craig Kanalley
Real-time advice from Buffalo’s social media superstar
The Knox Room at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership
665 Main Street – Suite 200, Buffalo
Donuts & Hot Drinks: 8 a.m.
Discussion: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Pre-Order: FREE | At The Door: $5

RSVP NOW

If you’re on Twitter and don’t know of Craig Kanalley – you’re not really on Twitter. After three years at The Huffington Post – yes that Huffington Post – and brief stint as a social media editor at NBC News – yep, NBC news –Craig, a Tonawanda native, has returned home to work full-time as the social media manager for our beloved Sabres. Craig will spend his morning with us, fielding questions from audience members like you and chatting about all things social media. #GetYourHashtagsReady

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Thursday, September 26
Ad Contrarian
“The Golden Age of BS” – presentation by Bob Hoffman
Karpeles Manuscript Library | 453 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY
Discussion: 7 p.m.
Members: $25 | Non-Members: $45

RSVP NOW

Bob Hoffman will question some of the “truths” about advertising and marketing that you may currently hold to be self-evident. He’ll nudge you toward a state of skepticism about what you hear from advertising experts and pundits.

If you’re in the industry – or even if you’re not – this lecture is sure to leave you asking yourself about the truth behind the advertising you consume. Prepare to be challenged, but also entertained.

——————————————————————————————

Friday, September 27
Ad Week Social
Ad Club After Hours
Lobby Bar at Statler City, 107 Delaware Ave, Buffalo
2 for 1 Drink Special from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Price: FREE

Cap off a great week of events with a cocktail among friends. There’s no need to RSVP, just mark your calendar and prepare to have a good time. Hope you can join us for a drink!

AdVENTising Blog

Is Flash Dead?

flash-dead

Written by:  Board Member Carl EdholmThe short answer is no. Flash is not dead.
 
In fact, at this stage in the game it still makes the most sense to build apps and simple interactive websites using the usual web stack and to use Flash for very complex web/mobile apps, extremely interactive websites, and of course games. 
 
7 reasons Flash is Alive & Well:
  1. Web gl is not, and probably never will be, accepted by all browsers – and web standards are still adopted differently across these same browsers
  2. The Flash player is built into the IE 10 browser and will update along with the rest of Windows
  3. Flash Video is still better quality and easier to implement considering the continuing disagreements over WebM and H.264 formats
  4. All interactive banner campaigns are still done in flash
  5. Business applications are still being built in Flash as we speak
  6. Flash can publish to HTML 5
  7. Games
 
As the web is changing, so is Flash. It is becoming more focused and is adjusting to the current needs of a specific audience. Is Flash the tool for everything?  No. Of course not.
 
Is Flash a better choice in some cases to use. Yes. Of course it is.
 
Is Flash dead? Absolutely not.