1. business and industrial
2. advertising and marketing
3. advertising

2012–2013
award winning ideas
n at i o n a l c l u b a c h i e v e m e n t c o m p e t i t i o n w i n n i n g e n t r i e s
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
HOW-TO GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
DC Ad Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
AAF Omaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
AAF Baton Rouge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
AAF Jackson, Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Ad 2 Tampa Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
ADVERTISING EDUCATION
DC Ad Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AAF Houston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AAF of the Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
AAF Fort Worth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Ad 2 DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Austin Advertising Federation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
AAF Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
AAF of the Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Ad 2 Honolulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
CLUB OPERATIONS
Austin Advertising Federation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
AAF Omaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
AAF Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
AAF Northeast Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Ad 2 Orlando . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
PROGRAMS
AAF Dallas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
AAF Omaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
AAF East Central Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
AAF Fort Worth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Ad 2 DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
COMMUNICATIONS
DC Ad Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
AAF Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
AAF Baton Rouge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
AAF Emerald Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Ad 2 Tampa Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
PUBLIC SERVICE
Austin Advertising Federation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
AAF Omaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
AAF Baton Rouge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
AAF Emerald Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Ad 2 Honolulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL INITIATIVES
AAF Louisville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
AAF Houston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
AAF of the Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
AAF Raleigh-Durham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Ad 2 Tampa Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
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ABOUT THE CLUB ACHIEVEMENT COMPETITION
HOW-TO GUIDE
The AAF Club Achievement Competition is designed to recognize and honor the hard
work of the many volunteers comprising the 200 AAF affiliated local advertising clubs
and federations. Clubs participating in the competition enter any combination of eight
categories: advertising education, club management, communications, diversity and
multicultural initiatives, government relations, membership, programs and public
service. To facilitate the fairest possible judging, each ad club competes within its
membership size division. Ad 2 clubs—for advertising professionals under the age of
32—compete in their own division.
This “how-to” guide was written to assist you in entering and winning AAF’s National
Club Achievement Competition. The categories of the competition reflect the areas
of operation of local advertising clubs and are recognized by the AAF as the primary
objectives of our organization.
If you have questions regarding the competition, please call the AAF Club Services
Department at (202) 898-0089. We can provide you with ideas and resources to assist you
in your role as president and/or club achievement chair. We look forward to receiving
your club’s entries this year and in the years to come. Your success as a local advertising
club is important to both the AAF and the advertising industry as a whole.
This year, 59 clubs participated in the competition, submitting 296 entries to be judged.
Winning clubs are awarded certificates of achievement and honored at a special ceremony
held during the annual AAF National Conference. In addition, corporate sponsors,
Crain Communications and Saatchi and Saatchi, provided cash awards totaling $22,500
to winning clubs’ advertising education, communications, public service and diversity
and multicultural initiatives. The Jim Fish Foundation provides cash prizes totaling
$2,500 to clubs who achieve first place in public service.
CLUB ACHIEVEMENT COMPETITION
Purpose: One of AAF’s major objectives is to recognize excellence and encourage
high standards among industry professionals. The Club Achievement Competition is
designed to recognize outstanding accomplishments of AAF-affiliated advertising clubs
and to showcase the programs and projects that these clubs undertake each year.
The following pages contain the winning narratives from the entries that were awarded
firstplace honors in the 2012–2013 competition. Although entry collateral has not been
included, many useful ideas and strategies can be found in the narratives themselves,
and should you want more information, a contact name appears at the beginning of
each narrative. Additionally, to assist your ad club in entering the competition, this
publication, Award winning Ideas, contains a “how-to” guide for entering and winning
next year’s Club Achievement Competition.
Structure: The AAF National Club Achievement Competition recognizes achievement
in eight categories: advertising education, club management, communications, diversity
and multicultural initiatives, government relations, membership, programs and public
service. These categories were chosen to reflect the areas of operation of local ad clubs.
Advertising clubs are segmented into five membership size divisions as follows:
The AAF congratulates all the clubs that entered the competition. If your club has
never entered the Club Achievement Competition, next year is the time to give it a
try. Competition guidelines are mailed to all club presidents, executive directors and
club achievement chairs each year and are posted on our Website at www.aaf.org.
Additionally, you can contact the Club Services Department at (202) 898-0089.
Division I
Division II
Division III
Division IV
Division V
500+ members
250–499 members
100–249 members
up to 99 members
Ad 2 Clubs
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appropriate chairs whose committees correspond to the Club Achievement categories.
Included with the guidelines are category summary sheets, which preface each entry and
contain points and topics to be covered in the narrative. Each chair should be familiar
with the summary sheet for his or her corresponding category. In January, the call for
entries, containing the official entry form and entry deadlines, is sent to presidents,
executive directors and club achievement chairs.
Clubs compete within their membership size divisions. These divisions provide for a more
equitable competition and thus for an opportunity for any size club to win. Ad 2 clubs
compete in a separate division regardless of membership size. Each category is judged by
a separate panel of professionals with expertise in that specific field.
Each panel of judges reviews and scores each entry in each of the membership size divisions.
First-, second-and third-place awards are given in each division for each category, at the
discretion of the judges. A club and president of the year award are designated in each
division to the club with the highest total points. Awards are announced and presented
annually in conjunction with ADMERICA! AAF’s National Conference.
Entry Content and Submission
Each entry is submitted in in PLAIN three-ring binders and contains the narrative and
collateral. The narrative is a written description of the project and/or activity and the
collateral is the support material, which relates to the narrative.
Benefits of Entering: Gaining district and national recognition is but one of the many
benefits of entering the Club Achievement Competition. Entering the Club Achievement
Competition is an excellent way to document your club’s activity in any given year. This
can prove to be a useful tool for self-evaluation and goal setting for the coming year.
Entering consistently provides a historical record of the progress your club is making.
Narrative: The narrative is used to describe your club’s activity in each area outlined on
the category description sheet. Judges evaluate objectives versus results. It is therefore
advisable to document the planning meetings where goals were outlined and a plan of
action was drawn up and to outline how these goals and objectives were met. Statistics
are an excellent way to provide a concrete measure of performance and a record of the
club’s progress and growth.
Preparing to Enter
The Club Achievement Chair: The AAF recommends that each club appoint a Club
Achievement Chair. The immediate past president is an excellent choice for this position.
The Club Achievement Chair should be the official liaison to AAF headquarters. It is
this person’s responsibility to familiarize the appropriate committees within the club,
with the competition categories and the documentation necessary for entry. It is
recommended that all Club Achievement entries be assembled at the same time so that
materials can be shared and/or redistributed to different committees for entries in other
categories. It is therefore best that the Club Achievement Chair coordinate this activity.
For example, in the membership category, a statement of growth in membership should
include the number of new members who joined in the past year, the type of attendance
at your programs and the number of members versus guests. Also, consider the following
questions: Are the same members coming back each time or is attendance different at
each event? Are new members getting involved? Do past officers stay involved? How
do your current members compare to last year’s? What is the difference in the growth
and profitability of the club? What is your total count for participation in all events,
compared with that of the previous year?
Competition Rules and Guidelines: In the fall, guidelines and category summary sheets
are sent to the presidents, executive directors and club achievement chairs of all local
ad clubs, to use as a model to start preparing entries for competition. In addition, Club
Achievement chairs receive a copy of Award Winning Ideas. The individual responsible
for your Club Achievement Competition entries should make sure that he or she obtains
a copy of the current rules, categories and guidelines for the competition from AAF
headquarters. The competition may change from year to year, which makes a current set
of competition guidelines important. This information should then be passed on to the
Collateral: The collateral portion of the entry contains material that directly supports the
points in the narrative. Please keep in mind that judges look for the degree to which the
collateral material documents the narrative of the project or activities. Collateral pieces
may include, but are not limited to, press releases, flyers, newsletters, testimonial letters,
thank-you letters from public service projects, new member pieces, etc. All collateral
material, in all categories, must have been produced.
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Audio/visual is allowed for the Public Service category only, but should not exceed three
minutes of television and three minutes of radio. These should be submitted together on
a DVD. In all other categories, scripts and/or storyboards should be submitted in place
of film, tapes, etc., as part of the collateral.
It is a good idea to keep at least five extra copies of all publications, news releases, meting
notices, etc., for use when compiling books. The membership chair should collect
minutes from board meetings in order to accurately keep track of planning sessions and
upcoming events. The membership and program chairs should also track attendance
figures to monitor progress.
Compiling Club Achievement Entries
When to Start: Ideally, preparations for the Club Achievement Competition should
begin as soon as the previous year’s entries have been sent. It is therefore advisable that
the “old” committee chairs continue collecting material for next year’s competition until
the new chairs are elected, in office, and ready to take over this responsibility.
The narrative may directly follow the category summary or be integrated into the collateral
of the entry. However, if you decide to keep the two elements separate, label the collateral
as “exhibits” and refer to them in the narrative. Integrating narrative has the advantage
of providing a better flow of information. But keep in mind that the competition rules
limit the number of sheets of paper to four two-sided or eight one-sided.
The Deadline Is Near: The Club Achievement Competition deadline changes each year,
so once the current year’s deadline has been announced, you should plan three months
out to begin writing the narrative. If you adhere to this timetable, there is sufficient time
to collect any extra material needed to support the narrative.
Keep in mind that the same narrative and collateral can be used in several different
categories. For instance, the advertising education projects that your club undertakes
are often eligible in the programs category as well. Your club newsletter should definitely
be included in the communications category, but it may also be collateral materials for
the membership category. There is a different panel of judges for each category, so judges
will not review the same material twice.
Once the committee chairs have gathered the material for each entry, it is advisable that the
final compiling be done jointly. Although it is not necessary for books from the same club to
be uniform, it may be helpful to have this sort of “workshop” atmosphere for the sharing of
information and collateral material. Once each book is assembled, ask another committee
member to look it over. Make sure that all of the competition guidelines have been met.
Entries must be submitted three-ring binders provided by the local club or federation.
Affix a completed official Club Achievement entry form to the outside cover of each
binder. This is all that should be on the outside of the binder; no artwork, colored paper
or other material may appear on the cover, spine or back of the binder.
Awards
AAF Awards: First-, second-and third-place awards are given in each club membership
size division for each category at the discretion of the judges.
The outside measurements of the binder may be no larger than 11” x 12” or exceed 1.5”
in width at the spine. When full, the width of the binder on any side may be no more
than 1.5”. Binders exceeding 1.5” will be disqualified. Submit only one binder for each
category.
Club and President of the Year: In each division, a club and president of the year award
is presented to the club with the highest total points.
Sponsored Cash Awards: Several AAF corporate members sponsor cash awards for
categories of the Club Achievement Competition. Currently, there are cash awards for
the advertising education, communications, diversity and multicultural initiatives and
public service categories.
Additionally, the narrative and collateral materials must be submitted electronically on CD/
DVD. The narrative must be a Microsoft Word document, single-spaced and in 12-point
Times New Roman font. Collateral pieces must be high resolution (300 dpi), image files
(JPG, EPS, TIFF or PDF, with fonts embedded). Use a separate CD/DVD for each category
entered. Clearly label the CD/DVD and tape it to the inside cover of the binder.
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advertising education
div I:
d i v II :
dc ad club
AA F H o u s t o n d i v III : d i v I v:
d i v v:
AA F o f t h e m i d l a n d s
AA F f o r t w o r t h
A d 2 DC
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : A D V E R T I S I N G E D U C AT I O N
Social Media!, New Rules for New Business, The Do-it-yourself Lobotomy, and Defy
Everything). We also presented two evening events: a screening of The Naked Brand, a
documentary about the advertising revolution, where brands have a social responsibility
to tell the truth and work hard to create better products and a better planet, and the
ADprentice competition, where agency teams developed an integrated marketing
campaign for a real client.
DIVISION I:
DC AD CLUB
Overview: Through initiatives during 2012, the DC Ad Club continued our goal of
providing professional development to our members and the greater communications
community, the student population in the DC area, as well as the general public. Our
goals included: 1) Provide hands-on training; 2) Raise the stature of our industry by
highlighting local speakers, as well as bring in relevant speakers from other markets; 3)
Educate the general public about the positive impact of advertising in this market; 4)
Provide educational programming that is on par with national conferences; 5) Showcase
DC area agencies and businesses to highlight the award-winning advertising community
to area students in an effort to have them remain in the DC market after graduation;
6) Bring awareness to the general public the economic impact the communications
industry has on the DC economy.
Target Audience: Communications professionals of all levels, representing advertising
agencies, in-house marketing departments, PR firms, media, and clients.
Strategy: Design the theme and content of the conference to attract entry-level and
C-Suite participants alike. Develop content that will help all participants expand their
knowledge base. Use Advertising Week DC promotions to educate the public about
the impact of the advertising industry on our market by including key economic facts
in emails, press releases, and the event program (see also Advertising for the General
Public, below).
• We attracted 18 national speakers and with the exception of one, were able
to secure all without speaker fees or travel cost reimbursement
Execution Tactics: The theme of “AWE” was applied to all promotions and content
development. To bring in a large audience, we delivered nationally-recognized speakers.
We asked our speakers and planning committee to submit videos of what makes them
awestruck and enlisted junior-level staff to execute awe-inspiring surprises at their offices
in a “Groundswell” event. The DC Ad Club Foundation, a 501(c)6 organization dedicated
to fostering the education of students pursuing careers in advertising, allocated $1,500
to purchase tickets for students from area schools to attend the conference. Offers were
extended to local schools with AAF chapters—Howard University, George Washington
University, the Art Institute, and Virginia Tech.
• Our Tips & Tricks workshops drew over 220 people
• During 2012 we saw an increase in Young Professional (Ad 2 DC)
membership of 11% and an increase in student membership of 155%
ADVERTISING FOR THE PROFESSION
Advertising Week DC (ADWKDC)
ADWKDC is the largest and most robust educational program/event for advertising
professionals in the mid-Atlantic region. Over the course of 4 days, we brought 24
programs, 46 speakers, and the opportunity to network with over 550 of the area’s
leading communications professionals. We celebrated our 9th year of providing a weeklong event focused on education for our club members and the general public alike.
We offered a two-day conference featuring a combination of keynote speakers, panel
discussions, and the domestic premier of the Cannes Advertising Festival winners reel.
Concurrent with the conference, we offered four training workshops (Good Morning,
Results: A total of 683 tickets were sold to Advertising Week DC events. Nine students
from three schools attended the event on the passes purchased by the DC Ad Club
Foundation. Through the training workshops, we provided hands-on training to
over 120 registrants. Our speakers included a mix of nationally renowned advertising
professionals as well as local luminaries. In a post-event survey, almost 70% of
respondents said they attend the program for professional development. Ninety-four
percent of respondents said they agreed that the conference fulfilled their reason for
attending. Advertising Week DC generated a net profit of about $45,000 for the DC
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AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : A D V E R T I S I N G E D U C AT I O N
event calendars. In order to attract young professionals, DC Ad Club members were
allowed to attend at no charge and non-members were charged a reasonable fee of $15.
Ad Club. We reached our goals of providing hands-on training, raising the stature of
our industry by highlighting local speakers, as well as bringing in speakers from other
markets, providing educational programming that is on par with national conferences,
and bringing awareness to the general public the economic impact the communications
industry has on the DC economy.
Results: The series was covered by Capitol Communicator, member blogs, Washington
Networking Group, and agency social media outlets, which helped us reach over 15,000
people enhancing our awareness in the market. A total of 220 attended the four sessions.
We reached our goals of providing hands-on training to our junior staff, raising the
stature of our industry by highlighting local speakers and showcasing DC area agencies.
Tips & Tricks Workshops
To provide hands on training, with a focus on young professionals, we presented four
programs in the Tips and Tricks series:
• “An Insider’s Look into DC’s Own Advertising Agencies”: Speakers
discussed the various functions within agencies as well as insights into to
their respective agencies and why young professionals should want to work
for them. (March 2012)
ADVERTISING FOR STUDENTS
Tips & Tricks Workshops
As described above, the Resume Review session in February 2013 gave students and
other young professionals access to advice to position themselves for a job in the
advertising industry.
• “Taking LinkedIn to the Next Level”: A discussion of using LinkedIn to its
fullest potential in the quest to advance your career (May 2012)
Results: The Resume Review gave participants time for one-on-one counseling with
industry professionals. The program attracted 40 attendees.
• “The Power of Brand Charisma”: A former brand manager for the Walt
Disney Company discussed how agencies can work both internally and
externally to create a brand that is approachable, likable, and charismatic
(August 2012)
AAF Student Conference
In October, three leaders of the DC Ad Club along with our Executive Director participated
in the AAF National Student Conference. We hosted a panel on Careers in Advertising
discussing how to break into the business, the various careers available in advertising, and
the potential barriers and glass ceiling issues facing women in the industry.
• “Resume Review”: Agency recruiters and staffing agencies provided tips
on landing a first job or making a career change, followed by one-on-one
resume/portfolio reviews (February 2013)
Target Audience: Young professionals and those new to the profession who want to
develop the skills and knowledge needed to advance their careers.
Results: The AAF Student Conference was attended by over 200 students from across the
country. When the panel ended, a line formed in front of each panelist for follow up questions,
and they spent the next hour talking to attendees. Students were proactive in reaching
out after the event as well by following our speakers on Twitter, Like-ing the companies’
Facebook pages, and contacting the companies regarding intern and job opportunities.
Strategy: Develop the next generation of talent. Use local speakers to demonstrate the
talent and opportunities that exist for advertising professionals in the DC market.
Execution: The committee focused on topical presentations and finding local speakers
as presenters. The events were promoted to the DC Ad Club’s email list (with a
distribution of 3,800) and via our social media (which reaches over 2,500 member and
business industry professional accounts). We also posted the events on local online
University Lectures, Mentorship Programs and Agency Visits
DC Ad Club’s President was a guest speaker for a marketing panel at the George Washington
University Women in Business Conference. She also taught a graduate class on business
development at Georgetown University. We have Board members that taught classes at
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to highlight the award-winning advertising community to area students in an effort to
have them remain in the DC market after graduation.
Howard University, Georgetown University undergraduate (GW), Georgetown University
Graduate School for Continuing Studies, George Mason University (GMU), and American
University. Topics of these lectures covered client service, marketing, video marketing,
integrated communications, and media. Additionally, our Immediate Past President is a
regular speaker through the AAF speaker series visiting university students at GW, GMU
and Georgetown. Our area’s largest agency and largest group member of the club, LM&O
Advertising, developed and hosted a Futures Lab with area marketing students. The Lab was
mutually beneficial for both the host and the students. The students were asked to provide
insights on their demographic cohort and in return the agency participants provided
mentoring to each of the students. Each class focused on a specific topic and also worked to
communicate the great advertising community in DC. An agency immersion was also held
for George Washington University marketing students at LM&O, along with Media 101
sessions each summer for Howard University students. The Media 101 day begins with a
media department process session and concludes with an agency tour.
ADVERTISING FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Advertising Week DC (ADWKDC)
Per capita, Washington DC has the most advertising and marketing professionals, more
than New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. According to research
from IHS Global Insight released in April, 2011, advertising expenditures accounted for
$104 billion in economic impact in the DC Metro Area and contributed more than 21
percent to the Washington, DC area economy. And, advertising helps produce nearly
13% of all jobs in the DC Metro Area. There are nearly 36,000 commercial advertising
and marketing professionals in Greater Washington. By 2014, the region is expected to
have more than 39,000 advertising and marketing knowledge workers.
Results: Each lecture reached an average of 50 students, addressing various areas of
advertising education, the possibilities of a career in advertising, and ways to get involved
in the club. Through the George Washington Women in Business session, our president
reached close to 50 students and her company hired one of the participants. The summer
Media 101 sessions reached close to 30 students. The Futures Lab reached 20 students.
The GWU immersion afternoon reached 15 students.
Target Audience: With these statistics, one of our specific goals for Advertising Week
DC is to ensure that the general public (specifically the business community) knows of
the impact our industry has on our region.
Strategy: To get the story of our impact on the economy out, these statistics were
included in Advertising Week DC promotions, including emails, press releases, and the
event program.
DC Ad Club Internship Directory
The DC Ad Club Foundation publishes Intern Central, a members-only Intern
Directory. This is a central location where students can access information about our
members—including agencies, media properties, and vendors—their capabilities, and
intern programs.
Execution: News releases on Advertising Week DC with our industry statistics were sent
to all local business reporters and the Washington, DC bureaus of advertising publications.
The event program was also distributed to 17,000+ subscribers as an insert to the
Washington and Baltimore Business Journals. An application for a city-wide proclamation
of Advertising Week DC was sent to Mayor Vincent Gray’s office.
Results: Thirty-one member agencies chose to participate in the directory which is
available on the DC Ad Club website. Personal contact with university professors
and contacts kept the directory top of mind as an industry resource. The club itself is
benefiting from an intern found via Intern Central for the spring semester.
Results: Outdoor ads were provided by Hutzpah Outdoor Media. Capitol
Communicator ran banner ads and covered the event live daily. Banner ads were
placed on Capital Communicator and the CityBizList site. ADWKDC was covered
in the Washington Business Journal, Capitol Communicator, Washington Networking
Group, and Capital Business.
Through our student outreach efforts, we realized our goals of raise the stature of our
industry by highlighting local speakers and showcasing DC area agencies and businesses
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Facebook pages. The event was sold out at 80+ plus attendees.
Association Partnerships
While our club boasts a membership of over 500, there are many more communications
professionals in our region. With that in mind, we partnered with other associations to
extend the message of the club and enhance our education efforts beyond our members
and to the public at large.
Execution: Capitol Communicator Survey—Capitol Communicator, a regional online
publication that provides news, trends, education, and opportunities for networking,
career enhancement, business exchange, and showcasing great work, commissioned a
“State of the Communications Industry” survey. An economic sentiment-type study,
the results will provide the communications industry with valuable data to make betterinformed decisions.
Strategy: Extend our reach by engaging other associations in promoting DC Ad Club events
and establish cross-promotional partnerships to provide additional advertising education.
Results: Capitol Communicator Survey—We encouraged DC Ad Club members to
respond to the survey and received recognition in Capitol Communicator emails and
website for our support of the survey.
Execution: ADWKDC—Enlist association partners to help plan Advertising Week DC
and promote the event to their members.
Results: ADWKDC—A representative from the 4A’s served on the Advertising Week DC
steering committee and assisted us in securing two keynote speakers. For the third year,
PRSA-NCC scheduled its annual Thoth Awards during Advertising Week DC, and the
awards gala was included on the schedule for the week. These organizations also promoted
Advertising Week DC to their members, who were offered the member rate to attend.
Execution: Radio Interview—DC Ad Club’s president was featured on Nonprofit Spark
National WebTalk Radio Show in early March 2013. She discussed the club’s recent
rebranding and outlined steps for organizations considering rebranding themselves.
Result: Radio Interview—As of this writing, only a few days after the interview was
posted, there were over 40,000 downloads of the interview.
Execution: DMAW Bridge Conference—The DC Ad Club signed on as a co-sponsor
of the Direct Marketing Association of Washington’s annual Bridge Conference,
held in July. This two-day conference features topics on current trends in direct mail
and fundraising; information that has relevance to some of our members, so we save
resources by partnering with their programming rather than inventing our own.
Results: DMAW Bridge Conference—DC Ad Club promoted the event via email
blasts and social media. We received some exhibit hall passes as part of our sponsorship
and distributed them to members. DMAW promoted Advertising Week DC to its
membership and people on the conference registration list were sent the ADDYs call
for entries.
Execution: DC Week—During DCWeek, a week-long festival focused on bringing
together designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and social innovators of all kinds, DC Ad
Club hosted a program called “The (anti)social Network.” The program addressed what
makes “good” content and how to get noticed and engage the audience.
Results: DC Week— The event was promoted on the DC Week calendar and via the club
in emails and social media. Following the event we also received mentions on member
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Target Audience: Our speaker series offered a diverse range of content that would
appeal to a wide array of advertising professionals that represented advertising agencies,
graphic design firms, media companies, creative suppliers, consultants, academia, public
relations, digital marketing and advertisers.
DIVISION II:
AAF HOUSTON
Overview/Goals: To educate and provide relevant and timely information to our
members and advertising community through our monthly programs, membership
workshops, e-newsletters and website.
Strategy: We launched the “Creative Thought Leader Speaker Series” in January 2010
which we positioned as bringing top names in any creative endeavor to the community.
By positioning our speaker series as “creative thought leaders”, we were able to attract
top talent speakers and to broaden the audience for our club.
ADVERTISING FOR THE PROFESSION
In 2012 we launched a new member “How to Network” workshop series on Saturday
mornings. It was very well received by our new members that attended and will be
implemented again in 2013 during our membership drive time period.
Educational Luncheon Programs
Event Details: Our chapter held a semi-monthly educational luncheon speaker series.
Depending upon the speaker’s interest, we tailored additional events to help maximize
their time in our city as well as to raise additional revenue. Some speakers were sponsored
by firms in our market who used the opportunity to develop a personal relationship. For
other speakers, we had limited “meet and greet” occasions.
Execution/Tactics: Speakers were flown in, wined and dined and put up for one evening
if necessary. Most cost was covered by program sponsors. The speakers presented at our
monthly luncheons at the Junior League, the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 11:30
am to 1:00 pm. Each luncheon was promoted through email campaign, newsletters,
local media outlets the, and social media, artwork for which were developed by different
member companies each month and promoted the event sponsor.
Examples of the speakers and programs included:
• May, 2012, Jane Maas, Are you MAD for Advertising?, a presentation on
how some of Madison Avenues great MADMEN and MADWOMEN created
some of the most iconic campaigns in all of American Advertising history!
Results: According to an online survey of participants from the January 2013 luncheon,
the program resonated on relevance of topic. Also, 73% of respondents felt the program
was “…very interesting and (they) learned something.” And 94% of respondents said
they received knowledge they could apply to a client or project
• September, 2012, Scott Brown, Chief Creative Officer FKM, Why We
Did The Pitch, shared his perspective on how they won The Pitch and how
to acquire new business.
• October 2012, Matt Knight, Director of Marketing & PR at Mid-South
Health Systems, “Leaving Fingerprints at the Scene of the Crime!”,
discussed going behind the yellow tape and uncovering the secrets of
making creative and lasting impressions.
ADVERTISING FOR STUDENTS
Scholarship Program
Goal: Provide financial support and guidance for students as they work toward a career
in advertising.
• January 2013, Andy Sernovitz, acclaimed author of Word of Mouth
Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking. Creative
presentation that demonstrated how using the right message for your brand
can get consumers talking about your product. All attendees also receive a
free copy of his book.
Event Details: The American Advertising Federation–Houston has an established
Advertising Education Foundation of Houston that oversees awarding scholarships to
college students within our region.
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Target Audience: College Students, College Professors and Ad Fed Members.
Student Conference
Event Details: The AAF Houston Student Conference was designed to give college
students from our region an opportunity to network with professionals, provide real
world experience in preparing an advertising campaign and also offer guidance on
future careers within the advertising industry.
Execution/Tactics:
• Repositioned the focus of scholarship communication directing to the
student population and the university professors.
• Revised the Scholarship Foundation website to include a New Scholarship
Application on-line page with a new, more progressive look, showing
scholarship winners from last year.
Target Audience: College Students, College Professors, AdFed Members
Strategy/Goals: To put on a quality conference where both students, as well as their
professors have real world take-aways. Increase the number of universities and students
participating while also involving more of our Ad Fed members in the project.
• Increased the number of student on-line applications to over 250.
• Increased the number of qualified student scholarships awarded annually to
fifteen scholarships with a value of $2,000 for a total amount of $30,000 in
scholarship awards.
Execution/Tactics: A committee was put together to lead the conference, over ten
subcommittee chairs were established. The chairs met early in 2012 to map out
committee strategies to meet the goals and pave the way for a successful event.
Committees included: Judging, Registration, Professor Liaison, Communication,
Logistics, Sponsorship and Host site locations, Portfolio/Resume Review, Saturday
Speakers Panel and Sponsorship. Regular meetings were held to coordinate progress of
the committees and discuss opportunities, as well as concerns the chairs were having.
A sponsor was secured (Academy Sports and Outdoors) and the project case study was
prepared for the students. The communication committee added social media and a text
message sign up messaging components to the existing direct mail and email campaign
elements. The communication committee also worked with the agency and developed
materials that spoke to the students in a bold attention getting manner.
Results: Previously, the association awarded twelve scholarships and increased the total
to 15. Through additional promotion to students, universities and professors, available
applications increased from 136 to over 250; an increase of 83%. Scholarship information
was vastly improved on the AAF-Houston website and a mini-site was developed and
promoted. A unique URL, www.houstonadscholarships.com, was established, which
would be easy to communicate to our target audience and also help in online searches.
Prior to the launch, we tested the functionality of the new online application with students
to ensure it was easy to use. Email messaging to professors and social media was increased
to communicate with universities and interested students within the AAF 10th District.
Letters of announcement went out to 56 communication professors and advisors in the
10th District Region. This was followed up by two mailings to the same professors and
advisors reminding them of the deadline dates for receiving student applications.
Results: We had over 200 students from 14 different universities from three states. There
were over 15 professors that attended the professor’s tour and dinner. We had over 25
local advertising businesses participate in the two day event, by either hosting a student
team or participating in the resume review, speaker’s panel or professor tour. The judges
were bowled over by the quality of the work the students prepared in such a short time
period (advertising plan, media plan and creative executions). The students learned to
come together with other students from different universities form a quasi agency, assign
tasks to team members and get to work on a tight deadline. Students were also asked to
present their work on a short video, just as they would present to the client, thus honing
A panel of 24 judges has been recruited from current and past board members as well as
key participants in the AAF-Houston organization. The success of the AEFH scholarship
foundation should continue for years to come, since all awarded scholarships are from
a growing base of individual scholarship funds that are committed to the future legacy
of each donor. Our scholarship foundation currently has over $260,000 in our newly
established 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation.
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their presentation skills. Nine Houston Area Advertising Professionals participated in
the judging of the 20 team’s submitted work.
The conference also included resume/ portfolio review workshops where AAF Members
were asked to participate and review with students during a specific time period. Over
75 students took advantage of this part of the conference. Before the final presentation
to the top three winning teams a panel discussion /presentation was held. A panel of five
Houston Advertising/ Marketing professionals discussed a wide array of topics designed
to assist the students as they pursue employment upon graduation, an opportunity
for them to ask questions was also provided. The Ad 2 Houston club provided a flyer
for the students that complemented this goal designed as a tip sheet for employment
with valuable resources. Ad 2 also assisted with the resume/portfolio review. A short
presentation by local University of Houston Advertising Professor, Larry Kelley, winner
of the 2012 Educator of the Year Award, was given discussing the importance of team
building and strategies as they approach NSAC in the next semester.
Overall the Professors and Students were thrilled with the results of the 2012 Houston
AAF Conference and Competition and deemed it a successful learning experience.
Professor Bobikay Lewis from Oklahoma State in an email on November 8, 2012 to
Tammy Guest (Student Conference Chair); “As always a wonderful job and the
competition was such a great experience for the students”.
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• December Luncheon: A how-to session on entering the ADDY® Awards.
We reviewed the new ADDY software and rules changes to help members
show off their hottest, most exciting work of the year.
DIVISION III:
AAF OF THE MIDLANDS
Overview/Goals: Education is a part of the DNA of AAF of the Midlands. Our mission
statement’s first objective is to “provide and promote a better understanding of the functions
of advertising and marketing and their value”. Everything our club does, from programs to
government relations to student outreach, works towards this objective.
• January Luncheon: Rob Wilson shared “The Innovator’s Toolbox,” which
had everyone standing on their chairs to get a new perspective on things.
Results: Approximately 45-75 people attended each luncheon meeting. In addition to
members, we welcomed guests and students (discussed later in this report).
We used surveymonkey.com to solicit feedback so we can keep improving. Feedback
has been very positive, with some attendees even tweeting about their enjoyable
luncheon experiences.
ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOR THE PROFESSION
Target Audience: AAF of the Midlands serves the advertising, marketing and
communications communities of the greater Columbia, South Carolina area. Our
membership includes ad agencies, in-house marketing departments, creative boutiques,
media, production studios and freelancers. Most of these organizations are small and
depend upon our club as a vital resource for information and networking.
Inform and educate our members about local, state and national issues
affecting our industry and our members.
Results: We actively monitored legislation that could affect our industry and were
proactive about informing our membership before anything was enacted. We used a
variety of tools to inform our members about pending legislation, including Facebook
posts, tweets and announcements at our monthly meetings.
Present a series of luncheon programs that inform and inspire our members and
their guests. Spread the word on our website, social media and press releases.
• April Luncheon: Mike Craney presented a case study of the tourism
advertising during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Crisis. Topics included
the timeline of the entire crisis and the strategies, tactics and creative used
across all media types to counteract the impacts on the tourism industry.
Keep members informed of new job opportunities in marketing, advertising and
public relations.
Invite employers to post openings on our website, a free service to members of AAF of
the Midlands (non-members pay a one-time fee of $25 to post a position). Also spread
the word of opportunities through email and social media.
• May Luncheon: Advertising legend Jane Maas shared eye-opening tales of
what it was like to be an advertising woman in the sixties. Audience members
lined up to get signed copies of her newly released book, Mad Women.
Results: The job postings section is one of the most utilized pages of our website. Email
and social media have produced very positive results. For example, the University
of South Carolina needed to fill three adjunct teaching positions to meet enrollment
demands. Within one hour of the initial posting, all three positions had been filled with
professionals, all eager to make a difference in the lives of students.
• September Luncheon: Carolina Panthers’ Henry Thomas offered a behindthe-scenes view of the Panthers’ marketing and advertising efforts.
• October Luncheon: Tim Cox, Director of Creative Strategy for Publix Super
Markets, shared the story of how his team created the brand identity for a
not-so-ordinary grocery retailer.
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agencies The Adams Group and Chernoff Newman helped sponsor the event. After
much anticipation, we staged our program to a packed room full of students, eager to
learn about the ADDY awards. District 3 Treasurer Ace Evans and District 3 ADDY Cochair Melissa Harper presented a comprehensive program that introduced students to
the Student ADDY Awards, got them excited, and taught them how to put their entries
together using the new ADDY software. The students asked lots of questions, brought
samples of their entries, and began the process of entering the ADDYs.
ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOR NEW PROFESSIONALS
Target Audience: Young professionals who are making the transition from college to
career and need mentors and networking opportunities.
Strategy: Create and fund a “New Professionals Scholarship,” which awards a one-year
membership to AAF of the Midlands to a deserving senior in college, graduating in
2013 and majoring in advertising, public relations, marketing or visual communications
OR an alumnus/ alumna who has graduated within the past year and is still seeking a
professional job in one of the listed fields.
Results: The workshop was a winner! Students from three colleges and universities
entered the ADDYs, a first for our club. The workshop also attracted USC students
who weren’t members of SAF. An email exchange between a Vis Com major and her
professor is a testament that our workshop worked. The number of entries was also up.
Results: We funded the scholarship through proceeds from our annual oyster roast/ silent
auction (discussed later in this report). The application for the 2013-2014 scholarship was
posted online on February 25. Applications will be accepted through April 5.
We received 41 student entries, up from 27 the previous year. Eleven student ADDY®
awards were given: Best of Show, two Special Judges Awards, four Gold and four Silver
awards. Winners were from USC and South University.
ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOR
COLLEGE STUDENTS & FACULTY
Involve college students in club activities in the hopes that they will later join
and strengthen our club.
Tactic #1: Invite students to volunteer with the ADDY® Awards.
Target Audience: Columbia is a college town. More than 700 students major in
advertising and public relations at the University of South Carolina. Columbia is also
home to several smaller colleges and for-profit universities, which teach business, art,
creative writing and other topics that provide great background for advertising careers.
Results: USC and Benedict College students assisted with logging in entries, setting
up the judging rooms, shadowing judges and helping decorate the awards venue. The
students got the opportunity to network with the judges and local professionals and
were rewarded with free admission to the gala. A student volunteer from Benedict
College wrote to thank the board, marveling at the opportunities and creative genius he
experienced while volunteering. USC has reached out to this student, welcoming him
and his friends to Student Advertising Federation meetings.
Establish a two-way conversation between the various academic programs and
the local advertising community. Include university faculty and staff on the AAF
of the Midlands Board.
Results: The relationship between the university and professional advertising community
is thriving. Board members include an advertising professor (honorary lifetime board
member) and the director of student media (treasurer).
Tactic #2: Invite students to attend our monthly meetings at a discounted rate of $15
(our break-even cost).
Reach out to all area colleges and encourage students to enter the Student
ADDY® competition.
Event Details: We co-hosted a Student ADDY workshop with USC’s Student Advertising
Federation (SAF) on November 7th. Students from all local colleges were invited through
social media and posters in their schools. To attract students, we enticed them with free
pizza and an incentive ($15 off their first Student ADDY entry). Columbia advertising
Results: Two to five students from USC and Benedict College regularly attended each
monthly meeting. This is the first time students from Benedict College attended our
meetings, another example of the results of our Student ADDY outreach.
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Tactic #3: Offer to speak in classes and student club meetings.
ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Results: AAF of the Midlands board members spoke at several USC SAF meetings
and participated in a college-wide panel discussion during the College of Mass
Communications & Information Studies annual I-Comm Week, which drew a crowd of
more than 100 students.
Target Audiences: Primary audience: Columbia area minority high school students,
educators and career counselors. Secondary audience: local advertising and
communications firms to speak with students and host a summer intern.
Strategy: Give engaging presentations about the rewarding career opportunities in
advertising. Offer an internship and scholarship to the most promising student.
Tactic #4: Award two scholarships to rising juniors or seniors majoring in advertising
or a related field. Selection is based on scholarship, participation in extracurricular
activities and financial need. The scholarships are funded through proceeds from our
oyster roast/ silent auction.
Results: Our oyster roast, held on November 1st, brought in $6,455 in auction sales
items and $843 in ticket sales (previous year was $6,151 in auction sales and $525 in
ticket sales). This funded the two student scholarships, the new professionals scholarship,
and our contribution to the District 3 Advertising Educational Sponsor program (see
AES details later in this report). USC seniors Stephen Bandstra and Chris Beauregard
each received a $500 scholarship. Applications for the 2013-14 scholarships are being
solicited and the AAF of the Midlands board will choose the winners in April.
Results: More than 150 minority high school Juniors and Seniors were presented with
an overview of careers in advertising. From the pool of internship applicants, Eau Claire
High School senior Taliyah Wolff rose to the top. Ms. Wolff participated in a two-week
summer internship program and spent time at Chernoff Newman, SCANA and the
Colonial Life Arena, shadowing staff members in their day-to-day tasks and getting a
glimpse of what it’s really like to work in the advertising industry. At the successful
completion of her internship, Wolff was awarded a $500 scholarship from AAF of the
Midlands and AAF Third District’s $1,000 Diversity Scholarship. She is pursing a major
in digital media and video production at the Art Institute in Charleston, South Carolina.
We are currently reviewing the 2013 applicants.
ADVERTISING EDUCATION IN THE THIRD DISTRICT
ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOR THE COMMUNITY
Background/ Target Audience: Students from more than 200 universities compete at
the district level of AAF’s National Student Advertising Competition. The winning team
from each district advances to compete nationally. While AAF covers the travel costs
to nationals for five presenters from each winning school, most teams have at least 12
students, a financial burden to the winning team’s university.
Target Audience: Columbia is home to the state capital, the flagship state university, a
major military base and several corporate and regional headquarters.
Inform the various constituencies about advertising topics and monthly meetings
that may be of interest to them on a personal or professional level.
Tactic: Reach out to the community through press releases and social media.
Members are encouraged to invite clients, friends and colleagues to meetings that
may be of interest. For example, USC Women Studies professors were invited to the
Jane Maas presentation. PRSA members were invited to the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill Crisis presentation.
Strategy: AAF of the Midlands is an Advertising Education Sponsor of the team that
wins the AAF District 3 competition. We solicit donations from our members at
meetings and on our website and then match the funds.
Result: AAF of the Midlands donated $937 in 2012, which supported the University of
Virginia, winner of the District 3 competition.
Results: Stories about our club appeared in numerous local media outlets including ABC
Columbia, The State, MidlandsBiz, Columbia Metropolitan, The Star and military.com.
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We also spread the word through social media and increased our Facebook likes by 24%
and increased our twitter followers by 49.75% over last year. Our personal outreach paid
off. USC’s Athletics Marketing Director became a member of AAF of the Midlands after
coming to the luncheon featuring the Carolina Panthers’ marketing director.
Educate South Carolina legislators about the $65.2 billion economic impact of
advertising expenditures in our state.
Results: We will cohost our first legislation session on March 6 to inspire an informative
and meaningful dialogue with South Carolina legislators and their constituents.
SUMMARY
Our education initiatives touched a wide constituency. We welcomed the community at
large to our meetings so they could appreciate how advertising touches their lives. We
educated legislators on the impact of advertising in our state. We informed and excited
high school students, their parents and educators about career opportunities in our field.
We continued our strong relationship with USC and reached out to other area colleges
and universities. We created an opportunity to help new professionals in their transition
from college to career. We offered beneficial sessions to our members, kept them
informed of legislation that could impact their business, and gave them the opportunity
to network and learn from each other. In the process, we learned a lot ourselves.
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Execution/Tactics: From creative case studies to political campaigns and print advertising
to digital navigation, we strive to not only vary these programs, but also keep them
relevant to our market in an effort to draw a diverse crowd and keep attendees interested.
DIVISION IV:
AAF FORT WORTH
Overview/Background: AAF-Fort Worth is a small club that does big things. With
approximately 65 members and just over 20 events per year, education is at the heart of
everything we do. Education is vital to retain members, recruit and influence the next
generation of advertising professionals and reinforce the value of our organization to the
general public. Additionally, in the Tenth District of the AAF, we have a program called
Advertising Education Sponsorships (AES). AES was created to ensure that students
from the Tenth District would have a strong base of support financially. For example,
AES pays for all expenses associated with the district’s National Student Advertising
Competition (NSAC) and provides stipends to the competing teams to help support their
travel, hotel, registration and other expenses. The AES program also awards scholarships
each year to deserving students within the district. There are other, smaller, initiatives at
the district level as well. As an AAF chapter it is our charge to support district plans and
to create our own local programs.
Results: Feedback is encouraged and surveys are distributed intermittently throughout
the year to gauge attendees’ perceived value. All feedback and attendance numbers are
reviewed by the programs committee and adjustments are made accordingly. Average
attendance is maintaining from 2011.
AAF-FW News Page & Social Media
Project Details: Utilize these outlets to reach interested parties not currently in our
database to drive home the value that our club brings to the industry.
Target Audience: Primarily students and public, but also some membership
Execution/Tactics: Updates are made to the AAF-FW News page and social media
outlets on a very regular basis that include updates on programs, ADDYs, local job
postings, local new-hires and general club news.
Goals:
Results: This allows students and the general public that might not be in our database to get
updates that they might otherwise miss. Multiple students and non-members have attended
mixers and charity events because they saw our website and/or social media post about it.
• Provide continuing education and professional development for our
membership in the advertising industry/profession in general and continue
to explain the benefits of AAF.
• Educate local students by getting them involved in our activities and raise
money for our District 10 initiative, Advertising Education Sponsorships.
Networking Mixers
Project Details: We held five different after hours mixers this year at local restaurants/
bars, promoting them as a time to relax, drink and network with fellow professionals.
• Educate the general public on the value that AAF brings to the industry and
keep them abreast of issues that affect their daily lives.
Target Audience: Membership, prospective membership, students and public
Execution/Tactics: We view mixers as a way to allow our membership to let loose
and also as a way to network with a slightly different crowd than our typical luncheon
attendees. By charging a minimal $5 per person and providing appetizers, we get mixer
attendees to make a commitment that they’ll attend, without a large financial obligation.
In an effort to maximize results with limited manpower, a primary focus this year was to
incorporate events that reach all three of our target audiences.
Monthly Luncheons
Project Details: Monthly luncheons are our primary and consistent outreach to all three
of our target audiences. Everyone in our database receives an e-mail invitation to the
monthly luncheon.
Results: We get continuous praise on these mixers as many vendors appreciate the
atmosphere of being able to approach agencies in a non-threatening way. Likewise,
jobseekers, including many students, are able to begin conversations with potential
employers in a casual environment.
Target Audience: Membership, prospective membership, students and public
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Execution/Tactics: Our education committee, along with the help of our ADDY committee,
reached out to more than seven schools in the area including large institutions, community
colleges, and technical schools encouraging students to submit their best creative work in
hopes of winning gold. After submissions, we recruited two student volunteers to help and
learn from the judging process. Finally, our club extended five free event passes to students
interested in attending the ADDYs and assisting our board in tasks throughout the night.
Presence at District Leadership Conferences & Convention
Project Details: Send as many AAF-FW members to district conferences as possible.
Target Audience: Board members
Execution/Tactics: It has been our goal to send every board member to at least one
district leadership conference or convention each year. These trips build camaraderie
and provide a venue for brainstorming our arsenal of development ideas for the club
and provide an opportunity for continuing education and professional development.
Results: This year’s student entries totaled 35 entries made by 25 entrants. This statistic
proves that our efforts in building a deeper more direct relationship with our student
community is paying off and that they see value in participating with our organization.
Results: The results have shown themselves profusely as far as the team morale within
the board and all the great ideas that we come back with. We’ve also been able to hear a
variety of great speakers and then book them for our monthly membership luncheons.
Annual Holiday Party
Project Details: The Annual AAF-FW Holiday Party is a time for the club to give back
to the membership and to raise money for AES.
AES Board Member Challenge
Project Details: This project challenges our board members to not only understand
the AES program to the point that they can effectively communicate its benefits and
promote it to others within the club and beyond, but to donate the equivalent of a bronze
($75) membership on their own.
Target Audience: Membership, prospective membership and students
Target Audience: Board Members
Execution/Tactics: We almost have this down to a science. So this year, we were able to
focus more of our attention on obtaining silent auction items, which go straight to our
AES commitment. And, by charging a minimal $10 per person we can provide appetizers
and host the event at a venue with good happy hour specials in an effort to encourage our
attendees to have a good time.
Execution/Tactics: We remind our board at the beginning of every year what AES is
about and that their donation of $75 supports the future of advertising. We challenge
them to continue to spread the word about AES, specifically how easy it is to donate
when registering for an event by simply adding a small amount to one’s payment and
how important the program is overall to our district.
Results: This year, because of our new focus on silent auction items, we had more than
50 different items, everything from Texas Rangers tickets to a top of the line grill. We also
created an additional fun way to generate funds by asking for donations to “Sit with Santa”
for a photo. The event raised more than $2,485, DOUBLING our AES donation from 2011.
Results: Not everyone on the board can donate, but those that are able do. The board
member challenge raised $900 this year.
UTA Communication Day
Project Details: Attended the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) Communication
Day and hosted a table to let college students know more about our organization.
ADDY Student Involvement/Participation
Project Details: The ADDYs are the ideal way to get our student community invested in
the fun of ad club. We encouraged students to enter the competition, participate in the
judging process, and volunteer at the event.
Target Audience: Students and university faculty members who are not club members
Execution/Tactics: We had board members manning our AAF-Fort Worth table at
UTA Communication Day, answering questions about our organization, how to get
involved and handing out ADDY entry forms.
Target Audience: Students at local colleges, universities and technical schools
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Results: Through our continued presence in the community and ongoing outreach to
local universities, we are able to find or be invited to opportunities such as these. This
event only took a couple hours out of our day and we always get told how helpful it is.
Beatles Benefit Bash
Project Details: This event is a one-night concert with the best Beatles cover band
around and draws a very diverse group.
Classroom Outreach
Project Details: This year we made an effort to connect with students on a classroom
level. Multiple board members were invited to come and speak to local universities
on a variety of topics related to advertising. This opportunity provided a two-way
communication with students in a comfortable environment.
Target Audience: Membership, prospective membership and public
Execution/Tactics: By partnering with a local venue that has a stage and bar, we keep
costs low, so that all our proceeds benefit our chosen cause: PMR Charity, which supports
those in need, from stroke victims to amputees, whose mounting medical bills cause a
tremendous strain on their quality of life and on their families.
Target Audience: Students
Results: This event, in its sixth year, is becoming known around our community as a
must-attend event, which lets people know one of the many things that AAF-Fort Worth
is capable of and reinforces our support of the Fort Worth community to our members
and the general public. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate this year and since
our venue is outdoors, this dramatically impacted attendance. Even so, AAF-Fort Worth
was able to contribute $3,795 to PMR Charity.
Execution/Tactics: Board members spoke to students on a variety of topics including
“Agency vs. Non-profit” and the ADDYs.
Results: University outreach provides our club a platform to discuss AAF and educate
students on the benefits of joining and how our organization can help positively impact
their career.
Professor Outreach and Student Discount Pricing
Project Details: We’ve found that making a special effort to keep communication open
between our club and local university professors is to our benefit. We also go the extra
mile to offer discounted registration for students to all of our events once they have
registered as such in our system.
CONCLUSION
Through a variety of projects and activities, we proudly accomplished our three goals.
And we’ve built a strong foundation for program improvement and expanded reach in
the 2013-2014 year
Target Audience: Students and professors
Execution/Tactics: Through explaining the process to professors at the beginning of
each school year, we get both professor and student buy-in early on. Having students
register as such in our system allows us to maintain constant correspondence and
offering discounted pricing makes it more likely that they’ll actually attend.
Results: We’ve continued to see our student attendance rise and occasionally are asked
to sign off for a student’s attendance so that they can receive extra credit for a specific
class. Our efforts paid off this year when a large group of students from Abilene Christian
University drove 150 miles to attend one of our afternoon luncheon programs and tour
two local agencies!
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DIVISION V:
AD 2 DC
Tips & Tricks Series
Tips & Tricks is our educational programming series that provides interesting topics
and insights, aimed to help attendees grow professionally. This series was created to be
educational in a casual atmosphere, attracting various levels of professionals to share their
knowledge and personal experiences. Ad 2 DC aimed to vary the content to reach all levels
of membership—students, recent graduates and seasoned professionals.
The overall goal of Ad 2 DC is to inspire future industry leaders through advertising
education. To accomplish, this we set specific goals for educating the profession,
students and the general public. Our goals for advertising education for the 2012-2013
year were as follows:
• Educating the Profession by providing high quality programming for
prospective and current members at a low cost to increase their industry
knowledge and help them become future industry leaders.
Tips & Tricks: Taking LinkedIn to the Next Level (May 2012): We all have a LinkedIn
account and make connections after attending networking events, but there’s so much
more it can be used for. We wanted to provide young professionals tips on how they can
leverage this job search tool to further enhance their careers
• Educating Students by providing accessible events to local college
students to help them make connections in the advertising, marketing and
communications industry in the DC metro area.
Target Audience: Ad 2 DC members and young professionals with a few years of work
experience looking for their next career opportunity.
• Educating the General Public about Ad 2 DC’s mission through programs
and public service initiatives.
Strategy: We wanted to bring in a speaker that had exceptional knowledge of LinkedIn to
provide attendees strong advice on how to leverage LinkedIn to land their next job or climb
up the ladder. One of our Steering Committee chairs met Victoria Ipri, LinkedIn Marketing
Consultant & Coach, at a local marketing conference and reached out. Ipri spoke about how
to clean up your profile and get your profile in the top search results.
Overall successes include:
• Tips & Tricks event series resulted in 130 attendees, 38% non-members
• (Anti)Social Network event partnered with a local business and sold out
within two days
Execution/Tactics: For the event, we used existing Tips & Tricks branded creative. We
deployed e-blasts to our mailing lists and promoted it online via social media and ad2dc.org.
• Water Cooler Wednesdays averaged five students in attendance
• Events featured speakers from well-known companies, including LinkedIn,
Blackboard, Rock the Vote and LivingSocial.
Results: Ipri did a great job of giving clear tips to attendees on how to get their profile
noticed and interacted with attendees via social media. We asked attendees to fill out
feedback forms and of those forms, attendees ranked the event and speaker at least a 4
on a scale of 1-5. We also asked for suggestions for future events and will take those into
consideration for our next planning meeting. Our Tips & Tricks emails have an average of
a 20.11% open rate and 3.16% click through rate.
EDUCATING THE PROFESSION
The goal of each Ad 2 DC program was to provide a high-quality event at a low cost that
would expand our target audience’s industry knowledge. All but one program was free for
members and low-cost to non-members, increasing the value of being an Ad 2 DC member.
We covered a broad range of topics, hitting on key areas within the advertising, marketing
and communications industry.
Tips & Tricks: Brand Charisma (August 2012): This year, we wanted to provide
educational opportunities to learn from high profile speakers and well-known brands.
Because of Ad 2 DC’s recognition and network, we were able to bring on Christian
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Attendees were asked to sign up in advanced to have one-on-one time with a recruiter/HR
professional to ensure everyone was able to have an opportunity. During the resume review
time, attendees networked with one another.
Campagnuolo, former Brand Manager for the Walt Disney Company and Blackboard’s
current Vice President of Brand Strategy & Creative. Campagnuolo spoke about how
agencies can work both internally and externally to create a brand that is approachable,
likable and charismatic.
Execution/Tactics: With the launch of the new brand, we developed new Tips & Tricks
creative. The event was promoted on dcadclub.com, social media and three e-blasts.
Target Audience: Ad 2 DC and DC Ad club members, general public and industry
non-members.
Results: With seven recruiters/HR professionals, all attendees were able to spend 10
minutes with at least one of them to receive feedback on their resumes. Almost all attendees
were members and fell in the Ad 2 DC target demographic. When attendees were leaving,
they expressed their enjoyment of the event and two non-members converted to members
on-site. Many of the panelists expressed interested in doing another event with us.
Strategy: By utilizing resources and connections, we were able to provide high quality
programs on interesting topics to members at no cost and a low cost to non-members. All
events are hosted by local companies at no charge.
Execution/Tactics: For the event, we used existing Tips & Tricks creative. We deployed
e-blasts to our mailing lists and promoted it online via social media and ad2dc.org.
The (Anti)Social Network
For the second year, Ad 2 DC hosted an event during DCWEEK, a weeklong festival of
hundreds of distributed events powered by the community that is attended by over 10,000
people. To stand out in the crowd, Ad 2 DC partnered with a growing creative digital agency
in DC, BRINKmedia, who hosted, sponsored and provided a moderator (their Executive
Vice President) for the event. With the ever-changing landscape of the web and social media
as a focal point, the panel discussed what makes “good” content for the web, how users
expectations have changed, and how to measure effectiveness of messaging through social
media. To conclude the event, the panelists discussed how social media is a career tool, what
employers expect from young professionals when it comes to their online presence, and
what harm can it do.
Results: This event was a packed room with over 60 in attendance, our biggest Tips &
Tricks of the year. Attendees were an even split between members and non-members,
there was a wide variety of professionals in the room, ranging from recent graduates
to seasoned professionals. We received praise from multiple sources for the event, and
were even told from a veteran DC Ad Club Board member that this was one of the best
programs she’s attended.
Resume Review & HR Panel (February 2013)
Whether someone is a recent graduate trying to land his/her first job or a young professional
that has a few years of work experience under his/her belt, everyone needs a little help to
stand out. This event provided attendees tips on how to get their resume to the top of a
recruiter’s list and a chance to have their resume critiqued by a recruiter or HR professional
from local companies.
Target Audience: Local industry professionals of all levels, particularly with an interest in
social media.
Strategy: By partnering with an agency and hosting the event during DCWEEK, we aimed
to increase the reach of the event to various industry professionals. This event was free for
members and non-members, to increase attendance and stay competitive with the other
events occurring.
Target Audience: Ad 2 DC members and young professional non-members who are
recent graduates or have a few years of work experience.
Strategy: We partnered with local recruiters and HR professionals from various size and
company type to provide tips and resume feedback to attendees. This allowed attendees to
hear real insights from local companies on how to landing a job in the tough DC job market;
they were also able to make direct connections with the recruiters and HR professionals.
Execution/Tactics: Promotions on DCWEEK website; social media through DCWEEK,
BRINK and Ad 2 DC accounts; and e-blasts to our mailing list.
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Results: This event sold out within two days of posting, resulting in high attendance of
non-members. With the partnership of a growing agency in DC and during a wellknown community industry week, we were able to expose attendees to Ad 2 DC’s great
programming. This event was also put on at no-cost to Ad 2 DC; BRINKmedia coordinated
the catering with a local restaurant.
now serving as our membership co-chair and regularly reaches out to students from his
school to attend Ad 2 DC events.
Student Outreach
This year we sought to get our name out to the local colleges so that students would learn
more about Ad 2 DC and attend our events. In partnership with the DC Ad Club, we
developed a Student Outreach Committee. The Student Outreach committee designated
a delegate to each local college and university in order to build contacts and promote our
events to the students. Several Ad 2 DC Steering Committee chairs went to local colleges
to participate in various events. Two chairs sat on a panel at the Art Institute’s Consumer
Behavior class to critique their presentations. The Ad 2 DC Chair and Membership Chair
attended a speed networking event to provide guidance to upcoming graduates. Lastly, the
Student Outreach Committee and the Ad 2 DC Past Chair attended American University’s
Marketing & Communications Day hosted by the School of Business and School of
Communications. At the event, we had a table at the career fair and attended a networking
event right after. At the career fair, there was a constant flow of students; all those interested
in learning more about Ad 2 DC were contacted after the event.
EDUCATING STUDENTS
Ad 2 DC wanted to provide accessible programs and events for students to help them
build connections with current professionals in the local advertising, marketing and
communications industry. In addition to the Resume Review Tips & Tricks listed above, to
follow are other initiatives.
Water Cooler Wednesdays (WCW)
WCW, another Ad 2 DC signature event, is our free networking event where young
professionals network in a relaxed atmosphere, exchange ideas and collaborate.
Target Audience: Local professionals and students who are in or interested in the
advertising, marketing and communications industry.
EDUCATION FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Strategy: Hold free networking events on a consistent basis at locations throughout DC
to increase reach; WCW serves as an introductory event for non-members to learn about
Ad 2 DC. Our goal is to either partner with another association or secure a sponsorship for
these happy hours.
Besides the items listed above and below, in the upcoming months we are ramping
up our new blog ADitude—an industry blog for young professionals in advertising,
marketing, technology and creative careers living in or looking to relocate to the DC
metro area. It is a place to share tips and tricks, announce exciting or relevant industry
news, shine a spotlight on the great things local companies or individuals are doing and
promote our vibrant community.
Execution/Tactics: Creative stayed relatively the same for each WCW; if there was a big
sponsor, we’d incorporate their logo into the email banner. If there was a special focus,
such as end of the year or public service, we’d add a twist to the creative and include the
information. E-blasts were sent to mailing list and the events were heavily promoted via
social media.
Public Service Campaign
Ad 2 DC Public Service provides pro-bono marketing services to local non-profit
organizations. The program develops future marketing leaders and significantly benefits
local communities.
Results: We’ve seen an increase in students attending our WCW, with an average of five
per event. From one WCW, a recent graduate of a local university made connections with
Ad 2 DC steering committee chairs that helped him get a job at a local agency. He is also
Target Audience: The general public; young industry professionals; local non-profit
organizations.
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Results: ADWKDC is a huge membership driver for us; in the month leading up to
ADWKDC, there were 15 new Ad 2 DC members. The DC Ad Club Foundation provided
free passes for local college students to attend. 90% of survey respondents said they enjoyed
the conference and would attend again. The top three reasons survey respondents attended
were for professional development, networking and to learn something new.
Strategy: The public service campaign is the key element of Ad 2 DC and what makes
us the premier organization for young professionals in the advertising, marketing and
communications industry. Through the public service initiative, we engage the general
public, educate them on this aspect of the organization and recruit new members.
Execution/Tactics: The public service chair put out an RFP for non-profits to submit
applications for clients and it was featured on the Capital Communicators website. Email
blasts were sent to members, non-members and local area organizations. Ad 2 DC utilized
our website and social media to promote as well. To announce our 2012-2013 client and
educate the community of the public service campaign, we focused the October WCW on
public service. At the event, attendees learned about the campaign, heard from our 20122013 client, Open House, and learned about how they can give back and get involved.
CONCLUSION
This year, Ad 2 DC provided high-quality programs at a low-cost that helped professionals,
students and the general public increase their knowledge of the industry. By providing
strong and relevant programming to reach members and prospective members at all stages
in their careers, we gained 71 new members, ending with 161 as of February 2013. Year after
year our events continue to provide young professionals the opportunity to network with
high profile speakers and companies in the DC metro area and grow professionally so that
they may become the leaders of tomorrow. We continually fill the rooms for our events and
attendees express their enjoyment of them.
Results: In April 2012, during our WCW, our public service chair presented our 20112012 campaign to attendees to share with them all the work they did. After the October
WCW, the public service committee grew by five people, received cash donations, secured
a production company, and secured free media for the campaign.
Advertising Week DC (ADWKDC)
ADWKDC is an annual conference that brings together nationally recognized talent
to share industry trends, insights and best practices in the rapidly changing industry of
marketing communications.
Target Audience: The general public and ADWKDC registrants, from students to CMO’s
and Presidents
Strategy: Partner with the DC Ad Club to promote the conference and theme of “Awe” to
our networks, and attend events to share insights. To build anticipation, we promoted the
Groundswell project which challenged the young professionals of local agencies to come up
with a video that was AWE-inspiring. To help increase attendance, creative workshops were
added for those that were unable to attend the full day of conference programs.
Execution/Tactics: Promotions consisted of e-blasts to members, flyer, social media and a
dedicated ADWKDC website. Groundswell videos were posted to advertisingweekdc.com.
Ad 2 DC promoted through our social media accounts and posted it on ad2dc.org.
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club operations
div I:
d i v II :
a u s t i n a d v e r t i s i n g f e d e r at i o n
AA F O m a h a
d i v III : d i v I v:
d i v v:
aaf lincoln
AA F n o r t h e a s t t e n n e s s e e
Ad 2 orlando
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : C L U B O P E R AT I O N S
reveal initially that the Ad Fed is conducting the focus group in order to
receive open and honest feedback)
DIVISION I:
AUSTIN ADVERTISING FEDERATION
• Determine what members want and need to attend Ad Fed events other
than ADDYs and Big Wigs
Overview: The Austin Advertising Federation is fortunate to have received recognition
for its achievements the last few years. The Board of Directors realizes that Austin is a city
with high expectations; so almost every professional organization in Austin performs at top
levels. Our board noticed early in 2012 that our membership was less engaged than when
we were a considerably smaller club five years ago. As part of our Long Range Plan, our goal
is to remain relevant and meet member needs to thrive in the future. In order to achieve
continued membership growth and engagement, our members must perceive the Austin
Ad Fed as the Greatest Professional Organization in the region. This requires:
Method and Results: A board members’ research firm led our board to conduct focus
groups: 17 member and non-member agencies and media companies were invited
to participate. We interviewed a cross-section of employees at 7 of those companies
(members of each department were included for diverse opinions). By keeping their
responses anonymous and urging them to be brutally frank, we gathered telling and
useful information. As shown in Listening Tour exhibits, the exercise provided valuable
feedback from our members. Clearly, they were not impressed with our history of
winning AAF awards and told us not to rest on our laurels. The survey results formed
the framework for discussion at this year’s annual board retreat. The challenges are clear:
we’ve got work to do in meeting the expectations of our bright, young, innovative and
well informed membership. They asked for the following: A Better Sense of Community;
Real Professional Development; Better Events; Career Tools and Resources; More
Interaction with other Members; More Resourceful Web Site and Group Buying Power
and Value. During our August 2012 Board of Directors Retreat, we shared the outcome
of the listening tour and our revised Mission and Vision Statements. Armed with our
“Membership’s Wish List” and an exciting Mission and Vision (below), our committees
were ready to revise their goals for the coming year to reflect our members’ needs.
• Understanding What our Members Want from the Austin Ad Fed
• Improving Programs and Events Each Year to better Engage our Membership
• Rewriting our Mission, Vision and Constitution to Reflect our
Evolving Organization
ANALYSIS OF MEMBER NEEDS
Plan and Conduct an Annual Listening Tour
Issue: Remain Relevant. For the last few years, the Membership committee reported
positive reviews in the annual member surveys. Still, attendance at events was declining, the
percentage of opened member emails decreasing and the number of volunteers shrinking.
The membership committee studied the data. In recent online surveys less than 6% of
members responded (77 members of 1400 invited). Recognizing that half of respondents
were likely board members, the reality was only 3% of our “at large” members responded.
This revealed a high level of member apathy or disengagement. A Listening Tour was
conducted to evaluate the club’s perception among members and the ad community at large.
Develop Programs and Events that Exceed Member Expectations
Issue: Members wanted more from our programs and events. During the Listening
Tour, they described precisely what they’d like the Ad Fed to provide. In their words,
“Connect me, build my network, inspire me. Help my career. Provide professional
development. Bring out of town speakers. Discuss industry best practices and emerging
trends. Have panel discussions or workshop-style programs, with activities, exercises,
simulations, facilitated breakout discussions. Create programs that provide continuing
education credits. Give us multi-faceted events—mini-conference concept with social/
happy hour. Design events that appeal to different types of professions.” A tall order, but
we needed the feedback to make the positive change needed.
Goal: Launch Listening Tour with the following goals:
• Discover members’ current perceptions of Austin Ad Fed
• Determine what people want and need from a professional association
serving advertising, marketing, and PR and media professionals. (Do not
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Goals: Deliver the cutting-edge and varied Programs and Events that our Membership
requested.
purchased a sponsorship and was visible in promotional communications and at
the event. This was one of the years’ highest attended events.
• 2012 Big Wigs Awards—The goal of the Big Wigs program is to celebrate the
unsung heroes in advertising. The entire ad community participated in the
nomination and election process to celebrate the behind-the-scenes heroes
and heroines who allow the creative folks to focus on developing ADDYworthy work. Sample Nomination Categories included: Best Receptionist, Best
Sound Editor, Best Media Buyer, Educator of the Year and Biggest Wig of All.
The Silver Service Medal recognized the person(s) who best helped promote
the Austin ad industry. The 2012 recipients were Mark McGarrah and
Bryan Jessee, principals of McGarrah Jessee Advertising. This event was the
perfect opportunity to mingle with members of our top prospective member
categories: Media, Interactive, and Film. All of the political and patriotic fervor
resulted in the most profitable Big Wigs event in club history.
• Each year, create a calendar of varied programs that includes options that
appeal to our broader membership as well as more focused programs that
appeal to our new target business categories.
• Use specific feedback from the Listening Tour for time and location of
programs/events. Change program times to afternoons, from 4:30-6:30 pm
for greater attendance.
• Provide extended opportunities for networking at events.
Method and Results: The Programs Committee developed a strong schedule of programs
and events to appeal to broad segments of our advertising community. Feedback from
our membership has been extremely positive. Our events have experienced far higher
attendance than in the past. Sample programs include:
• 2013 Austin ADDY Awards—Our “Listening Tour” meetings with agency
principals yielded suggestions for an improved and more professionally
produced show that focuses on the great work.
• Ethics in Advertising. Members received a Certificate for the Practice of
Enhanced Ethics. This type of certification opportunity was requested in the
Listening Tour. Produced in conjunction with the University of Texas and the
national American Advertising Federation, this half- day event was just the
second of its kind in the entire nation.
The ADDYs are Austin’s largest advertising event, this year attracting 518
entries. To further elevate the ADDY brand to something more than “just
another awards show”, we feature a public service or advertising education
client during the show. This year ADDY Gold Sponsor McGarrah Jessee
donated their $3,000 sponsor benefits to E4 Youth, an educational nonprofit helping at-risk high school students learn creative skills and build
portfolios. To recognize the value of our members’ ADDY wins, we place
stories and on-line slideshows in the Austin Business Journal, Austin
American Statesman, industry blogs, and promote virally using social
media. The stories help general readers understand Austin’s prominence
in the national ad market, the contribution made to the local economy
by agencies serving national clients, and the role played by the Ad Fed in
promoting the advertising industry. We solicited suggestions for judges
from leading agency partners, allowing them to have “skin in the game”.
This years’ ADDY event sold out at 500 tickets. To accommodate an
• The “Nooner” Series. The goal of our Nooner programs is to “feed the
creative soul” of our members. This provides educational, inspirational and
networking opportunities for our members in the creative community, who
are notoriously difficult to attract to events.
• Game That Shall not be Named due to Trademark Restrictions Fest—We
hoped to create an event that would attract the Media providers in Austin, as
well as offer networking opportunities with our agencies’ creative leaders. We
capitalized on Super Bowl excitement. Top commercials from past Super Bowls
were shown, taking some of the audience down memory lane and introducing
others to the commercials for the first time. Creative Directors from top agencies
GSD&M, Proof, and McGarrah Jessee provided critiques and comments
for audience discussion. KEYE, the CBS affiliate that aired the Super Bowl,
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overflow crowd, we added an ADDY After-Party, allowing additional
guests to attend at reduced prices while still viewing the winning work. This
answers our memberships’ request to enhance the networking opportunities
at the ADDYs and provide a lower cost alternative for junior professionals.
LONG-RANGE PLANNING
Develop an Updated Mission and Vision Statement
Issue: Our former Mission and Vision Statements do not reflect the club we aspire to become.
Goal: Create an updated Mission and Vision that will inspire our transformation to
becoming the Greatest Professional Organization in the region.
The results from our program improvement were immediate; our membership grew
16% this year, from 1,753 to 2036. The average attendance at our events and programs
grew by over 27%.
Method and Results: Our “Mission/Vision Task Force” reviewed the Listening Tour
Feedback. They considered the club’s history and more importantly, the membership’s
requests for our future evolution. They set out to “Define the Greatest Advertising Club
in the Nation”. After collaboration and brainstorming, they produced a more succinct and
substantive vision statement:
Collaborate with Other Austin Organizations to Broaden our Reach
Issue: Austin is fortunate to have many professional organizations whose memberships
have interests similar to ours. We should combine forces to provide value to our
collective membership.
“POWERING THE WORLD’S MOST CREATIVE MINDS”
Goal: Our members asked us to collaborate more, to help expand the networking
opportunities and programs that we offer. We committed to do just that; both this year and
in the years to come.
And a more inspiring Mission Statement: “UNITE. CHALLENGE. PROMOTE.”
The new mission and vision were unveiled at this year’s ADDYs on February 28th and
will roll out in full force with the launch of our new website in March as well as display
advertising in the Austin Business Journal and on Austin billboards provided pro-bono.
Method and Results: We collaborated with several Austin organizations on the following
events:
• Dream Fund Biloxi Night Fundraiser to support freelancers with no health
insurance.
Create a Constitution that Reflects our Changing Needs
Issue: Our constitution was written in 2008. It was obsolete and prevented our board from
taking action when necessary. It didn’t provide sufficient controls to prevent spending
or other abuses. Yet it was overly specific in other ways, making positive changes almost
impossible. We cannot remain relevant if our structure prohibits us from embracing change.
• The Summer Shindig, a networking event that connects many advertising
related organizations including AIGA, the American Marketing
Association, the Association of Women in Communications, the
Association of Business Communicators, the Social Media Club, the Public
Relations Society, and the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Goal: Write and present an improved Constitution reflecting our evolving organization.
We needed flexibility for future growth, while providing stricter controls on spending and
fee implementation.
• Austin Kleon “Steal Like an Artist, an hosted with the AIGA, to introduce
the membership of each organization to the other. We are helping our
members by expanding their networking opportunities, increasing their
membership value.
Method and Results: A Constitution Revision Committee looked at our current organization
and considered the changes that a future Ad Fed may require. We reviewed the National
AAF MODEL BY-LAWS for best practices. We reviewed the Bylaws and Constitutions
from other AAF Clubs. We produced a much, improved constitution in March 2012. We
updated the Membership classes; provided clear auditing procedures; defined limits on
committees’ abilities to create financial or legal obligations or to waive fees without board
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approval. We changed a quorum to reflect the National AAF recommendations; and we
defined the board voting and nomination process with deadlines and procedures to solicit
volunteers for board service. The improved Constitution was a vital step in remaining a
relevant and vibrant advertising federation.
LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Provide Thorough Orientation for New and Returning Board Members
Issue: One half of our Board of Directors is new each year. Even returning board members
often forget their responsibilities and requirements as leaders of our organization.
Diversify our Membership
Issue: Our membership is largely comprised of agency personnel (70.3%) with one agency
constituting 23% of our total membership. We limit our impact and success if we do not
diversify and target additional business categories. Media companies and service companies
often provide active, involved board members and are regular sponsors in many other AAF
organizations across the country.
Goal: Create a Board of Directors Leadership Manual and conduct a thorough Board
Orientation at our Annual Board Retreat. Update this Manual annually and share long
range Board goals.
Method and Results: Our Executive Director produced a Board of Directors Leadership
Manual that was distributed at our 2012 Board Retreat. For the first two hours of our
Retreat, we provided a thorough orientation to our board.
Goal: To reach our long term goals, we must diversify and expand our membership base.
Subjects included: An Introduction to the Austin Ad Fed; Our Mission and Purpose;
How to Effectively Run and Recruit for Your Committee; Board Member Roles and
Responsibilities; The 2012/2013 Budget—Fiduciary Expectations and How to Set and
Exceed Event Budgets; Individual Committee Goals from Last Year; and the Individual
Committee VP’s Job Descriptions. Even returning Board Members commented that this
enhanced orientation provided them with better guidance about effective Board Leadership.
Our new Board Members “hit the ground running” because they clearly understood what
was expected of them.
Method and Results: We identified non-member companies in three areas: 70 potential
interactive companies, 15 potential media companies, and 114 potential film companies.
Only 5% of our membership is from Media Companies. Only 35 members are with Film and
Interactive Companies. In order to attract these business categories, the membership and
programs committee have joined forces to develop specific programs and communication
to attract participation from these companies. We visited them during our Listening Tour
to understand what would cause them to join and become involved. We added Media
executives to our Membership committee, to provide connections to their networks. We
created personalized recruitment letters and made calls and followed up in person to ask
them to attend upcoming events. The team encouraged potential members to engage in the
club’s social networking activities to keep abreast of developments and upcoming events.
The results have been encouraging. Film/Interactive memberships have increased from 35
members to over 50 and should double by the end of the fiscal year. Since the beginning
of our fiscal year we received $2,000 in TV station sponsorship plus an in-kind ADDY
sponsorship ($5,000 value) from the Austin Business Journal. Media memberships increased
from approximately 95 members to 122 as of the end of February 2013. This should put us
on track to reach 150 media members by the end of the year—a great start.
Long Term Strategic Planning at our Annual Retreat
Issue: If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else. —Yogi Berra
Goal: Plan for the coming five years, heeding the needs and requests of our membership so
that we will become the Greatest Professional Organization in the region.
Method and Results: Armed with our “Membership’s Wish List” and an exciting Mission
and Vision, (see above), our committee VP’s were ready to write their goals for 2012 and
for the coming five years. They reviewed their committee goals and Club Achievement
reports from the previous year. Each Committee VP noted the Listening Tour findings
that impacted their Preliminary List of Goals and adapted their goals to reflect the needs of
our members. As reflected in our committee Club Achievement reports, each committee
VP produced revised goals that they presented to our board at the September Board of
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the country. We also were tickled to introduce the nation to a truly Austin
Experience. The event was a success. Our membership raved about the evening
and fun was had by all who attended.
Directors’ Meeting. Almost immediately our membership noted the impact of the Listening
Tour. We’ve heard repeated comments that our changed and enhanced program schedule
and improved ADDY show were exactly the type of improvements they’d hoped to see. Our
members appreciated more national speakers, true Professional Development and better
networking opportunities. All 2012 goals that we set at our 2012 Annual Retreat have been
implemented. We will share our long range goals with future board members to ensure we
stay on track.
FISCAL MANAGEMENT
Budget Conservatively, Monitor and Adjust Regularly
Issue: In previous years, we set pie-in-the sky revenue budgets and didn’t closely monitor
shortfalls.
Strong Involvement at the District and National Level of AAF
Issue: Austin has a responsibility to participate in District 10 and National AAF events.
Without exposure to the best ideas in the nation, our club could miss out on programming
and income opportunities. Also, by encouraging our thought leaders to remain active with
other clubs, we can help to promote their brand in our District and the National AAF.
Goal: Set conservative budgets for the club and for our committees. Then set Aggressive
Goals internally. Focus on developing real world plans and budgets. Frequently monitor
progress and adjust expenses or efforts as necessary so that the budgeted profit goals are met.
Goal: To send at least three board representatives to every District Convention and
Conference each year and to collaborate with National AAF for the 2012 National
Conference in Austin.
Method and Results: The Executive Committee set preliminary budgets in July, ably
assisted by our long-time treasurer who works as an accountant at a major agency. The
committee VP’s and Board of Directors review and approve all budgets at the annual
retreat in August. They are clear that they must meet their budgeted profit for each event or
initiative. Every month the board reviews committee actual finances to ascertain if we are on
track. If the committee is not pacing to meet revenue goals, we adjust accordingly. Expenses
are reduced or sponsorship efforts enhanced. As a result, every program for 2012/2013 had
met or exceeded budgeted profit. 2012-13 has been our most financially successful year in
the club’s history.
Method and Results: Austin consistently sends three to four representatives to all
Conventions and Conferences at the District level. The ideas implemented from the
conferences continue to strengthen the board’s resolve to budget for future conferences and
conventions. Our board members are generous in donating time and talent to AAF District
10 and to the National AAF. Examples include:
Marc Eisenberg, our Director of Operations serves on the National ADDY
Committee, Chairs the District 10 ADDY and Newsletter committees; Paula
Smith is the Co-Chair for the Internal Communications/ Newsletter for
District 10; Jason Lucio Chairs the District 10 Ways and Means Committee;
Kevin Cassis is the incoming Governor for District 10. Several former and
current board present regularly at programming events for other Advertising
Federations. Finally, Austin was fortunate to be chosen as the host city for the
AAF ADMERICA 2012 Conference. We had the opportunity to host an Austin
event during the National Conference. Our membership had the opportunity
to network with advertising professionals and thought leaders from across
Sponsorship Development
Issue: Sustaining and consistent sponsors are vital to our financial health
Goal: Develop Annual and Program Sponsorship Packages. Create an annual event calendar
to encourage more multiple-event sponsor opportunities. Create a sponsorship sales
commission structure to incentivize sponsorship procurement in 2012 and the years to come.
Method and Results: Our Sponsorship committee created Annual and Program
Sponsorship Package materials that highlight the benefits of sponsoring the Ad Fed and
its events. The programming committee created a full and varied calendar of events that
allows our sponsor committee to combine event sponsorships and create custom packages.
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Finally, a set commission plan was formulated, ranging from 10-15% of sponsor income
generated. We copied the model of other Ad Feds to create incentives for those who focus
on generating sponsorship income. Sponsorship income for 2012 and 2013 is the highest
in Club History.
Increase Event and Program Income
During the 2012-2013 year, club income was supported by the following programs:
(described above)
• ADDYs: Generated over $30,000 in profit for the club, up 48% from 2011
• Big Wigs Awards: Generated over $4,700 in profit for the club, a record for
this event
• Ethics in Advertising: Generated over $1,175 in profit.
• Game that Shall not be Named due to Trademark Restrictions Fest:
Generated $1,637 in profit
CONCLUSION
The Austin Ad Fed’s Listening Tour was the most effective member engagement initiative
to date. We asked our members what they wanted and we listened. We are well underway to
fulfilling our Mission Statement: “UNITE. CHALLENGE. PROMOTE.”
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annual budget which details income projections for club activities; increase income
through events, programs and new memberships; streamline operations; reduce expense;
and provide timely information to the board.
DIVISION II:
AAF OMAHA
The American Advertising Federation Omaha (AAF Omaha) is the unifying voice for
advertising in the Omaha/Council Bluffs metropolitan area. We educate policy makers,
the media and the general public on the value advertising brings to the wellbeing of
our community. We foster the highest standards of practice and cultivate the industry’s
present and future leaders. We are the only professional association in the area that
binds together the mutual interests of corporate advertisers, agencies, marketing
and media services, suppliers, academia and other advertising and public relations
professionals. Our image is projected through all aspects of our federation: membership,
communications, public service, education, programming, special events, government
relations, award programs and club management.
TACTICS
Long-range Planning
Each year AAF Omaha develops a marketing plan which lays out the goals for the
upcoming year. This provides vision for our board and ensures that our club remains
prosperous and relevant to our membership. The plan is presented at the beginning of
the year at an annual board retreat for the incoming Board of Directors. At the retreat,
the board reviews the plan, discusses the state of the club, reviews board responsibilities,
and is presented with an initial budget. Prior to this retreat, we hold a meeting with the
outgoing and incoming Executive Boards to lay the groundwork for the upcoming year.
This added step helps with our long-term planning by getting the leaders of the club
to really analyze club activities and budgets in order to feel confident that what’s being
presented at the retreat is both realistic and necessary for the club to be successful.
CLUB OPERATIONS
Long-range Planning
Objective: To develop a marketing plan and fiscal-year budget for all club activities to
be presented at the annual board retreat. AAF Omaha plans two years out, adjusting
the plan annually in order to reach specified goals pertaining to the advancement of
advertising and initiatives set forth by AAF Omaha.
The goals for the year are then revisited at the monthly Executive Board and Board of
Directors meetings and are revised as needed to make sure that AAF Omaha is meeting
the current needs of our members, while also meeting the annual budget numbers. Goals
are also included on every agenda sent out, so they are always in front of our board
members. Areas of focus in the 2012-2013 marketing plan include:
Analysis of Member Needs
Objective: To promote ongoing communication between the AAF Omaha board and
membership in order to a) provide greater participation at club events, b) increase
retention and recruitment of club members, c) adjust planning to reflect members’
desires and stimulate interest in club activities.
• Committee engagement, recruitment and retention
• Membership and member retention
• Member participation
• Educational opportunities for professionals and students
Leadership Organization and Development
Objective: To enhance membership recruitment, retention and involvement by
developing a plan and organizational structure that will foster the growth of current and
prospective club leaders and motivate them to enhance club performance.
• Consistent communication
• Awareness of diversity in advertising
• Financial sufficiency
Fiscal Management (budgeting, dues, non-dues income and fundraising)
Objective: To practice sound fiscal management procedures; develop and maintain an
• Operational efficiency
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position and the expectations for their committee. Also this year, we continued with a
plan started a few years ago that assigns an Executive Board Member to each committee
to supervise, assist and serve as a mentor to the group. This system helps ensure that
the committee has the support it needs to achieve the club’s objectives and also fosters
growth of the club’s future executive leaders.
Analysis of Member Needs
One of AAF Omaha’s goals during the 2012-2013 year has been member retention and
recruitment. We are continuing to work from our member and non-member survey
done previously to provide programming, events and other membership benefits.
In addition, we continue to reach out to our members in a variety of ways to invite
feedback about the club and our member offerings. We include requests for feedback
in our club newsletter, we have greeters assigned at each luncheon to talk to members
and non-members as they come in, we provide a formal survey after our Meet the Pros
educational event, and our Executive Director receives calls from members throughout
the year with suggestions. Changes have been instituted in several areas in response to
feedback received from members.
AAF Omaha’s leadership development is aided by our committee structure. Every year
we ask that our chairs recruit committee members that can be developed into future
leaders. This year we assisted our committee chairs in building their committees in
order to facilitate our club goal of “no committees of one.” Each chair was given a list of
members that they were responsible for calling. They were asked to thank the member
for being part of AAF Omaha and to invite them to join a committee. We also helped
grow committees by highlighting a different committee each month in a Committee
Spotlight in our monthly AdMuse newsletter.
Leadership Organization and Development
The AAF Omaha Board of Directors consists of 21 individuals. The Executive Board is
made up of the Chairperson, President, 1st Vice President and 2nd Vice President. They
conduct the general management of the club and are charged with directing the longrange planning for the club. The remaining 17 positions are the committee chairs that
are specific to each area of the club. Almost all committees have two co-chairs, which
has greatly improved board involvement, communication and meeting attendance. In
addition, each committee is asked to submit a written report prior to each board meeting,
so that if neither co-chair can attend, the board can still be apprised of the committee’s
accomplishments. Another goal for the board this year was to get more involvement
from a wide variety of Omaha agencies. To that end, the nominating committee reached
out to a large number of agencies and was able to secure representation from them on
the 2012-2013 AAF Omaha board.
Fiscal Management (budgeting, dues, non-dues income and fundraising)
Initial planning for the annual budget begins during the meeting with the outgoing and
incoming Executive Boards before the year begins. Thorough analysis is done for each
area of the club to decide which events will be carried into the upcoming year and which
will be removed from the plan. The Executive Board outlines a budget that is realistic and
ensures that the club will remain fiscally responsible.
The budget is presented to the entire Board of Directors at the board retreat. It outlines
projected income and expenses and shows the profit goal for each area of the club.
Each board member is required to carefully analyze their projected numbers before
September and bring up any concerns. The board then votes on the projected budget
setting financial goals for each committee.
At the annual board retreat, each board member is given a binder that contains their
position’s objectives and responsibilities, as well as their budget goal. At this year’s
retreat, we decided to make a change and also include a formal presentation regarding
the state of the club, the marketing plan for the year, club goals, and board member
responsibilities. A significant amount of time was allocated to reviewing the expectations
for each chairperson. We feel this helped our new chairs get a better feel for their
The budget spreadsheet is continuously updated with actuals and monitored throughout
the year. The budget is reviewed at each month’s board meeting committee by committee.
This helps ensure board members know what is needed in order to meet their profit goal.
During the 2012-2013 year, club income was supported by the following activities:
ADDY® Awards—Our club works in partnership with AAF Lincoln to facilitate the
Nebraska ADDY® Awards Show. This year was Lincoln’s turn to handle the show and
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Educational Events
professional entries. Omaha was responsible for student entries and judging. Student
entry fees go to support the Omaha club. One of our goals going into this year was to
secure an ad agency to handle creative for next year when it is Omaha’s turn to handle
the show. We successfully recruited a local agency and brought one of their people onto
the board to learn the ADDY ropes this year.
• Meet the Pros—This is a two-day conference full of programming to prepare
college students for the real world. The event includes seminars, breakout
sessions, keynote speakers, panel discussions and one-on-one portfolio
reviews. Income is raised through registration fees, and expenses are offset
with sponsorships, donations, etc. This year exceeded all goals for attendance
and income. There were 216 students and 19 professors who attended.
Club Events
• Ad Wars—Each spring, we hold an advertising trivia competition where
agencies and companies compete. Money is earned through entry fees and
raffles.
• Creative Boot Camp (new this year)—Our education committee took
advantage of a great creative speaker coming for Meet the Pros. They
featured Stefan Mumaw at a creative boot camp for professionals in the
evening. Seventy people attended the boot camp, raising $2,250 for the club.
• Ad Nights—Several Ad Night After Hours events are scheduled throughout
the year. The events provide networking opportunities to our membership
at area businesses and offer an educational component. Non-members are
charged for the events, and money is raised through sponsorships and raffles.
• 6 in 60 (new this year)—This is a fast-paced workshop in which six
presenters from different advertising disciplines present their thoughts on
various advertising topics in six minutes each, followed by an open forum
and networking.
• Holiday Party—This year, our annual holiday party supported the Salvation
Army. Members were asked to bring a toy for the Salvation Army and
had the opportunity to donate money. A silent auction and sponsorships
provided additional income for the club.
Membership—Income is raised through membership dues. Therefore, emphasis is
placed on retaining current members and recruiting new ones. Our membership
committee has been offering discounts to any non-members that attend our events,
sending out an email with a discount code. We also reply to anyone wanting to join
our member-only LinkedIn group with membership information and a discount rate
for the remainder of the year. The club would like to re-engage veteran members who
are not active or are no longer members. One of our past presidents has formed a
group of veteran members tasked with reaching out to other past members to try to
get them re-engaged. They are also going to focus on new agencies that have not yet
gotten involved.
• Bowl-A-Rama—AAF Omaha hosts a friendly, competitive bowling
tournament among local agencies and companies. Income is generated by
team entry fees and raffle sales. This year had a record attendance with 18
teams participating.
• Blocktoberfest Volleyball Tournament—Volleyball teams from the club and
metro area competed at our volleyball tournament that raised proceeds for
the club.
Programs—Most months, AAF Omaha schedules a luncheon entitled “AdBites” that
provides professional programs where attendees can network while they eat. Members
are charged twenty-five dollars to attend and non-members are charged thirty. We try
to offset program expenses with sponsorships, donations, etc. Luncheon attendance
averaged 81 people this year.
Sponsorship—to help us meet our budget goals this year, AAF Omaha put together
several packages for overall sponsorship of the club and club events. A letter was sent
out to organizations that were not already sponsoring individual events asking them to
consider sponsorship. We received our first Elite level sponsor earlier this year. This is
in addition to the many sponsors that already contribute to specific events throughout
the year.
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In addition to increasing income, the club has also made it a goal this year to cut back
expenses wherever possible. We changed our club phone service to a less-expensive
option, we have an agency that has loaned us audio/video equipment so we don’t have
to pay to rent it, and we are getting a computer donated from another agency. We are
making every effort to save wherever we can.
Leadership Organization and Development
We have a great group of leaders on our board and a strong committee structure that
will continue to allow us to grow new leaders. We have increased interest in board
participation, business sponsorships and new membership. We have brought a large
number of agencies back into the club and increased their participation at the board
level. We’ve seen our new members show interest in getting involved, and we are
quick to get them hooked up with a committee. Current board members have shown
incredible dedication and are seeing success with their projects. Many of our current
board members have expressed interest in continuing as part of the board next year.
RESULTS
Long-range Planning
Through long-range planning, we have already met many of the club goals established
for this year. Highlights include growing our membership to 330 members; exceeding
our average monthly attendance goal for AdBites luncheons; increasing attendance at
events such as the holiday party, Bowl-A-Rama and Meet the Pros; securing thousands
of dollars in event sponsorships to offset costs; increasing communication to our
members and prospects via social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) ;
providing an educational element in as many of our programs and events as possible;
highlighting diversity throughout our communications and through a school outreach
program; and being fiscally responsible in all of our club activities. Our main successes
this year include improving and growing the Meet the Pros educational event; starting a
new Public Service initiative that will help a local non-profit group while also generating
income for the club; kicking off a successful educational boot camp; and strengthening
our relationship with area agencies and veteran club members.
Fiscal Management (budgeting, dues, non-dues income and fundraising)
The current budget is in line with figures that were projected at the beginning of the
club’s fiscal year, and it is anticipated we will meet our projected budget for the fiscal
year. We have succeeded in cutting costs, and have found some new revenue sources to
assist us. We still have many fundraising events to come this year, which will also add to
our bottom line.
Analysis of Member Needs
We continue to improve programming and club services from what we learned through
surveys, and to make changes and adjustments based on what we hear from members.
This year we will be moving our luncheons to a new location based on what our
members have indicated they would prefer. We also moved our Meet the Pros event to
a new, more-convenient, location, based on feedback from last year’s event. This new
location played a part in the great success we saw with this event this year. We continue
to introduce new things, such as the 6 in 60 educational event, and to offer programs at
various times to meet the needs of our members. We believe our members are seeing the
value in being part of AAF Omaha and appreciate the new things we are offering.
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DIVISION III:
AAF LINCOLN
plan became an undeniable asset in overcoming several of our bigger weaknesses,
challenges and threats.
Overview: Entering the 2012-2013 year, we were lucky to have a wealth of experienced
board members returning, each with ideas of things we could do to strengthen
AAF Lincoln. To best utilize this fortunate situation, we viewed this as a year of
experimentation. Nothing ventured, nothing gained became my credo for the year, with
a goal of controlled experimentation that allowed us to retain our strengths from the
past, while sampling some possible opportunities for the future.
With a board that was occupied with their respective assignments for the year, the AAF
Lincoln executive board took on the task of developing a formalized four-year plan.
Four high-level topics came to the surface as pillars of our plan, and were assigned to the
following executive board members for further definition and development:
1.) Tracking/Utilizing Member Data- Jeff Deans
2.) Evaluating/Updating Member Benefits- Brenda Weyers
Goals:
3.) Formalizing a Board-Wide Sponsorship Process- Melissa Hoops
Long Range Planning
1.) Establish a four-year plan to provide a guiding light for some of the larger
issues our club has been facing.
4.) Formalizing a Year-to-Year Transition Process for Board Turnover- Chris Linville
Results: Since large-scale events are the primary focus of AAF Lincoln during the early
parts of every year, the development of our four-year plan was not finalized at the time of
this writing. That task will be priority focus during the late Spring and Summer of 2013,
as plans from the assignees indicated above are combined into one master document.
Analysis of Member Needs
2.) In a college-based market, take “member value” beyond professional
development and give networking/socializing some needed attention.
Leadership Organization and Development
3.) Work to merge new and ambitious board member perspectives with
experienced (or outgoing) knowledge.
ANALYSIS OF MEMBER NEEDS: MEMBER VALUE
After spending time segmenting our membership and discussing our members’ needs,
we identified college students and entry-level professionals as huge priority targets in a
University town with a thriving advertising community. So we felt adding more casual
social and networking events to our lineup of educational events should be a priority.
4.) Address past board member complaints, and provide an atmosphere
where board members feel empowered.
Fiscal Management
5.) Promote a culture of value, challenging board members to search for
efficiencies.
Speaker Meet-N’-Greets
Methods: Since we were already spending the money to bring several nationallyrespected speakers to Lincoln, we though any add-on value we could get from an afterhours meet-and-greet with the speaker was a no-brainer. This provided more member
value without much additional expense. So we made this a priority request during
the planning process for each speaker. This didn’t always work because of scheduling
conflicts, but we were able to offer additional member networking opportunities for the
following speakers:
LONG RANGE PLANNING: FOUR-YEAR PLAN
Methods: As several key members of the board discussed our plans for 2012/2013, one
thing we realized early on was the value of a vision that stretched beyond one year, as
some of our bigger goals simply couldn’t be achieved in one year. This “vision” had
always happened informally through a series of conversations, but was never formalized,
structured and documented. As we discussed some of our bigger hurdles, a four-year
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Dan Cassaro, Young Jerks, Brooklyn, NY
dwindle over the years, dropping to just 25 attendees last year. Taking a fresh look at this
event from the students’ perspective, we reinvented Ad Camp with value in mind.
Tad Carpenter, Freelance Illustrator/Designer, Kansas City, MO
Ruth Kedar, Creative Design Director at Coupons Inc., San Francisco, CA
The event was moved to a local martini bar that donated ample space that was closed to the
public during the day. By utilizing local professionals as speakers (whom local students
preferred networking with anyways), and securing all food and drinks as sponsorship
donations, we were able to create an exceptional event for just $20 per student.
Results: As after-work events, speaker Meet-N’-Greets seemed to draw mixed attendance
depending on timing. We typically drew a younger crowd of five to ten members,
depending on the speaker. But because college students and entry-level professionals
was a priority for this year, we delivered high-end value exactly where we needed it, as
some of our newest members were able to have drinks and personal conversations with
nationally-respected professionals.
Results: The reinvented Ad Camp was one of our marquee successes of 2012/2013.
Attendance climbed from 25 to 72 (a 188% increase). Financially, Ad Camp had a
one-year turnaround from $118.45 profit to $891.16 profit (a 652% increase). Most
importantly, students raved about the experience and underclassmen and faculty alike
promised to return.
Huskers Watch Party at Haymarket Park
Methods: In an attempt to deliver more value to our existing members, we partnered
with the Lincoln Saltdogs (a local semi-pro baseball organization) to host a “Huskers
Watch Party at Haymarket Park”. The idea was to gather members (and non-members
at a higher cost) to watch a Nebraska football game in a baseball stadium that’s located
a few blocks adjacent from the stadium where the Huskers play. With food and drinks
provided in the ticket price, we could watch the game on a large HD scoreboard with the
glow and sound of the stadium in the backdrop. In a college town that lives for football,
it’s an intriguing proposition. Our event was to be hosted on October 27, 2012 for a
home game where Nebraska hosted the University of Michigan.
LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Merging New Perspectives and Experienced Knowledge
Methods: If you spend much time in AAF, you realize that any given year is a negotiation
between established (proven) ideas and incoming (ambitious) ideas. The success of any
chapter depends on their ability to balance these two sources of energy. With that in
mind, we took a few steps to best merge new perspectives with experienced knowledge.
The first step was tapping into tenured knowledge during the Summer before the year
began. By scheduling meetings with past AAF Lincoln Presidents, as well as gathering
insights from district and national AAF conferences (and the connected ties to district
and regional peers), we were able to gain a background and context for why things were
done, and what has been successful from a historical perspective.
Results: This event was a learning moment for AAF Lincoln. Needing 40 prepaid
attendees in order to receive our sponsorship from the Saltdogs, we had only secured 28
by our deadline. So the event was cancelled according to our sponsorship agreement. We
learned two lessons, and plan to make another pass at this event in the future; 1) home
games create too much competition, and away games likely offer a better opportunity
and 2) nobody wants to commit to Husker plans early, so an arrangement with discount
pre-sales allowing for an at-the-door option allows more sales.
The next step was to dedicate time during the Summer “Board Retreat” where outgoing
chairs could hand off their most valuable knowledge to incoming chairs. This was a
change from the typical Summer Retreat agenda, which dedicated all time to club-wide
knowledge and training.
Reinventing “Ad Camp”
Methods: Historically, Ad Camp has been a large investment for college students, as we were
forced to charge over $100 for this daylong career camp event in order to offset our expenses
from using rooms and food at Embassy Suites. Because of this cost, we saw attendance
Results: Tapping into existing knowledge was a huge benefit to AAF Lincoln, and we
aim to keep contact with the past AAF Lincoln Presidents, as well as district, regional
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and national resources as a key part of training from year to year. The institutional
knowledge provided through these assets is too good to lose.
FISCAL MANAGEMENT:PROMOTING A CULTURE OF VALUE
As we worked with tenured board members, it became obvious that areas of waste
existed. These became especially apparent as we journeyed through interactions with
district, regional and national peers. So we took steps to cut unnecessary expense from
several areas.
Dedicated time between the outgoing and incoming chairs served as a great social
opportunity, as well as a first chance to talk about AAF duties. The lesson learned from
these interactions was that they need to be scheduled at a time that’s more specific to
each area. For example, if a chairperson hosts an event in February, a Summer exchange
isn’t helpful because the new chair doesn’t know what to ask at that point. More timely
“launch” meetings will be a focus next year.
Review of Local Venues for Luncheon
Methods: After several years of our established luncheon venue gauging us with price
increases and nickel-and-dime fees that were eating into our budget, we spent some time
before the year began reviewing all our local options to see if any cheaper alternative
existed. This shared effort assigned each exec board member a few local venues for
research and estimates.
Empowering Board Members
Methods: As someone who has served on the board for years, several complaints have come
up as “hurdles” to getting the job done (as well as retaining board members). A big part of
our goal was to overcome obstacles, and give board members what they need to succeed.
Results: While cheaper options were discovered, none were able to match our needs
due to Winterfest, our largest fundraiser that requires a larger space than most venues
offer. So with competitive bids in hand, we renegotiated our contract with our existing
provider, fighting for unwarranted fees to be waived.
The biggest piece of this puzzle was software tools. With a younger, tech-savvy
generation, it was quickly evident that they wanted access to technology, and little else.
Past solutions for website content management, email marketing, social media, event
management (and more) put a middleman between the board member and the end goal.
Logins, access and permission always seemed to stand in the way. We aimed to fix that.
Beyond technology, we aimed to give board members the volunteers and motivation
they needed to complete their task;
Prioritizing Regional Speakers
Methods: For some professionals, it’s assumed that big name cities along the coasts
produce the most credible, progressive speakers. Since travel expenses are often the largest
chunk of our programs budget, we wanted to challenge that thought in 2012/2013. We
asked our programs chairs to prioritize regional and/or local speakers. We were striving
to secure 50% or more of our programs with “discount” travel expenses, or none at all.
Results: Through a $8,170 in-kind sponsorship from Firespring®, we were able to bring
our website and email marketing into a new era of content management that board
members or volunteers could control. By loosening control of social media access, we
gave a new ring of board members access to contribute to AAF Lincoln conversations
online. Successful experiments with Eventbrite helped us streamline event management
in the correct applications, while research behind Square and text auction platforms have
us looking toward a more efficient, effective future from a technology standpoint. Beyond
technology decisions, the executive board worked to personally recruit volunteers and
give timely approval of all feasible ideas.
Results: Through several creative programming ideas, we were able to host successful,
well-attended luncheons with 2 local speakers (Lincoln or Omaha), 4 regional speakers
(Midwest) and one program that required no speaker at all. Compared to the travel
expenses required to bring in those 7 speakers from bigger cities along the coasts, we
saved thousands of dollars.
ADDYs Winners Book Goes Digital
Methods: As the business world continues to move digital, it’s been an ongoing
conversation within AAF Lincoln about moving our annual Winner’s Book to an online
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format. For the 2013 ADDYs, we finally made it happen. Not only does this offer many
functional benefits to members, show attendees and clients (greater ability to access, sort,
search, view and share winning work), it also provides us a much more cost-effective
solution since printing of these books is one of our largest expenses, and donations and
sponsors are increasingly tough to find.
Results: Through a sponsorship with Vipa Solutions®, a local website development and
content management provider, we were able to build an online Winner’s Site with an
easy-to-use content management system that will allow for annual updating/archiving
year after year. Compared to the cost of printing Winner’s Books (which can run into the
thousands), we will be able to create this site every year by simply paying for the domain.
Since we share the Nebraska ADDYs awards banquet with AAF Omaha, the plan for
future Winner’s Books/Winner’s Sites will be an important discussion moving forward.
CONCLUSION
The 2012-2013 year was an enjoying ride for AAF Lincoln. By experimenting with a
number of ideas, we discovered several successful approaches that will benefit the
club moving forward. The reinvented Ad Camp and several money-saving measures
exemplify this well. But many of our most exciting opportunities came from some of
our “failures”. Through such trials (both good and bad) we’re quickly learning how to
hone our programming and communications to better serve our members. As they say,
nothing ventured, nothing gained.
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attended and interactive meetings. Success for the Club sometimes meant
having to cut a meeting short to allow for guests to exit! For example,
the April Student Portfolio Review lasted more than 45 minutes past the
allotted time frame. Another example would be the July meeting where
member questions kept the speaker talking for an additional 20 minutes
past the close of the lunch.
DIVISION IV:
AAF NORTHEAST TENNESSEE
Goals: The following goals were set for the 2012-2013 Club year:
• To maintain personal and professional relevant connections to Board
members, potential members and general Club membership.
• AAF Northeast Tennessee Board Members and the general Club
membership were encouraged to invite the people in their professional
networks to visit club meetings and/or to join the Club. Membership
brochures were available at public AAF Northeast Tennessee events,
including the ADDY drop off event and social in January, and handed
out to interested non-members as needed. Leads were followed-up on by
the Membership chair, including sending the Membership brochure and
sign-up form, as well as providing W-9 information, if needed. While we
lost several members this year due to the economy, we gained five new
members, a 10 percent increase, including two new and three additional
memberships for current members.
• To increase the participation by members in Club activities and monthly
meetings to encourage long term Club support.
• To ensure our Club is fiscally sound through financial planning.
Maintain personal and professional relevant connections to Board members,
potential members and general Club membership.
• AAF Northeast Tennessee assembled a strong Board for the 2012-2013
Club year, including young, old, and seasoned Club members. The Board
included two District representatives, one State representative, and seven
returning Board members; all volunteers.
• Through meetings, socials, public service, conferences, job postings, and
networking, the Club continues to strive for membership involvement
resulting in long term member personal and professional support.
Conference attendance increased in 2012 as the Club sought to increase
education, networking, and hopefully longevity in Board members,
including two first time conference attendees. The Club posts all job
openings on Facebook related to marketing in the area, receiving posting
requests from members and non-members; 19 during the past year. Job
postings and networking benefits a member personally while leadership,
development and new ideas benefit the professional side.
• Potential members were present at many meetings throughout the year and
invitations to join the club were made at every meeting.
• The Club co-sponsored the July meeting with the Public Relations Society
of America, Tri-Cities, TN chapter. This allowed for cross promotion
between the two groups as well as shared costs and profits. Members of
NETN, PRSA, and the general public attended, who were charged a small
fee. The meeting garnered wide spread attention with an article on the guest
speaker (Jane Maas) in the Tri-Cities Business Journal, conducted by one of
their reporters, and a local newspaper.
• The Club maintains contact to general membership and potential
members through all means possible: club website, Facebook posts/invites,
encouraging phone calls, inviting emails, direct mail pieces, press releases,
and surveys. This year a Board member volunteered his time to redesigned
and launch our website www.aafnetn.com, which lead us to a new member
who found us on the web. All of these combine to produce successful, well
• In addition to PRSA, the Club also reached out to another area group,
AAF Southwest Virginia (SWVA). SWVA was chartered in 2012. NETN
is in frequent contact via email and Facebook with SWVA. NETN has
attended several events including two members to a regular meeting and
two members to their ADDY drop off party. The NETN President and Vice
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• This year’s ADDY’s proved to be a huge success with a 30 percent increase
in entries, while being supported by our membership, guests, students and
attending parents with a total number in attendance of 144. We are proud
to report that several members of our club, and their respective guest,
attended our event even though they did not enter the ADDY competition.
President are going to attend their ADDY night as well. SWVA attended
our ADDY drop off party and intend to attend our ADDY night too.
• Members of the AAF ETSU Student Club and Milligan College students
(two area colleges) were invited to attend each meeting with the
Professional members. Highest student attendance occurred during two
April events, and November’s Scholarship Jam. The Club goal was to
expose students to the content of the monthly meetings and encourage
participation in the Club after graduation.
• Monthly meetings were solid throughout the year, with an average of
approximately 26 members able to attend each month, which is a 20
percent increase from last year. We had an average from 2 to 5 nonmembers attend each meeting. At several meetings, a survey was handed
out seeking comments on the meeting and suggestions for future meetings,
allowing the Club to improve future meetings.
To increase the participation by members in club activities and monthly
meetings to encourage long term Club support.
• Keeping the AAF Northeast Tennessee members involved in club activities
and events was a key strategy. The Events Committee did an excellent job
of putting together a slate of meetings with expert speakers and timely
content. A notice of all meetings was provided at the beginning of the year,
while notices of upcoming meetings and events were sent on a regular basis
via email and the Club’s Facebook page. The Club’s website and Facebook
page were updated with meeting/event announcements on a regular basis.
• Several speakers were found through other AAF clubs and successful
conference speakers. This allowed the club to strengthen networking bonds
and have another viewpoint on a speaker prior to presentation, therefore
ensuring the Club provided impactful speakers. Examples include: Jeff
Cuellar was recommended by Executive Committee member David Jacobs
and Jane Maas was recommended by AAF Chattanooga.
• Attendance at the monthly meetings is detailed below:
• Meetings were held on a regular schedule—the third Thursday of every
month—so that members could plan ahead for meetings throughout the
year. Notification of the next meeting’s speaker, location and date were
given out at each meeting as well as job postings, Club news, and any
member news.
—April 3, 2012 , Networking, Broadcasting or Both!, 3 members
—April 12-15, 2012, AAF Spring Conference District 7, 7 members
—April 18, 2012, 2012 NSAC Competition presentation, 5 members,
20+ students, 25+ guests
• Monthly meetings and special events included some time for informal
mingling and networking. The typical meeting begins at 11:30am for
informal mingling, with lunch and the program from noon until 1:00pm,
and then a post-event discussion a 1:00pm.
—April 24, 2012, Student Portfolio & Review, 22 members, 16 students,
2 guests
—May 29, 2012, Lunch & Learn with Congressman Dr. Phil Roe,
16 members, 2 guests
• The ADDY Drop-off Party was a chance for members and potential
members to mingle during the two-hour period allocated to ADDY entry
delivery. The ADDY Drop-off Party was promoted on the AAF Northeast
Tennessee Facebook page and Club website, a press release, via personal
phone calls from board members, a direct mail piece, and through emails to
members, potential members and prior non-member ADDY entrants.
—June 21, 2012, Millennials, Who are they? What do they want?
With David Jacobs, 36 members, 10 guests
—July 19, 2012, Jane Maas, author of Mad Woman, 27 Club members,
9 PRSA members, 11 guests
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Job postings on the Club Facebook page receive an average of more than
150+ impressions per posting. Several Club members followed those leads
to new jobs, including the Club’s President. By providing a valuable service
to the membership, the Club was able to increase the perceived value of
their membership.
—August 16-20, 2012, AAF Summer Conference & District 7 Leadership
Event, 4 members
—August 23, 2012, Tips & Tricks with Adobe!—25 members, 17 guests,
8 students
—September 20, 2012, Jeff Cuellar, Bonnaroo & Gentlemen of the Road
Promotions Director, 25 members, 11 guests
To ensure our Club is fiscally sound through financial planning.
• AAF Northeast Tennessee is a small but fruitful Club. We continually
seek ways to maximize our dollar through members, member connections
and networking. A budget was presented on October 29, 2012 at the
Board meeting. After discussion and revisions, it was approved during the
November 15, 2012 Club meeting. Staying on or below track was essential
to breaking even or hoping for a small profit.
—October 18, 2012, Coats for Kids Social, 11 members
—October 18-21, 2012, AAF Fall Conference, 2 members
—November 15, 2012, Lynsay Caylor on Successful Marketing Programs,
31 members, 7 guests
—November 16, 2012, Scholarship Jam, 5 members, 55 students
• Each meeting and social invite were monitored via Facebook event tally
and email response. This allowed the Club to better predict event food and
beverage needs to reduce overage.
—December 6, 2012, ETSU Class Presentations, 9 members, 5 students, 2 guests
—January 24, 2013, ADDY drop off party & winter social—24 members, 6 guests
—January 25-26, 2013, ADDY judging weekend, 6 members
• Most events and meetings were held in a conference room of a member
or at a local restaurant. This allowed the Club to save on room fees and/or
minimum fees related to a hotel or venue conference fees.
—February 7, 2013, Robert White, From Meter Reading to Executive
Management—22 members, 4 students, 6 guests
—February 23, 2013, ADDYS, 116 members and guests, 16 students,
12 non-members
• To assist in bookkeeping, the Board discussed and voted to purchase
Quicken for the Treasurer, a member with a financial background. This
allowed the Club to have a concise record of invoices, bank statements,
dues, and taxes.
—March 27, 2013, Student Portfolio Review (upcoming)
• The Club encouraged members to Like the NETN and District 7 Facebook
page frequently. Therefore allowing members to see member interaction,
Executive Committee interaction, conference information, and the events
and happenings of other clubs. This leads to a better understanding of AAF
on all levels, local, district, and national.
• NETN held a fundraiser for the August 23, 2012 meeting. A two year-long
mission of the President to garner someone from Adobe, the Club flew
in Adobe CS6 expert Kevin Stohlmeyer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The
meeting was promoted through LinkedIn, Facebook, the Club website,
a press release, and phone calls. The morning session was geared toward
creative and designers as a ‘how-to’, while the lunch session was more of
a general overhaul. Members were allowed to attend the lunch for free
but had to pay for the morning session. Attendees had two options, the
morning and the lunch or the lunch only. Adobe paid for the speaker’s
• Members of the Club were notified of opportunities to apply for area job
positions in the Marketing and Advertising fields via the Clubs Facebook
page. From April 2012 through mid-February 2013, 19 job openings were
posted on the Club Facebook page by both the Club and members. Several
members also posted their job openings on the District 7 Facebook page.
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Through careful planning and utilizing club resources, AAF NETN has had an extremely
strong year. NETN finished the year at zero profit but that also means we finished at zero
debt. We anticipate an ADDY profit of $9,000. With dedicated and focused volunteers,
we are in great financial shape!
airfare and door prizes. The Club paid for the hotel and everything
surrounding the conference room and lunch. While the club broke even,
the exposure generated placed the event on the positive side.
• Additional financial notes include: a detailed and closely followed ADDY
budget, partial financial support from non-board members who attend
conferences, the donation of office supplies by members for Club use (paper,
notepads, pens, etc), and the donation of ALL printing and creative services.
Summary/Results
• Maintained personal and professional relevant connections to Board
members, potential members and general Club membership.
• Increased the participation by members in club activities and monthly meetings.
• Took steps to ensure our Club is fiscally sound through financial planning.
Through the implementation of the strategies listed above, and through much dedication
of the AAF Northeast Tennessee Membership, interest in the Club has never been higher.
Our Club is only as strong as its members. Although we lost some members due to job
changes and the economy, we have added an equal number of new members to replace
the lost membership. We began the year with 54 members and as of mid-February we
have 54 members, including two new members and three members who increased
their number of memberships. Along the same lines we continue to support the next
generation of Board members through increased involvement including conference
attendance and the next generation of general membership through increasing college
membership and student participation.
The perceived value of the Club is very high and we anticipate more growth over the next
few months as the economy improves and jobless rates decline. Members and guests
continue to remark upon the quality of the monthly programs and the Facebook job
postings have been a big hit with members. Participation at Club events and District
conferences has increased over last year and the AAF Northeast Tennessee is a Club with
which members and professionals are proud to be involved—a strong resource for the
advertising professionals in the Tri-Cities market.
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New Website—As with any rebrand, we had to analyze all our current outlets and
determine what needed to go and what needed to stay. The new look and feel of Ad
2 Orlando gave us a chance to do a website overhaul. Built using Wordpress, the new
website not only looks more professional but is also much easier to maintain, allowing
for our content to be as current as possible.
DIVISION V:
AD 2 ORLANDO
When the 2012—2013 Ad 2 Orlando Executive Committee met at the beginning of year
to start planning, it was very evident that in it’s almost 30 year history, Ad 2 Orlando
had finally leveled out. The years prior were focused on rebuilding what was once a club
with less than 50 members and very few reasons to join. Last years board was dedicated
to “fixing” and “restructuring”, which all proved to be very successful. Now, after a year
of making strides in the right direction, there was a base to work with and it was time to
take Ad 2 Orlando to the next level.
Results: By rebranding the club, we not only showed the community that we were a
serious and professional organization, but also made our current Board of Directors
proud to be part of something historical. Board Members were excited to show off the
new brand and say they are leaders of this organization. Since the start of the year, we’ve
had an average attendance of over 65 people for our events, mentions on local websites
and commitment from 80% of the board to remain in their position for next year. Lastly,
the Ad 2 Orlando rebrand and logo won Silver ADDY’s in the 2013 Orlando ADDY
competition
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Solidify Position in the Community and in the Minds of the Board
Goal: Solidify position in the community as the industry’s up-and-coming professionals
and build board confidence.
Diversify Membership Recruitment Efforts
Goal: Reach out and build relationships with local colleges to recruit future leaders
Methods: Ad 2 Orlando currently has a strong relationship with the local Ad Club
chapter at the University of Central Florida. With so many other colleges in town, all
without an Ad Club, we began the process of building relationships with those schools
in order to make our presence known to future Ad 2 Orlando members.
Methods: Over the last 30 years, Ad 2 Orlando has been one of the only Ad 2 clubs in the
AAF to not have it’s own identity. All of our promotional materials had no consistency,
no clear voice and no real reason for the community to take us seriously as advertising
and marketing professionals. This year a Creative Director was recruited to join the
board and immediately tasked with rebranding the entire organization.
International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT)—President Kristina Doyle
went to several events at IADT to promote Ad 2 Orlando and the Student ADDYs. She
also was the keynote speaker at the quarterly Faculty Advisory meeting to discuss the
benefits of Ad 2 Orlando with faculty and staff members.
Logo / Color Palette—In the creation of the new logo and color palette, we wanted to
infuse some Orlando without leaning on any of Orlando’s more popular tourism aspects.
After doing some research and weighing some options, it was decided to infuse the citrus
heritage that Orlando was built upon.
Valencia College—The Education Committee held a workshop at Valencia College to
discuss the advantages of networking with Ad 2 and how to enter the Student Addys.
Business Cards—Through connections with local printers, personal Ad 2 Orlando
business cards were designed and distributed to the board for less than $20.00 for 1,000
cards. These are now used to hand out to potential members and contacts.
Rollins College—The Education Committee and Ad 2 Orlando President visited Rollins
College, a school with no current Ad 2 Orlando involvement, to go over upcoming
events and review how to get involved post-graduation.
Mission Statement—With the new look came a new frame of mind. The Creative Committee
gave Ad 2 Orlando a mission statement and something they can be proud to stand behind.
The Ad 2 Orlando motto summarizes who we are, what we believe in and where we are going.
Results: Since reaching out to other colleges, the student attendance at our events is
at an average of 10 students. Our student membership count is at 14 student members
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due to the types of programs that were offered in the past. This year, the focus was to
have speakers from all types of businesses discussing topics that are new to the Ad 2
Orlando audience base:
and 31 UCF Affiliate Members which is an 18% increase overall compared to last year.
Lastly, members from our Board of Directors have since been invited to speak at two
upcoming student events, “Freaks and Geeks” annual design event at Seminole College
and to discuss networking at IADT.
October Program: “Creating a Horrifying Reality” with TJ Mannarino from Halloween
Horror Nights. This program focused on the design and production that goes into
creating the annual Halloween Horror Nights at Islands of Adventure.
ANALYSIS OF MEMBERS NEEDS
Receive Member Feedback
Goal: Retrieve and analyze member feedback
January Program: “A Download on Democracy” with Anton Vuljaj from Google and
Patrick Pannett from BlastRoots. This program focused on digital advertising in politics.
Methods: Ad 2 Orlando has changed throughout the years, and so have the needs of
our members. Often our best ideas for programs and benefits come directly from our
members. This year we solicited this feedback once in the beginning of the year and
again mid-year:
February Program: “Digital Media from All Angles” with Bobby Jones from PRPL, Mark
Unger from Push. and John Payne from Monster Media. This upcoming program will
focus on all things digital including what’s next for mobile and social media.
Results: By making our programs and speakers more diverse, we’ve been able to increase
our average event attendance to over 60 (compared to an average of 40 last year). There
has been more new members signups than in any previous years and we have served
a multitude of interests and connected members with new topics such as Production,
Digital Advertising and Interactive.
Membership Kickoff Post-It Note Board: During our annual Membership kickoff event, a
blank poster board was set up with a pack of post-it notes and markers. Attendees were
encouraged to write any ideas they have for the upcoming year.
Online Survey: Six months into the club year, we sent out another survey to get additional
feedback from our members. This was a 20 question online survey that was open to both
members and non-members. Questions focused on member benefits and had open fields
for comments.
LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Create Process Flow
Goal: Make internal communications between board members more efficient.
Results: Both methods for feedback proved to be insightful. The post-it note board
had over 100 pieces of feedback that were gathered and discussed during our Board
Leadership retreat at the beginning of the year. For the online survey, we received 39
total responses which will be gathered and shared with the board at our next monthly
board meeting.
Methods: During our board retreat at the beginning of the year, a process flow was
presented. This outlined what information is needed by which committee to accomplish
certain tasks. This could be event promotions or creative requests. An editable PDF was
also created so information can easily be gathered and distributed in a concise manner.
Diversify Event Topics/Speakers Based on Feedback
Goal: Provide member benefits by serving the diverse nature of our membership that
stray outside of traditional advertising agencies.
Results: The processes put in place at the beginning of the year have allowed for faster
turnaround times for event promotions. On average, each event is promoted two weeks in
advance. We have sent out a total of 49 email marketing campaigns over the last 34 weeks.
Methods: Over the past several years our membership makeup almost heavily consisted
of those who work on the Account Service side of traditional agencies. This was mostly
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Budgeting: At the beginning of year, the President and Treasurer met to review last years
budget and create a new one for the upcoming year. Careful time and consideration
was put towards making sure we were aggressive with our fundraising goals but also
reasonable with our spending. The club budget of $13,000+ in income and $13,000 in
expenses was established and maintained frequently by the club treasurer.
Website/Email Marketing Training
Goal: Educate board members on how to manage the new Ad 2 Orlando website and use
the new email service provider, Growth Mail.
Methods: We hosted a training class at the beginning of the year to train the
Communications team on how to use the new Wordpress and Growth Mail platforms.
A WordPress “How to” was distributed shortly after for easy reference.
Dues: Certain financial goals for dues were set in place at the beginning of the year to
help maintain our overall financial goals. In order to support this, we implemented a few
changes this year:
Results: By teaching the team how to use our new technologies, the Communications
chairs can now easily update and maintain all aspects of Ad 2 Orlando’s online presence.
Introducing new easy-to-use platforms allowed our team to be self sufficient without the
need for outside development help, especially when updating the website.
Expiration Reminder—With the use of Growth Mail, automatic renewal
emails were sent to members 5 days before their expiration date.
UCF Affiliate Member—In order to provide local member benefits to
our University of Central Florida (UCF) affiliate Ad Club, an “Affiliate
Membership Program” was set in place last club year. In order to make the
signup process seamless, an option to signup was placed on the UCF Ad
Club application.
Retreat with Retrospect
Goal: Re-engage Board of Directors and provide a retrospect on the first half of the club year.
Methods: A mid-year board retreat was held this past January to mark the half-way point
of the 2012–2013 club year. Presentations were made by the President and PresidentElect to discuss the years events and highlight pros and cons to learn from and apply to
the remainder of the year.
Charging for Events: In the past, Ad 2 Orlando never consistently charged for events. Not
only did this hurt our perceived member benefits but it also made it difficult to budget
for non-dues income. A standard $10.00 non-member entry fee was set in place and
strongly enforced throughout the year.
Results: The open forum setting allowed for the entire board to provide feedback on past
events. We compiled all the feedback and created a “Best Practices” document to share
with the board. A document with venue information was also created and shared on
Google Docs for easy access when planning upcoming events.
Annual Media Auction Fundraiser: The club’s main source of income is the annual Media
Auction. Donations from local advertising related vendors and agencies were auctioned
off at a discounted rate to local small businesses and non-profits. Also, a portion of the
total profits were donated to our Public Service client, Informed Families.
FISCAL MANAGEMENT
Annual Kickball Fundraiser: On the most anticipated events of the year is the Annual
Ad 2 Orlando Kickball tournament. Teams pay a small fee to cover t-shirts, lunch and
equipment rental. This event is an all day fun activity where teams compete for the
ultimate prize, a 100 lb. trophy to showcase in their place of business.
Raising the Bar and Staying in the Positive
Goal: Reach increased fundraising goals to provide additional member benefits.
Methods: While maintaing a budget was never a problem for Ad 2 Orlando, this year
we wanted to set some higher goals for our team to achieve financially and ultimately
provide more benefits to our members. In order to do so, the following was put in place:
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Results: With advance planning, this year has proven to be a financial success for Ad 2
Orlando. As a result of all our teams’ hard work, we’ve been able to accomplish the following:
• As of February 2013, we’ve met and exceeded the new membership goals
for the year and are $112.00 over our expected membership income.
• As of February 2013, we’ve also met and exceeded UCF affiliate
membership goals for the year and are $240.00 over our expected income.
• From our pre-planned revenue generating programs (Membership dues, Media
Auction, and Kickball), we have raised $3,775.81 over anticipated income.
• The goal set in place for the Annual Media Auction was exceeded by almost
double for a total net income of $8,538.31.
• For our Annual Kickball tournament, we had an increase in team signups
(7 as compared to 4 from the last year) and a total net income of $732.00.
• From our programs each month, we have generated a net profit of $605.00.
Our ultimate goal for being financially responsible was to increase benefits for our
members. Since we’ve been able to exceed income goals, the Programs Committee is
now able to utilize small budgets to offer food and drinks to our members. We’ve also,
for the first time in 5 years, given Ad 2 Orlando t-shirts to members free of charge.
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communications
div I:
d i v II :
DC AD CLUB
a a f CLEVELAND
d i v III : d i v I v:
d i v v:
AA F b at o n r o u g e
AA F E C o a s t
a d 2 TAMPA BAY
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
develop a logo and identity, and the Communications Committee worked closely with
the agency over the course of several rounds of brand identity drafts.
DIVISION I:
DC AD CLUB
Results: In early 2012, the Communications Committee presented a summary of its
research efforts and unveiled the new club identity to the Board of Directors. A needs
assessment and RFP for the development of a new website was developed. Six responses
were received and the committee did due diligence in two additional rounds of review and
Q&A before recommending the successful bidder to the Board. The Communications
Committee and staff worked closely with the vendor over the course of six months to
finalize the website design and functionality, prepare a Brand Guidelines document,
create branded logos for all DC Ad Club events and programs, and create icons for the
club’s social media properties. The new identity and website were launched in December
2012 and were announced to the membership and communications community at large
via a press release, email announcement, and social media posts.
Overview: The DC Ad Club relies on a variety of communication channels to educate
and inform our members, prospective members, and the business community. We have
consistent, branded communications for events, in a variety of formats: print, email,
web, and social media. This gives us credibility in an industry that knows the importance
of a cohesive campaign.
This past year, in addition to maintaining the communications standards we set for
ourselves, we set the following goals related to the club’s overall brand and outreach:
• Fully execute Ad Club rebranding/repositioning across all major program/
member areas.
• Increase social media followings by 50% on current social media platforms.
Budget Recap: The research and logo development were done by volunteers. The Board
approved a budget of $32,500 for the website redevelopment and also provided in-kind
sponsorship recognition to the vendor in consideration for discounted pricing.
• Find opportunities for self promotion
• Capitalize on Advertising Week DC to promote the impact of the
advertising industry in our market while promoting the conference as a
premiere professional development opportunity for area professionals
Increase social media followings by 50% on current social media platforms.
The Club uses Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to communicate with members and
others interested in the club. We encourage viral promotion of events and programs
through social networks and distribute content to supplement email and website
messaging. We aim through our social media channels to generate excitement leading
up to events and provide follow up information after events; post status updates that
personalize the club; post links to industry articles and member news; utilize the reach
of the page to recognize sponsors; all done while maintaining social media accounts for
both DC Ad Club and Ad 2 DC.
• Keep members and others in the industry updated about club news and
events. Notify people, in a cost-effective manner, to save the date and
ultimately register for events.
Fully execute DC Ad Club rebranding/repositioning across all major program/
member areas.
Target Audience: DC Ad Club members, the DC communications industry at large
Method for Achieving Goal: The Communications Committee prepared a rebranding
plan and timeline. The initial discovery phase included separate focus groups of the
Board of Directors, young professionals, current members, and nonmembers as well
as intercept research at events, conducted by a volunteer strategic planner. The planner
developed a rebranding brief, which outlined the strategy for positioning the DC Ad
Club as a “Catalyst.” A member agency volunteered to provide in-kind services to
Target Audience: Primary audience is advertising industry professionals in general,
with an emphasis on members, so we can promote their news through our outlets as
well. This is the 24/7 audience that’s always connected, seeking information, and wants
to share.
Budget Recap: No charge; staff time to update the page with events and status updates.
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Distribution System: For Twitter, signage and Powerpoint loops at events remind
attendees of our username and that event’s hashtag; staff posts 4-5 tweets a week; at
large events (ADDYs, ADWKDC), volunteer “live tweeters” keep the conversation
going. Facebook status updates, posted by staff 3-4 times a week, let people know what
we are up to (setting up for the ADDYs, listening to a great speaker at a luncheon);
event promotions are timed to supplement email releases. The focus on LinkedIn is
more on connecting professionally with fellow members, as opposed to the more casual
connections made via Facebook and Twitter. Leaders start LinkedIn discussions to
complement event promotions or address current industry issues. Links to all social
media are included on the website homepage and in the footer of all mass emails. Social
media mentions are part of our sponsorship package benefits—while publicizing events
we give “shout outs” to our sponsors. Frequent posts keep our fans updated and excited
about events and make a personal connection. As often as possible, we post statuses
on member news (e.g., new clients, promotions). After events, we post photos to the
Facebook page or post links to our Flickr account. We also provide social media post
idea to our Board in a weekly update.
includes the Washington bureau chiefs of national advertising publications, local
advertising reporters, local calendar editors, local broadcast outlets, and bloggers. They
are also sent to the club’s full distribution list (3,800) via email and posted on the website.
ADDY winners are sent template text to include in their own press releases to ensure
messaging continuity.
Results Achieved: The club sent out press releases announcing ADDY winners at the
local, district, and national level, 2012 Club Achievement Awards, the appointment of
the 2012 Advertising Week DC chair, the appointment of our president to the AAF
National Board, our Silver Medal Award recipient, our brand re-launch, the newly
elected 2013 Board of Directors, the renaming of the ADDY Awards, and the DC Ad
Club president’s selection as BoardSource’s Board Member of the Month, and her
appointment to the AAF National Board of Directors. All press releases were picked
up by Capitol Communicator, a regional online publication that provides news, trends,
education, and opportunities for networking, career enhancement, business exchange,
and showcasing great work. Additionally, the release on our President’s appointment
to the AAF Board was picked up by the Washington Business Journal. As a result of
this coverage, our president gave an interview to the Nonprofit Spark National WebTalk
Radio Show in early March 2013. She discussed the club’s recent rebranding and outlined
steps for organizations considering rebranding themselves. As of this writing, only a few
days after the interview was posted, there were over 40,000 downloads of the interview.
Event coverage and reporter attendance is best for the ADDYs and Advertising Week
DC, but since none of our local newspapers have dedicated advertising reporters, the
club is competing with all other business news. Advertising Week DC obtained its best
coverage this year with stories in The New York Times, Capital Business, Washington
Business Journal, local blogs, and member newsletters.
Results Achieved: The results of email blasts and current count of Facebook,
LinkedIn, and Twitter connections are presented to the Board each month as part of a
Communications Statistics Report. From February 1, 2012 to February 1, 2013, the club
realized an increase in social media contacts in ALL platforms for both DC Ad Club and
Ad 2 DC. The most significant increase was in LinkedIn connections (DC Ad Club-46%,
Ad 2 DC-53%). Twitter followers also increased (45% for DC Ad Club and 39% for Ad 2
DC), while Facebook “likes” saw modest increases (27% for both DC Ad Club and Ad 2
DC. Hashtags are noted onsite at events, and an uptick in Twitter followers is often seen
after programs and can be attributed to mentions and retweets.
Capitalize on Advertising Week DC to promote the impact of the advertising
industry in our market while promoting the conference as a premiere
professional development opportunity for area professionals
By amplifying the reach of Advertising Week DC we aimed to build awareness leading
up to and during the week-long event to ultimately drive ticket sales; fulfill the value
promised to sponsors and give additional visibility to the speakers; and attract new
members and show those who could not attend what they were missing.
Find opportunities for self promotion to promote the achievements of the club
and its leaders
Target Audience: DC Ad Club members, prospective members, and the general business
community.
Budget Recap: No charge; staff and volunteer time to prepare nominations and press releases.
Distribution System: Press releases are sent via email to the club’s media list, which
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Target Audience: Potential conference attendees, DC Ad Club members and other
communications professionals, marketing staff at client companies
and easy-to-read format. It includes upcoming events, event wrap-ups, other events
of interest, industry news, new members, job bank postings, and highlights of AAF
programs and events. Programs and events—ADDYs, Advertising Week DC, Silver
Medal, Golf Outing, Socials, Best of DC marketing series, Tips and Tricks training
sessions, Water Cooler Wednesdays, and AFTER HOURS socials—are promoted with
standalone emails, which are sent to current and lapsed members, and prospective
members, usually sent bi-weekly leading up to each event and then two or three days out
as a last reminder. The club uses Constant Contact to distribute these email blasts. The
functionality provided by Constant Contact includes the ability to track open and click
through rates of each email, along with high levels of spam filtering due to their highly
reliable and tested server.
Budget Recap: No paid media placement; all earned media and social media
Distribution System: Advertising Week DC was promoted via a microsite,
advertisingweekdc.com, email blasts, social media (Twitter, Facebook), and Vimeo
(speaker and committee videos were posted). The promotional materials also included
key economic information, the purpose of which was to educate the business community
on the impact of the industry in our market: a) Per capita, Washington DC has the most
advertising and marketing professionals, more than New York, Boston, Chicago, Los
Angeles, or San Francisco; b) According to research from IHS Global Insight released in
April, 2011, advertising expenditures accounted for $104 billion in economic impact in
the DC Metro Area and contributed more than 21 percent to the Washington, DC area
economy; c) Advertising helps produce nearly 13% of all jobs in the DC Metro Area;
and d) There are nearly 36,000 commercial advertising and marketing professionals in
Greater Washington and by 2014 and the region is expected to have more than 39,000
advertising and marketing knowledge workers
Budget Recap: The annual subscription to Constant Contact is $420 a year. Design
elements, outside of the regular club branding, are contributed by volunteer members.
Results Achieved: The emails are well-received, especially since each is branded with the
event’s graphic identity, which is also used on the home page and event calendar on the
website. The average open rate for blast emails is 22.6% and the average click-through
rate is 6.7%. Emails link to the website, where the majority of event registrations are
completed, with an increase around the times of the emails.
Results Achieved: From website launch through the event, advertisingweekdc.com
had 5,295 visits from 2,911 unique visitors with 19, 571 page views. Our event hashtag,
#ADWKDC, was mentioned in over 1,746 tweets, equating to 4.5 million impressions.
Our Twitter ID, @DCAdClub, was mentioned 1,037 times, equating to over 1.5 million
impressions. The DC Ad Club Facebook page had 66 new likes during Advertising Week
DC promotion and 1,113 Facebook page views. Vimeo reported a total of 1,971 video
views. Advertising Week promotions and event wrap ups were featured on a variety
of media, agency, and speaker websites and blogs. The average open rate of emails
promoting Advertising Week DC was 23%. A total of 683 tickets were sold in 2012
compared to 490 sold in 2011.
Showcase the DC Ad Club brand; create a user-friendly functionality for
joining, renewing and registering for events; develop a portal for members and
nonmembers to access information and benefits; create revenue sources for the
club; create a microsite for our hallmark educational event, Advertising Week DC.
Target Audience: Primary audiences are DC Ad Club members; secondary audience is
potential members; tertiary audience is communications industry and anyone interested
in advertising services, the industry in the Washington, DC area, and the Advertising
Week DC conference
Budget Recap: A new dcadclub.com was launched this year as part of the club’s
rebranding effort. In addition to the fee for the redesign, the club pays a monthly hosting
fee of about $100. The club assesses a fee of $75 for nonmembers to post job bank
listings, which generated $2,025 in revenue in 2012, offsetting a portion of the overhead
Keep members and others in the industry updated about club news and events.
Notify people, in a cost-effective manner, to save the date and ultimately
register for events. Mass Email.
Distribution System: The club regularly updates its members with a monthly Member
Bulletin. This members-only email update members of the club’s activities in a quick
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costs for maintaining the website. For advertisingweek.com the creative agency for the
event creates a new “shell” for the look of the site, and staff maintains it. The club pays a
modest hosting fee to house the separate site.
Distribution System: The club’s URL is included on every piece of communication,
on stationery, and in email signatures. Everyone is directed to the website for event
information and registration, membership information and signup, and club resources.
Advertising Week DC materials included the event URL.
Results Achieved: The world operates 24-7; the office is open from 9-5, but with
constant access, dcadclub.com is one of the key ways we interact with our members.
Having event registrations linked to the club’s database increases the accuracy of event
signups and increases the effectiveness and reach of the database as non-members sign
in to register for events. The renewal process is also less time-consuming: members are
sent an email with a link to renew, cutting out the need for paper to send notices or
submit applications. Job posting income increased by 93% in 2012 due to an upturn in
the economy and greater awareness of resources. The advertisingweekdc.com microsite
elevates the Advertising Week DC brand and allows us to provide a wealth of information
about the event. From launch through the end of the event, the site had 5,295 visits, 2,911
unique visitors, and 19,571 page views.
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our Communications Committee designed this new logo using a powder blue color
scheme as well as the letters AAFCLE which to our board seemed much more hip. Other
companies such as Cleveland Hopkins Airport have adopted the “CLE” moniker and it
does go well with our need for re-branding.
DIVISION II:
AAF CLEVELAND
Since 1901, AAF-Cleveland has been the unifying voice for the Northeast Ohio
communications and advertising industries. We exist to promote the vitality of the
communications industry in Northeast Ohio bringing advertising, marketing, public
relations, and sales professionals together to build networks and create business solutions.
Target Audience: AAF-Cleveland members who may be interested in events, industry
news and programs and non-members seeking information about our organization.
Budget Recap: Monthly expenditures for the AAF-Cleveland website are approximately
$35 per month for server space. Our e-commerce costs are also handled via a trade
situation with a current corporate member. The site was re-designed as a trade for a
corporate membership with AAF-Cleveland and all updates/maintenance is handled by
our Executive Director.
Overview: The objective for AAF-Cleveland during this program year is to continue
the work of our recently-formed Communications Committee and to make their efforts
more effective. The one difference this year is that we named one of the committee
members as our creative director. This position is responsible for the branding of the
club and messaging in all of our promotional material. The other three members are
responsible for our website re-design, social media efforts and account service, a liaison
with committee’s. We have endeavored to produce consistent collateral material and
messaging making sure that there is a clear membership message contained in each. We
have also done our best to produce our promotional material in a timely manner which
has helped us increase visibility and attendance at our events.
Distribution System: www.aafcleveland.com
Results Achieved: Our re-designed website has been received very well by our users and
as a main source of club information, continually grows in traffic and page views which
is recorded by Google Analytics.
E-Mail Communications
Goals: Our email alerts are the primary communications vehicle with our members
and non-members. Currently our email list contains over 1,000 email addresses. We
utilize Constant Contact for our weekly emails as well as special event, event-only and
membership campaign emails. These emails contain basic information with links to
purchase tickets, our website for more information and our monthly Portfolio Magazine.
REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS WITH MEMBERS
Website/Logo
Goals: The AAF-Cleveland website serves as the key communications tool with members
and non-members alike. With that in mind, in late 2012 our re-designed website was
launched with a focus on members and membership. It still includes a job postings page,
events calendar, Ad People/Around Town/AAFCLE News sections and information
on membership opportunities. As in the past, our website is the portal through which
our audience can register for programs and events as well as pay their renewal dues. In
addition, a member directory was added which currently is not locked down. All email
blasts, collateral material and monthly newsletters have links back to specific pages on
the website allowing for the dissemination of information and e-commerce functions.
We also unveiled our new AAFCLE logo. Feeling a need to be more contemporary,
Target Audience: All AAF-Cleveland members and non-members who are currently
subscribed. Sign up for our emails is free.
Budget Recap: There are limited costs involved with our email system. Constant Contact
charges re based on the number of subscribers and with our non-profit and pre-payment
discounts, our yearly cost is approximately $400.00.
Results Achieved: Since we cut back on the number of emails sent per month, our open
rate has remained in the 25-30% range while our click-through rate has hovered around
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10%. A majority of our event registrations come from links housed in our various emails
which makes it a very cost-effective vehicle for revenue generation.
EVENT PROMOTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Goals: Our goal is to increase attendance at all of our professional development,
educational and networking events. Increased attendance is key to generating increased
revenue. Events include: Professional Development Luncheons, ADDY Awards, Chili
Cook-Off, Golf Outing, Small Business Conference, Young Professional Happy Hours,
Brown Bag Series and other one-time events.
Social Media
Goals: Having a dedicated Social Media expert on our reconstructed Communications
Committee has done wonders for our social media outreach. The goal is to engage
members, especially young professionals, with the club while creating “buzz” about the
club and its offerings. We’ve combined our young professional Facebook page with our
club Facebook page to eliminate confusion and increased our presence on LinkedIn and
Twitter. We have live “tweeting” at each monthly luncheon, have a “tweet deck” on our
website and numerous members “tweeting” throughout the day, especially just prior to
club events.
Target Audience: MarCom professionals in Northeast Ohio.
Budget Recap: All promotional material is provided to the club at no charge. Local
agencies are charged with developing our collateral material as directed by our creative
director. Postage for any direct mailing is covered by AAF-Cleveland.
Target Audience: Young professionals in the MarCom industry.
Distribution System: Our events are promoted through flyers and/or signage at all
events, hung at board member companies, customized emails, direct mail, social media,
press releases and ads placed in The Plain Dealer.
Budget Recap: There are no expenses incurred with our social media endeavors.
Distribution System: www.facebook.com/aafcle, @aafcle, www.linkedin.com/aafcle
Professional Development Lunch Series
Our programming committee, responsible for producing these luncheons, made a
decision to feature more national speakers including:
Results Achieved: Our Facebook “likes” have hit 404, up from 350 last year, have over
2,100 followers on Twitter, up from 1,900 last year and over 900 LinkedIn users up from
775 last year.
• Brian Ellis Martin, Executive Creative Director from New York City
speaking on Brand Bravery in the Digital Age.
Printed Communications
Goals: To provide our members with clear and consistent information on club programs
and events. Each collateral piece now has a membership element and a strong call to action.
• Jeff Charney, CMO at Progressive Insurance spoke on branding for his company.
We still kept a local theme with programs with Philips Healthcare and Cleveland-area
sports teams.
Target Audience: Primarily AAF-Cleveland members.
AAF-Cleveland ADDY Awards
Our successful ADDY competition culminated at The Agora in Cleveland with a Rock ‘n
Roll theme with 280 attendees. An integrated approach to ticket sales proved to be very
successful, brought in many non-members and encouraged new memberships.
Budget Recap: All AAF-Cleveland collateral is designed by local agencies at no charge
to the club.
Distribution System: Direct-mail, email, board members hanging flyers at the company.
Results Achieved: Our luncheon attendance has increased and we believe that it has a
direct correlation to improved printed communications. Three pieces of our collateral
have won ADDY awards this year.
Night of the Living Dead
So much work done by local agencies and design firms ends up never being used for a
variety of reasons. Our idea was to resurrect this work and let it live again. So Night of
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the Living Dead was born. Held close to Halloween, seven entrants showed off their best
“dead work” for those in attendance to vote on. Combined with a costume contest and
Halloween inspired food and drink, it was a spooky night attended by just under 100.
SELF PROMOTION
Goals: Increase membership and awareness among non-members.
Target Audience: Non-members, potential new corporate members or up-selling
current corporate members.
COMMUNICATIONS WITH NON-MEMBERS
Budget: Membership drive as shown above.
Goals: Our goal was simple, increase membership by adding at least 25 new members
through a 3-month membership campaign.
Distribution: Membership drive as shown above.
Results Achieved: Membership drive as shown above, two new corporate members and
one corporate member who increased to the next level.
Target Audience: MarCom professionals in Northeast Ohio who are not current
members of AAF-Cleveland. These would also include corporate marketers.
Budget Recap: Our campaign had a budget of $5,000. Much of the work including,
collateral material, printing and testimonial videos was donated. Dollars were spent on
postage, some photography, candy bars, lunch boxes and other goodies for our lunch box
giveaway. As part of the campaign, each new member who joined during the campaign
received a free ticket to two upcoming AAFCLE Professional Development Luncheons
and the grand prize winner, drawn from all new members, would receive the “Golden
Ticket” which is free admission to all club events for one year.
Distribution System: The campaign consisted of 10 email blasts, 2 postcard mailings to
a database developed by the board of directors and membership committee, testimonial
videos, buttons/tent cards/signage at all club events, 2 ads in The Plain Dealer newspaper
and lunch boxes filled with AAFCLE swag personally delivered to 25 corporate
membership prospects.
Results Achieved: At the time of this writing AAF-Cleveland has seen 22 new members
join which is just short of our goal with a few weeks to go in the campaign.
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REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS
DIVISION III:
AAF BATON ROUGE
E-Newsletters, Event Reminders and Special Event Promotions
Goal: Last year, the committee decided to stay in touch with our members solely through
informative and consistent electronic newsletters and event reminders. We continued
this technique this year, but wanted to improve on the effectiveness and readability
of the e-newsletters we sent out. In an attempt to get multiple items of news across
while not overwhelming our members, the committee made some design revisions to
our e-newsletter template. We removed distracting elements from the sidebar of the
e-newsletter template and gave equal priority to the promotional images and content
of individual announcements. This new layout allowed members to more quickly digest
the large amount of information they were presented with. Additionally, we included
a downloadable event calendar at the bottom of every e-newsletter, so members could
easily download AAF-BR events to their own calendars. We also incorporated a standard,
large “Register for this Event” button so members can easily click through to the website
to RSVP for events.
Overview: The overall goal of the 2012 Communications Committee was to build upon
the success that was achieved the year before. To do this we strengthened the frequency
and improved the timeliness of our communication efforts on aafbr.org, Facebook.
com/aafbr, twitter.com/aafbr, e-newsletters and the occasional printed pieces. This
challenging undertaking required us to thoroughly examine the communication efforts
of the 2011 committee and formulate a comprehensive plan that included an improved
e-newsletter template design that would be easier for members to read; to expand the use
of social media to reach out to the community and spread awareness of AAFBR events
beyond just the membership; and to increase awareness of club events and functions
after the fact.
These goals were accomplished through, but not limited to, creating a new blog platform
called “Colleen’s Blog” where we could post additional event promotions, e-newsletters
along with regular e-blasts for event reminders and other action items, the forming of
a committee, and the creation of a process for communications to run smoothly with
two committee chairs. Each of these goals was implemented to promote AAF-BR and
its events, demonstrate the value of membership to current and potential members,
increase member involvement in our activities, increase brand awareness of our club in
the local business community and foster an integrated strategy to communicate across
multiple media.
Our objective remained to deliver relevant club news and information in a timely
and accurate fashion. The e-newsletter was designed to be informational, educational
and entertaining—providing meeting and event information as well as insight into
accomplishments of our club and its members. Each e-newsletter contained various
articles regarding upcoming AAF-BR events and programs, a downloadable calendar
of events, and event notices for our partnering clubs (“ADditions”). Additionally, event
promotion was achieved through event reminders and special event e-mail promotional
campaigns. Each of these campaigns was co-branded with AAF-BR and the event creative.
The Communications Committee worked together to create a strategy that integrated
traditional and online media and encouraged participation from the entire club. The
committee was challenged to further integrate communications across all channels and
provide an autonomous platform for board involvement. Over the course of the year,
the committee succeeded in growing the AAF-BR brand across multiple platforms. The
multi-channel approach has resulted in a new level of engagement at the student and
professional levels, as well as district.
Target: AAF-BR Members and General Public
Budget: The committee opted to utilize Mail Chimp, a free service for our number
of subscribers.
Distribution: E-newsletters and e-event reminders were emailed several times per
month. Special event news was sent in a timely fashion as it related to the actual event.
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Target: While all accounts were used to communicate with our members, Twitter and
Facebook were used to promote events to the outside business community. Events and
news were promoted across all platforms. We also created unique cover photo graphics
on our Facebook page to promote individual events to our followers. This served as a
reminder for upcoming events and helped bring more attention to our Facebook page
and events when members liked or shared these images.
Results: Membership attendance, participation and feedback increased as a result
of these efforts. Our luncheon programs have had RSVP totals as high as 87 people.
We have maintained a high level of engagement and have seen our open rate at 53.29
percent (well over the industry average of 21.7%)! We were also excited to have our
email subscriber list grow to over 300 subscribers this year
Website
Goal: To provide continuous communication of current and ongoing AAF-BR
information, act as a resource for current and potential members, accept RSVPs for
events and payment for membership dues and events. We launched a new website in
2010 to achieve these goals and since then, have been adding many useful features. This
year we added a new feature that displays new member photos and bios as another way
of introducing them to our membership and welcoming them to the club. We also added
a new section to the site that features video of our luncheon speakers, allowing members
to re-watch these inspirational talks or to share with others outside of the club.
Distribution: URLs to our social media profiles were posted in our e-newsletters.
Budget: There was no expense as the accounts are free and maintained by our board.
Result: Social media has allowed us to increase awareness of our events and member
participation. Twitter has grown from 925 to 1331 followers; Facebook has grown from
459 to 601 likes.
Colleen’s Blog
Goal: Our original intention with the blog was to use last year’s winner of the membership
drive iPad giveaway, Colleen Jackson, as a spokesperson for our annual membership
push. Not only was she the previous winner, but she is also a well-recognized member
that has been a part of AAF-BR for ten years. Due to Colleen’s busy schedule, we utilized
the award-winning writing talents of communications co-chair Trenton Bland to
ghostwrite on her behalf with her full approval and support.
Target: AAF-BR Members and General Public
Distribution: Our website is available to everyone via www.aafbr.org. We promote the
web address on all marketing materials. The site is optimized and comes up on page one
in search engines for “Baton Rouge Advertising,” allowing us to be found by prospective
members and the business community.
The goal of Colleen’s Blog was to raise awareness of the membership drive and increase
referrals to the club. Due to its success we decided to continue the blog and utilize Trent’s
unique style of writing to inform our members of upcoming events and provide recaps
of our club activities.
Budget: Our board, via a content management system, manages web maintenance to
our existing site.
Result: AAF-BR has maintained another avenue of consistent two-way communication
and received all RSVPs and the ability to accept payments through the website. We have
made it easy for current members to welcome our new members by displaying brief
member introductions in our New Members section. We have also created another
way for members to share our excellent luncheon speakers with others outside the club,
creating more interest in the club and our monthly luncheons.
Target: Initially it was targeted towards members as a way to increase our membership
numbers. We dedicated 9 of our 16 posts to fun and outlandish ideas to get your coworkers and/or friends to join the club. After the completion of the drive the blog was
then used to help give more detailed information about upcoming events.
Distribution: We promoted the blog through our Facebook and Twitter accounts and
through e-blasts.
Social Media
Goal: To maintain Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts to communicate with
members and promote programs and events.
Budget: There was no expense for the hosting, maintenance and writing of the blog.
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Result: It was very successful in our membership drive and helped provide fourfold increase
in referrals. Overall the blog received a total of 422 page views from July 2012–January 2013.
Luncheon Speaker Promotions
AAF-BR had an incredible lineup of speakers for our monthly membership luncheons
this year. Among our speaker guests this year were HOW Conference speakers Stefan
Mumaw and Melissa Morris Ivone, as well as the “real life Peggy Olsen” and author
of Mad Women, Jane Maas. The committee heavily promoted these speakers through
e-newsletters, social media, Colleen’s Blog, and printed speaker calendars that were
handed out at luncheons to members as well as mailed.
EVENT OR MEETING PROMOTIONS
AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
In addition to all of the above-mentioned vehicles, we also used other avenues for
promoting events to members and non-members.
2013 ADDY® Awards
Beginning many months in advance, there has been a non-stop combination of reminders
for the 2013 ADDY Awards: meetings announcements, website updates, social media,
and prominent e-news presence and traditional PR efforts. The club even stepped up the
call for entries a notch by handing out poster reminders with entry bags to promote Call
for Entries. Several media outlets were invited and attended the event. An embargoed
press release was sent to the media announcing the winners. Due to a committed effort
of the committee in making a contact at the local newspaper, the event received coverage
in the Advocate business section and on their website.
Kick-off Party at the Radio Bar
AAF-Baton Rouge kicked off the year with a member social originally scheduled on
August 30, 2012. Hurricane Isaac, however, had other plans for us, and the social had to
be rescheduled for September 20, 2012. E-blasts were sent out to members to notify them
of the change in plans, and an additional blast was sent out with an excerpt from Colleen’s
Blog to remind members of the event the day of. The Kick-Off Party was was held at The
Radio Bar, a new, popular bar in Baton Rouge with award winning branding by one of
AAF-BR’s own members. The event was a huge success despite being rescheduled, with
over 100 in attendance. A convenient, business card sized AAF-BR yearly Calendar of
Events was handed out at the event. The Kick-Off event was promoted via e-newsletters,
Facebook, Twitter, aafbr.org, and Colleen’s Blog.
13th Gate Tour Recap
Each year during Halloween, AAF-BR gives members the chance to tour the 13th Gate,
a nationally top-ranked haunted house in Baton Rouge, for free (normally a $25/person
admission fee). In the spirit of this year’s goal of promoting events after-the-fact, we posted
a hilarious event re-cap on Colleen’s Blog to share with members who may not have made
this event and to demonstrate how much the attendees enjoyed themselves. The blog entry
was one of the most read entries on Colleen’s Blog.
2012 Media Shower
This year’s fundraising auction, the “2012 Media Shower,” was a tremendous kickoff for
the new season. On Thursday, October 25th, guests enjoyed food, music, wine and a live art
battle while bidding on their favorite items. The event hosted both a silent and live auction
with over 85-featured items ranging from media packages to various marketing services.
Not only did the event raise nearly $13,000, it proved to be great club exposure for people
in the community, bringing in over 130 people, half members and half non-members.
Proceeds raised benefit all AAF-BR activities including scholarships for students, programs,
workshops and public service. Held at the Baton Rouge Gallery, AAF-BR’s “Media
Shower” was a star-studded night of great deals, professional networking and cultural
entertainment. The event was promoted via e-news, and social media outlets were used to
create hype around the event. It was also promoted through Colleen’s Blog and aafbr.org.
The Fundraising Committee chairs designed promotional graphics and bid books.
COMMUNICATION WITH NON-MEMBERS
Widen brand awareness in the business community
Strategies to communicate with non-members included sending press releases to the
media and developing a partnership with other Baton Rouge are clubs in order to crosspromote our club events. Our continued partnership with the Baton Rouge Social Media
Association has also increased our reach into the creative community through cross
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promotion, since most social media professionals are within the marketing discipline of
company organizational charts.
Students are the Future
AAF-BR communicated with students via emails, social media, the LSU AAF Facebook
page, and announcements at LSU AAF meetings. We also provided students with a
printed events calendar for the year. Local businesses and agencies sponsored students’
attendance at the monthly member luncheons by paying for their lunch and sitting at the
table with them, allowing the students to network with the sponsor and ask questions.
SELF PROMOTION
In an effort to increase brand awareness and further promote AAF-BR through social
media, the committee designed and handed out “I Voted” stickers at our November
membership luncheon in honor of Election Day. Members were encouraged to wear
their stickers, take pictures with them on, and share the photos through social media.
The AAF-BR stickers went viral after members began posting them on various social
media outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The successes of the 2012 Communications Committee hinged upon our ability to
effectively and succinctly communicate across multiple channels to achieve a greater
awareness of club activities and initiatives among members and prospective members.
It was also critical to ensure that every part of our communication efforts aligned not
just with the overall strategy for the club, but for the uniqueness of each club activity.
Our use of social media, e-newsletters, aafbr.org, and Colleen’s Blog, along with many
other forms of communications, has strengthened our relationship with our members,
increased visibility to nonmembers, and established AAF-BR as a trusted resource.
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DIVISION IV:
AAF EMERALD COAST
COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS
AND NON-MEMBERS
Organization Background: The 2011-2012 Board of Directors challenged themselves
with a club rebrand, moving from Emerald Coast Advertising Federation to AAF-Emerald
Coast to more closely align with the national brand and increase recognition as part of a
larger brand with local, regional, and national exposure. The board implemented a cohesive
marketing plan, which included membership packets, membership forms, luncheon
receipts, raffle tickets, business cards, note cards, MailChimp templates, a Facebook page,
and a new website integrated with a content management system with blogging capabilities.
The communications committee joined together to create a strategy that integrated
traditional and online media and encouraged participation from members and nonmembers.
Event or Meeting Promotions and Announcements
The communication committee made the determination to cross-promote all aspects of
club communications to provide timely distribution of information.
The 2012-2013 Board of Directors continued with the objectives set forth by looking for
new ways to improve each of the eight core values of AAF in an effort to maintain and
sustain growth long term and advance to club of the year.
Self-Promotion
To celebrate AAF-Emerald Coast’s 20th Anniversary and the 2013 Pantone’s “Color of
the Year—Emerald Green” the club rebranded with new graphics.
AAF-Emerald Coast is a distinctive chapter in that the demographics include a large
military base, which has a transient population, coupled with an area that is 85%
Caucasian, 50% female, and 27% women-owned firms. The smaller market with its
unique logistical limitations and the transient population base makes attracting and
retaining energetic, professional members more difficult
Social Media
Goals: The objective was to maintain Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and
YouTube accounts to communicate with members and promote programs and events.
Target Audience: While all accounts were used to communicate with our members.
Twitter was used to promote events to the business community. Facebook event pages
were utilized for monthly development lunches and special events, which allowed
members to invite their friends. Events and email communications were promoted
across all social media platforms. Committee chairs were given administration access to
Facebook so events could be promoted in real time which has created a viral component to
the promotion in social media.
Communication Goals: In an effort to serve the community, AAF-Emerald Coast
established programming to facilitate the goals set forth at our annual Board Retreat
in July. Some of the objectives were to maintain the brand standards, communicate
efficiently with membership, integrating club communication across multiple channels,
growing social networks as a method of building advocates, encouraging conversation,
and creating autonomy within the board by empowering each board member with the
ability to promote their events and programs.
Budget Recap: There was no expense as all social media accounts were free and
maintained by AAF- Emerald Coast board members.
The Communications Committee worked to create a strategy that integrated traditional
online media and encouraged participation from the entire club. The committee was
challenged to further integrate communications across all channels and provide an
autonomous platform for board involvement. Over the course of the year, the committee
succeeded in growing the AAF-Emerald Coast brand across multiple platforms. The
multi-channel approach has resulted in a new level of engagement from students to
professionals to the district level.
Distribution System: URLs to our social media profiles were posted on all club
correspondence. To support the cross channel communication, opt-ins were included
on emails as well as on Facebook tabs. Distribution was also utilized through the Twitter
platform, with cross promotion of the @AAFEC Twitter handle on the AAF-Emerald
Coast website, Facebook app and integration, e-blasts and during luncheons.
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Results Achieved: Social media has allowed AAF-Emerald Coast to increase awareness
of our events and member participation. AAF-Emerald Coast grew the Facebook “Likes”
from 162 Likes in March 2012 to 304 Likes in February 2013, an 88% increase. The club’s
Facebook reach has expanded to reach 17 countries and was viewed in 10 languages in
March 2012. The demographics of Facebook likes are 69% female with 24% of those
being 25-34 years of age; 29% are male with 9.5% being 25-34 years of age. Facebook also
served as AAF-Emerald Coast’s most utilized traffic source to the AAFEmeraldCoast.
com website from April 30, 2012, through February 7, 2013, with more than 217 visits
and an average time on site of 02:57, all from Facebook.
Silver Award Nominations, and can now receive PayPal payments for each month’s
professional development luncheon.
AAF-Emerald Coast began its Twitter account in August 2012. In February 2013, @
AAFEC stands at 135 Tweets, 220 Following and 92 Followers.
Budget Recap: The committee continued to utilize MailChimp, which is a free service.
E-Mail Communication
Goals: The objective was to provide consistent email communication with current
and potential members to update them on monthly programs and special event
announcements and to increase online program registrations.
Target Audience: The target audience was AAF-Emerald Coast members, potential
members, the advertising and creative community, students and media.
Distribution System: AAF-Emerald Coast utilized Mailchimp’s distribution system to
send out the e-blasts, e-newsletters and news releases to its current database. In addition,
Twitter and Facebook were integrated for automatic exposure of the communication
vehicle through these platforms. Specifically, Mailchimp was integrated into a Facebook
App for integrated email sign-up opportunities.
Website Communication
Goals: The objective was to provide continuous communication regarding all AAFEmerald Coast events, provide a resource for current and potential members, accept
RSVPs for events, and accept payment for membership dues and events. After the
website was launched, the club integrated some useful features, such job bank and social
media feeds to advance our integrated strategy.
All email communication was archived on the club website and pushed out across
social media networks. Special event news was sent in a timely fashion as it related to
the actual event.
Target Audience: The target audience was AAF-Emerald Coast members, potential
members, the advertising and creative community, students and media.
Results Achieved: Membership attendance, participation and feedback increased as a
result of the club’s efforts. AAF-Emerald Coast’s average open rate of email was above
the industry average with an open rate of 33.04%, higher than the nonprofit average of
20.34%. The database grew from 364 in spring 2012 to 512 as of February 7, 2013, an
increase of 41%.
Budget Recap: The website content was updated by member volunteers. The webhosting
was donated by a member so there was no out of pocket expense to the club.
Distribution System: The AAF-Emerald Coast club website was cross-promoted in all
club communications, such as monthly program emails, social media, postcard mailings,
local advertising, and news releases.
News Releases
Goals: The objective was to keep communication flowing via news releases, while
establishing AAF- Emerald Coast’s credibility as a newsworthy source of information in
the Northwest Florida community. In addition, the club wanted to encourage attendance
by local journalists as a way to promote AAF- Emerald Coast events, gain coverage in
post-event articles, garner calendar listings in local business publications and build
awareness of AAF-Emerald Coast in the local business community.
Results Achieved: Club communication to members and non-members improved
due to keeping content current. Online event registrations have increased due to
the ease of signup. The club’s website has received 1,001, or 43.9%, unique visitors
viewing the club website since April 30, 2012, with an average time onsite of 02:19.
In addition to receiving public service applications, student scholarship applications,
and new/renewing membership applications, AAF EmeraldCoast.com now can receive
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Target Audience: The target audience was local advertisers representatives, journalists,
media editors and individuals interested in local and regional media in Northwest Florida
area, specifically targeting The Destin Log, The Walton Sun, The Northwest Florida Daily
News, SoWal.com, Emerald Coast Magazine, Destin Magazine, Emerald Ladies Journal,
30A Review, Natural Awakenings, 850 Magazine, Apex Broadcasting, Cumulus Radio,
WEAR ABC 3, WJHG NBC 7.
CONCLUSION
The ultimate goal of promoting a better understanding of advertising by educating
current and future advertising professionals has been attained. Advertising professionals
learned about creative ideas and how innovative techniques can assist them in achieving
their company’s advertising goals. From teaching how branding relates to taking a nonprofit to the next level or a fresh look at the advertising industry, the AAF-Emerald Coast
has and will continue encouraging excellence by educating its members, the community
it serves and the next generation of advertising professionals.
Budget Recap: All designs, content, and work was donated by AAF-Emerald Coast members.
Distribution System: News releases were distributed through Mailchimp, Gmail eblasts
and direct messaging via Facebook, Twitter and the AAF-Emerald Coast website.
Based on the tireless efforts of the club leadership, partnered with the AAF-Emerald
Coast re-brand, the club has grown in multiple ways and is looking forward to continued
growth. New, innovative, and relevant programs were produced to maintain current
membership, and more importantly, attract new members. This effort put the club
at a 45% increase in memberships, increasing from 39 to 56 as of March 2013, while
maintaining 90% of the existing membership. New forms of communication including
media press releases, Twitter, Instagram, and postcard mail outs assisted in increasing
ADDY entries by 51% and increasing the average attendance at monthly Professional
Development Luncheons by 30%. Building the membership through meaningful
programs and achieving goals has strengthened AAF-Emerald Coast as a valuable
resource to the local community.
Results Achieved: AAF-Emerald Coast was able to receive exposure in The Walton Sun,
The Destin Log, emeraldcoast.com, and SoWal.com.
Printed Communication
Goals: The objective was to provide a physical and tangible component for information
or special events that might require more detail, greater awareness, and/or a stronger
impression.
Target Audience: The target audience was AAF-Emerald Coast members who
subscribed to the club’s mailing list.
Budget Recap: Designs were donated by volunteer members or organizations and costs
for printing were donated or sponsored by an individual member or organization.
Postage was paid by AAF-Emerald Coast, which is incorporated into the specific event
or by sponsorship funds.
Distribution System: Printed materials were mailed out, as well as handed out at events.
Results Achieved: For special events, such as the ADDY Awards, members look
for direct mail and seem to respond to this distribution method as a sign of a more
significant event. Attendance and sponsorship satisfaction benefit from the use of the
printed communication. The cost was justified by the favorable response.
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• We were successful in media coverage of our events with our news releases
and blurbs appearing in Bay Pop magazine,Tampa Bay Business Journal,
and South Tampa Patch.
DIVISION V:
AD 2 TAMPA BAY
Ad 2 Tampa Bay had an active year of community engagement both online and offline.
We saw an increase in event attendance and membership, driven by a well organized
and strategically executed communications plan. Additionally, we saw more outside
organizations share and interact our content than ever before. We’re proud to have a healthy
following on all social media channels, and to have seen a significant increase in web traffic.
• We began using hashtags on social media, specifically Twitter and
Instagram, to promote and live- tweet our events. The hashtags used were:
#Ad2AdTalks; #Ad2AdSocials; #Ad2TampaBay; #WhyAd2 (National Ad 2
initiative picked up from National Ad 2 MYR). We encouraged attendees
to use the hashtags in their posts about the event, the information they
were learning, or along with their photos so their networks could see them
having a great time at our events.
Event & Meeting Promotion
Goals: To increase awareness and attendance for events, as well as share successes and
news from our meetings with general membership. We’ve found that our events are a
major driver of membership; the more non-member attendees we can attract, the more
potential members we can recruit.
Announcements/Regular Communication with Members
Goals: To increase following and engagement with members and potential members via
social media; to encourage conversations between the Ad 2 Tampa Bay brand and its
members and potential members; to reach 1,000 followers on Facebook and 2,500 Twitter
followers; to achieve a higher response to e- blasts with increased clicks and opens.
Target Audience: All members and potential members.
Budget Recap: $530 revenue earned from AdTalks; $270 revenue earned from AdTour
Target Audience: All members and potential members.
Distribution System: Regularly maintained schedule of eBlasts; news releases and
targeted communications to media professionals; personal outreach to local college
and university professors; consistent updates to social media and the Ad 2 Tampa Bay
website promoting events and communicating meeting successes achieved.
Budget Recap: $0
Distribution System: We communicated announcements and general news items with
members and non-members through eBlasts, blog posts, website updates, news releases,
and social media updates.
Results Achieved: We have seen an overall increase in event attendance this year,
encompassing AdTalks, AdSocials, and AdTour.
Results Achieved:
• Through increased social media communications and a regular schedule of
eblast distributions, we saw an average of 40-50 attendees at AdTalks; 45-60
attendees at AdSocials, and 25-30 at AdTours.
• As of February 10, 2013, Ad 2 Tampa Bay had 1,051 Facebook fans, and
increase in reach by 30% from June 2012 and 2,572 Twitter followers an
increase in reach by 18% from June 2012.
• This was a 25% increase in attendance for AdTalks, with a total revenue
earned of $530 as of January 13, 2013, a 35% increase from revenue earned
from AdTalks the entire 2012-2013 year.
• The club also created an Instagram profile as a way to share photos with our
audience members who may not be on Facebook or Twitter. As of January
29, we had 46 followers, which we feel is a satisfactory adoption rate for just
having introduced it.
• Additionally, by increasing the engagement of Ad 2 Tampa Bay members
and Board members on social media, our events were often promoted by
members, and even by other local organizations.
• We were successful in engaging well-known Tampa Bay agencies in sharing
our content, photos, and announcements. This year, we implemented a
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• We’ve seen an increase in community members outside of membership
interacting with our brand through “likes” and shares on social media,
especially Facebook.
“Bad Ass Board Member of the Month (BABM)” program, acknowledging
our Board members for their hard work, dedication, and achievements.
By sharing photos of the BABM with their trophy and eye patch (we went
with a pirate theme based on Tampa’s history), their employers were not
only made aware of their contribution to the community, but helped spread
awareness of Ad 2 Tampa Bay by sharing our social promotions.
• Through our Board’s contacts and employers, we’ve also connected with
new community organizations and companies for the first time this year,
who have shared our content. For example, after speaking at our Legislative
event in July 2012, the Tampa Bay Partnership posted our July AdCast
video on the website homepage of their Front Row Tampa Bay initiative for
hundreds of new eyes to see as they promoted the Tampa Bay region prior
to the Republican National Convention coming to town.
• We also made an effort to inform our audience of other local and national
business opportunities through our website and social channels such as
industry awards, scholarships, job opportunities, etc.
• Our e-blasts, sent to approximately 3,400 emails, have maintained a healthy
open rate hovering right around 19% and reaching 20%—our best this
year—in October of 2012.
• As of January 13, 2013, our club has 63 members, an 8.6% increase since
April 2012.
• In an effort to keep those members who are not able to attend all of our
events informed on club happenings and successes, we have initiated
monthly blog posts recapping the previous month’s worth of club activities
and achievements. We found that this is also an excellent recruitment tool,
allowing all non-members looking for more information on Ad 2 Tampa
Bay to see how we work together, give back to the community, and have
some major fun along the way.
We attribute much of this success to the increased quality and frequency of our
communications in promoting our events and achievements.
Self-Promotion
Goals: To use a unified voice in showcasing Ad 2 Tampa Bay’s unique identity,
progressive achievements, and personalities behind the brand by sharing our successes,
news, and updates using a variety of communication channels. Our overall goal was for
Ad 2 Tampa Bay’s Communications team to reflect our fun and young spirit—while
maintaining a level of integrity among our peers.
Non-Member Communications
Goals: To encourage non-members to join, including students, professionals, and companies
for individual and corporate memberships; to connect with potential event sponsors.
Target Audience: Members and non-members.
Target Audience: Non-members and potential event sponsors.
Budget Recap: $0
Budget Recap: $0
Distribution System: Blog posts, e-blasts, social media, signage at events, the website.
Distribution System: We sought to pique interest among target audiences across social
media, the website, blog posts, and eBlasts.
Results Achieved:
• This year, we majorly ramped up the publication of posts on our AdBlog.
We’re extremely proud to report that our teamwork and increased blogging
activity was effective, and that the blog has seen an increase from 7 to 61
average monthly visitors from March to December 2012—that’s 771% in 9
months! The blog posts were also popular on our social media channels.
Results Achieved:
• The majority of our new social-media followers are non-members. With
most of our membership already engaged, this was a good sign of increased
community awareness and potential membership growth.
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• This was made possible with a well thought-out and executed editorial
calendar created by our Online Content Director, Amanda Wintenburg. All
Board members were presented with this calendar at the Board orientation,
with consistent reminders from Amanda at each monthly Board meeting.
• As part of our self-promotion efforts, we also highlighted certain
milestones, making our audiences a part of our celebration in an effort
to connect with them beyond event invites, etc., such as reaching 1,000
Facebook fans.
• For the first time, an Ad 2 Tampa Bay Voice and Tone Guide was created
and shared among the Board members in order to ensure consistent
messaging across all mediums. This has proven to be effective in answering
the questions of our Board members involved in club communications.
It has also helped create a more unified, professional profile for the Ad 2
Tampa Bay organization among all of our audiences, while encouraging us
to represent the young and fun personality behind our brand!
• As a fun way to drive new, relevant fans to “like” our Facebook page, we
had a photobooth set up at several of our AdSocials where attendees could
use props to take fun photos, with a sign that said “Like our Facebook page
to see your photos”.
• Also to drive increased traffic to our social channels and our website, we set
up a sign at all of events with QR codes, directing users to the designated
site. Both this and the photobooth led to a significant jump in Facebook
fans after each event. The Ultimate Mixer that took place on October 23,
2012 provides a great example.
• Inline with the goals of the Voice and Tone Guide, we also released Ad 2
Tampa Bay’s first-ever Creative Brief. The goal of the Brief is to present a
cohesive and appropriate brand identity of who we are—the Tampa Bay
region’s leading group of young advertising professionals—by updating
our supporting creative, social media, website and marketing materials to
tell the brand’s story. Our Creative Director, Brandi Morlen, saw a great
opportunity to help attract new members and bring back old, or inactive,
members by engaging them in a new conversation about Ad 2 Tampa Bay
through the creative changes. The Board just approved the entire Brief in
January 2013, so we look forward in having the opportunity to report on
its successes.
Other
Goals: To increase web traffic and further online conversations with members and
potential members; to establish our club as a go-to resource for job postings and
industry-related news throughout the Tampa Bay region.
Target Audience: Members and non-members (including potential members, company
decision makers, professors, students, etc.)
Budget Recap: $0
• We published four categories of blog posts. Above all, we sought to publish
valuable, engaging and interesting content for our readers. To get everyone
involved excited to be a contributor, we felt it was important to instill
a sense of ownership. Each Board member was responsible for a Board
member profile post as their first, as well as a post on industry news later
in the year. Our club president, Amanda Fisherman, was also responsible
for a monthly recap of club activities. Additionally, blog posts on industryrelated news were posted by either our Online Content Director or
Communications Intern on various Fridays.
Distribution System: Blog posts, e-blasts, social media, the website.
Results Achieved:
• Several updates were made to our website this year, giving it a more
professional look but still a fun feel for our target audiences. These
updates included:
—a new favicon added to the top browser tab (meta title) so that visitors are
able to distinguish our site
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—a new, sitewide sidebar incorporating our Facebook feed to keep the
site fresh with current (and active) posts and gain new followers via the
“Like” button
—a redesigned Board Member page complete with member bios, allowing
visitors to connect with our dynamic team—each bio includes contact
info for the people who lead the organization.
—Additionally, we will soon be adding archiving capabilities for added
convenience so that visitors can read older content on the blog.
• Over a nine-month time span from March 2012 to December 2012,
monthly visitors to our website increased 59% from 874 visitors to 1,370.
Over those nine months, we averaged 1,597 visits/month, with our highest
October 2012 seeing the highest volume of traffic at 2,255 visits. In that
time frame, we had a total of 16,974 visits to our site, 7,618 (55%) of which
were unique.
• Our Job Board has historically been—and remains—the most popular
page (seeing the greatest amount of traffic) on our website. We pride
ourselves in serving a our market—Tampa Bay’s advertising, marketing,
and media young professionals—as a resource for potential employment
opportunities. In 2012, the job board had a total of 19,167 visits, an increase
of 211% from 6,156 total visits in 2011.
• The Ad 2 Tampa Bay Job Board also serves as a way for the club to foster
and maintain relationships with our local employers, while providing
them with a valuable tool and added benefit. In 2012, 116 jobs were posted,
compared to 47 jobs posted in 2011—an increase of 147%.
• For the first time, Ad 2 Tampa Bay launched an internship program, open
to all local colleges and universities. One of the first interns to join us was
our Communication Intern, Carmen, a member of the University of South
Florida’s (USF) AdClub (5.3). The experience proved to be a great success
for both Carmen and our club. She was able to gain valuable industry
experience in the field she is interested in and receive course credit, while
helping move our club’s communications initiatives forward, contributing
to social media, our newsletter, and more.
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diversity and multicultural initiatives
div I:
a a f LOUISVILLE
d i v II : a a f HOUSTON
d i v III : a a f O F THE MIDLANDS
d i v I v:
d i v v:
AA F RALEIGH - DURHAM
a d 2 ta m pa b ay
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : D I V E R S I T Y A N D M U LT I C U LT U R A L I N I T I AT I V E S
DIVISION I:
AAF LOUISVILLE
TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND
SPEAKERS HIGHLIGHTING DIVERSITY ISSUES
AFFECTING THE AD INDUSTRY
”I will not stand here and try to make excuses for the number of African-Americans we’ve
hired. It’s pathetic. There’s a lot more we can do.”—Dan Wieden, Wieden + Kennedy
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS: Keys to success in the advertising industry
Goals: To engage the advertising community in a discussion about diversity, and how
women and people of color can be successful in the advertising industry.
In 2006, an article ran in the New York Times saying that the ad agencies in the “Advertising
Capital” had been subpoenaed by the New York City Commission on Human Rights to
explain themselves. With over 8,000 workers in the 16 largest agencies making over $100k
per year, only 2.6% were black. The hearings were called off when the agencies signed
agreements to boost minority hiring, but the effects were eye-opening to us all. The AAF’s
then CEO, Wally Snyder, said, “We’re about to turn our attention to helping agencies
with retention and mentoring. ... I think we can really accomplish something.” Here in
Louisville, we couldn’t agree more.
Target Audience: AAF members, Young Advertising Professionals (aged 21 to 30) and
the Louisville advertising and business community.
Strategy/Execution: A top-level executive panel was formed as part of this event to create
discussion around the topic of diversity. The panel consisted of a Caucasian female, a
Hispanic female, a Hispanic male and an African-American male, of which three are
CEOs and one is an Executive Vice President, all working at local advertising agencies.
This moderated event included questions from audience members where the panelists
were able to discuss their accomplishments, failures, setbacks and overall views as a
woman or person of color in the advertising industry. The location was donated, there
was a cash bar, and a nominal expense for food, with a portion of the proceeds from the
event donated to our Multicultural Scholarship fund.
Each year, we’ve included topics in our programs and communications to support and
promote diversity in the local advertising industry. One of our strengths as a city lies in
our embrace of diversity, from traditional definitions like culture, race, and ethnicity to a
broader platform for diversity, like age, gender, sexual orientation and religion. Our past
initiatives have been successful, but like Dan Wieden, the club’s leadership knows there
is a lot more that we can do.
In the past, our multicultural and diversity events and articles had been “safe”. A youth
marketing seminar. A talk on marketing to different cultures. But to really make broad
strides forward on the national multicultural initiative, we knew that we had to have the
hard conversations. This year’s programs provided a long overdue and much needed
perspective for our industry, and our communications emphasized the contributions and
importance of an inclusive creative community. The club’s leadership has continued to
reach out to more multicultural leaders in the community, and find ways to extend our
efforts beyond individual events and publications. From the wide range of industries and
talents our club represents to the multiple ways we communicate, the focus on diversity
has become a part of our club’s culture in everything we do. Below are the objectives that
illustrate our initiatives.
Results: All survey results were positive, with several comments of needing to make this an
annual event for the AAF-Louisville organization. All attendees walked away with a better
sense of what issues plague our advertising industry in terms of diversity, as well as pieces
of information to help promote inclusion in their respective workplaces. In addition, the
topic and high profile speaker panel attracted a much more diverse audience, and the
AAF was able to reach more non-members than in many of the clubs past events. The
program also opened the door to advertising professionals that we had not engaged in
the past and led to interviews for our email newsletter as well as counsel to our Education
Committee on a multi-cultural student internship program we’re developing.
Professional Development Series
Goal: To offer a straightforward seminar series providing a diverse group of speakers to
appeal to a diverse audience.
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Target Audience: AAF Louisville members and prospective members.
Appliances, demonstrating ways to create a successful agency/client relationship. The
YAPs also featured a seminar on internal branding, and engaging corporate cultures.
YAP events are promoted via social media, direct mail, through the website, and email
invitations. For each Career Advice seminar, the YAPs do a video interview called “What
You Might Have Missed” to feature the main points of the seminar to gain interest for
future events. These videos are featured on Facebook and Twitter posts, along with photos
from the events.
Strategy: The seven part series of seminars featured a mix of local speakers with different
ages, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and disciplines.
Results: In addition to the traditional following, this program has attracted many new
faces, and the attendance typically ranges from 30-50. The event used to be held at our
club’s office and was at capacity at 35, but the series has been moved to donated space
from the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and allows more of the advertising community to
participate. Each program lasts one hour, and box lunches are donated. There is no cost
to the club for this event, and with record-breaking attendance at most seminars, this
is a great fundraising program for the club. In addition, attendee surveys show 85% of
attendees rated it a four or five out of five.
Results: The Happy Hours have become a social event for not only the under-30 crowd,
but members and non-members of all ages have embraced the opportunity to engage
with others from the advertising community. Many top executives attend to support
their colleagues who have been asked to join as the special guests. The joint happy hour
with YPAL and YF drew over 100 attendees, and resulted in new memberships, and built
awareness with a more diverse base of marketing and advertising professionals.
Young Advertising Professionals Career ADvice Seminars and Happy Hours
Goals: (1) To foster diverse connections and provide educational seminars featuring
an inclusive range of speakers highlighting successful professionals from different
backgrounds. (2) To promote advertising as a career choice at a young age to encourage
growth of a diverse talent pool. (3) To encourage participation in social events for
members and non-members of all ages.
MINORITY/MULTICULTURAL STUDENT
OUTREACH & SUPPORT
Goal: To build awareness and excitement about advertising as a career choice for young
students by demonstrating the broad range of disciplines and career paths, such as
writing, social media, account service, media planning, and art direction.
Target Audience: Primary Audiences: Young Advertising Professionals (ages 21-30),
prospective new members who are recent college graduates; Secondary Audiences:
Lifetime Members, Board Members and at-large membership
Target Audience: Middle school, high school and college students.
Strategy/Execution: The Young Advertising Professionals (YAP) Happy Hours feature
one or more top executives from local ad agencies or marketing directors from large
corporations as a way to attract attendees, but also to give young professionals a chance
to network with seasoned executives in an informal setting. In addition, a joint effort
with two other groups, the Young Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL) and the
Young Filsonians historical club created a happy hour that gave exposure for the YAPs to
more corporate marketing professionals and greatly expanded the diversity of the attendee
list. Career ADvice seminars feature local speakers from agencies and corporations. One
focus in diversity is to feature the success of women in advertising, and featuring a top
female ad agency executive alongside her client, a top female marketing executive at GE
High School Marketing Challenge (HSMC)
For 13 years running, AAF-Louisville has provided an opportunity for High School
Students to gain experience in advertising through a creative competition. A sponsor
acts as the “client” and chooses a topic, product or service to promote, and the students
act as the advertising agency, creating an advertising campaign. This year’s sponsor was
Humana, who charged the students to tackle the issue of Teen Depression. The program
has grown exponentially, and this year there were so many teams, the presentations had
to be split into two days of judging. The participation from schools in low-income areas
has grown where schools don’t have access to the same technology. Judges are instructed
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Target Audience: Local charities that support diversity issues, and AAF-Louisville
Members
to score based on campaign concepts and ideas, not necessarily the quality of production.
This allows a level playing field that encourages participation from all community schools,
public and private, with a more diverse student base that grows every year. Beyond the
impact of learning about advertising, students have found opportunities to volunteer
and continue to support the causes they’ve learned about, even beyond the competition,
helping to build stronger communities, and serve as an example to others.
The “Dream Team” Project
Each year, a “Dream Team” is assembled by the club to act as an ad agency for a chosen
charity. The 2011-2012 project client was Best Buddies Kentucky, an organization
dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment
and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
During the course of the project, the client had a change in leadership, which extended
the project’s timeline for completion into the 2012-2013 club year. The goal of the Team
was to increase the awareness of the organization in the Louisville community.
Minority Scholarship Program
Each year the club awards a $2,500 scholarship for minority students pursuing a career
in advertising. The scholarship is funded through an endowment fund established several
years ago. A fundraising event at a local comedy club is scheduled for later in the year,
where 100% of proceeds will go to the scholarship fund, to work toward the club’s goal
of having enough funds in the endowment to self-perpetuate and allow us to award two
$10,000 scholarships each year. The scholarships are promoted through social media,
email, and our website, along with personal connections at colleges and universities.
Results: One of their biggest fundraisers is the Best Buddies Champion of the Year that
selects community leaders to tap into their networks for donors. AAF-Louisville’s Past
President, Candace Jaworski, was tapped in 2012 for the challenge. She was eager to help
after learning about all the great work Best Buddies does through her knowledge of the
Dream Team’s project. She was able to raise a lot of money for the cause, but even more
importantly raised the awareness of the Dream Team and Best Buddies. The Dream Team
also allowed many of our members to use their powers for good, and boost the industry as
a valuable tool in promoting goodwill.
Jefferson County Public School System (JCPS) Partnership Council
The High School Marketing Challenge has provided an opportunity for AAF-Louisville
to identify and fill needs in the public school system where resources and expertise were
lacking. The club is in its second year of supporting and sitting on the Communication/
Media Arts Partnership Council, where we help develop curriculum and provide resources
that allow the school to provide current and relevant coursework to help students be
career-ready at graduation. From sharing examples of award-winning creative, to
providing paper and other materials for graphic design classes, and inviting students to
view the work on display at the local ADDY Awards gala, the club is helping teachers and
staff to prepare students for careers in advertising.
INCREASE MEMBER EDUCATION/AWARENESS OF
DIVERSITY ISSUES THROUGH ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
Goal: Provide opportunities for members to use professional expertise to benefit the
community; provide exposure for diversity and multicultural issues affecting our industry,
and opportunities to help our community support diversity and multicultural initiatives.
PROVIDE VOLUNTEERISM OPPORTUNITIES TO
SUPPORT DIVERSE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
Target Audience: AAF-Louisville members, newsletter subscribers, and the Louisville
advertising community
Goal: Provide a charitable organization with advertising and marketing assistance through
our network of volunteers and professionals, and provide volunteer opportunities for
AAF Members.
Strategy/Execution: E-newsletters have become a popular publication for our club whose
subscribers include members and non-members, so we used this opportunity to highlight
multicultural leaders through video interviews, as well as written interviews, showcasing
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the success of minority-owned agencies and leaders. Advertising professionals use social
media consistently, so for Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month we featured
articles on Hispanic and African-American advertising professionals on our social media
pages. Throughout the year, the Industry Relations committee has continued a social
media campaign which featuring prominent minorities from the local ad community.
Results: Putting the diversity and multiculturalism issues front and center has created
opportunities for us to interact with local minority and multicultural leaders, who have
agreed to help the club achieve a more inclusive advertising community, and has helped
to maintain awareness for members and non-members of topics that can be addressed
within their own companies.
UTILIZE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEADERS IN OUR
INDUSTRY TO ASSIST ENTREPRENEURS IN PUTTING
TOGETHER THEIR SALES AND MARKETING PLANS.
Target Audience: Owners of early stage startup companies in the community
Strategy/Execution: This five-part series was a partnership with EnterpriseCORP, the
development arm of Greater Louisville Inc., to provide entrepreneurs with some of the
core skills to help them get to the next level of their business. The series was a blend
of leaders that are members of AAF-Louisville as well as EnterpriseCORP members. It
helped the attendees learn more about generated increased profit with fewer resources,
how to hone in on prospects, increase business from current account, and developing a
clear sales and marketing plan.
Results: The program had nearly 20 attendees that paid $149 for the series and feedback
was great. The program is planned to happen again. It was an innovative way for our
members to showcase their skills as well as expose a new group of business owners to
AAF-Louisville and our mission. This venture with GLI continues to open doors for us
and they have asked for, and received, our support in developing a sales and marketing
resource directory for small businesses.
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Results Achieved: Diversity Committee members met with selected committees
to ensure that diversity is integrated into the processes of membership, advertising
education, communications and club management. Results have been effective in that
scholarship applicants and recipients are diverse. Minorities in the Houston advertising
and communications industry who have never been a part of AAF-Houston are being
directly approached by both the diversity committee and the membership committee to
become involved. AAF-Houston’s array of education programs is aggressively including
students from all schools, including historically black universities.
DIVISION II:
AAF HOUSTON
In a market in which more than 51% of all residents are non-Caucasian, diversity is a
priority for AAF-Houston leadership and members.
• Approximately 18% of AAF-Houston members are ethnic
• Event attendance averages 10% ethnic
• Club leadership exhibits an ethnic representation of approximately 14%,
including our Immediate Past Chairman, our Secretary, Vice Chairman and
several board members.
The Diversity Committee has also surveyed the membership for minority candidates for
AAF-Houston awards such as the Silver Medal and Trailblazer Award. Immediate Past
Chairman Alex Lopez Negrete was awarded a recent Silver Medal Award and our newest
Silver Medal winner is AAF-H past president Leo De Leon. Lopez Negrete and past
president, Audrey Gilbreath were nominated and recognized into the AAF’s Southwest
Advertising Hall of Fame.
It should be noted that AAF-Houston leadership has been 10-20% ethnic over the past
six years.
Educational Efforts
Objective and Target Audience: AAF-Houston aims to promote advertising as a career
choice to multicultural students of all ages and to attract a diverse pool of university
students to apply for the AAF-Houston / Advertising Education Foundation of Houston
(AEFH) scholarship and internship programs. Advertising is also promoted as a career
choice to multicultural students of all ages.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Activities in the Houston Market
Objective and Target Audience: AAF-Houston programs promote multiculturalism
using aggressive acknowledgement, inclusivity and awareness strategies. These programs
and events aim to attract not only members and prospective members, but also the
greater Houston advertising, marketing, media, production and corporate business
communities. These activities highlight the value of multiculturalism in advertising and
allow the club to increase funding for education and scholarships. AAF-Houston also
has many educational programs aimed to attract multicultural students to advertising
careers and to assist them in their career endeavors.
Results Achieved: In April, AAF-Houston and the AEFH awarded 12 scholarships
totaling $18,500 to students in advertising from universities throughout Texas,
Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. Exceptional effort was made to reach students of all
cultural backgrounds and five scholarships were awarded to minority students almost
doubling minority honorees from last year. Students were recognized for their academic
standing, interest in the advertising profession, desire to work in the Houston market,
demonstrated financial need, leadership and the content of submitted essays.
Participation
Objective and Target Audience: Work with selected AAF-Houston committees (such as
membership, programs, nominating, education and scholarship) to encourage diversity
in not only the committees, but also in program speakers and educational workshop and
seminar topics.
Recently our Foundation (AEFH) announced a new $20,000 scholarship fund devoted to
Hispanic advertising students. AAF-Houston members Alex and Cathy Lopez Negrete
introduced the Lopez Negrete Hispanic Marketing Education Fund administered by
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AAF-Houston’s Advertising Education Foundation. And last year, we announced our
newest scholarship, (the Gilbreath Communications Scholarship) to a student from
HBCUs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
the internship program. This helps up reach high school and middle school minority
students to foster interest in Advertising as a career at a younger age.
Results Achieved: Minority participation in this year’s AAF-Houston Annual Student
Conference continued to grow both in terms of participants and in the expansion of
minority hosts for the student teams, this year including minority-advertising agencies.
This conference—the largest hands-on experience of its kind in the country—is
effectively transitioning students into the real world of advertising. Students who attend
the conference are better prepared to launch their careers, according to employers,
students and instructors.
Club Leadership and Membership Involvement in Community
Objective and Target Audience: Houston’s focus on multiculturalism has created an
opportunity for local and regional AAF members, including current and former board
members, to represent AAF-Houston in key minority related organizations. The goal in
recruiting these professionals is to ensure that AAF-Houston marketing and advertising
efforts reach deep into all communities.
Results Achieved: AAF-Houston board members include Dennis Vegas who has ties to
several minority organizations and Judy Foston, our Diversity chair. Audrey Gilbreath,
an African-American agency owner and AAF-Houston past president, represents
AAF-Houston with the Port of Houston, board member of the Ensemble Theatre, the
American Heart Association board, the Katy Area Economic Development Council
Board of Governors and Advisory board Member of Texas Southern University.
This year extra effort was made in establishing a relationship with Texas Southern
University, a traditionally African-American university. By personally contacting
the professors and department heads by phone and through e-mail, students were
encouraged to complete our scholarship applications as well as our internship
requests. AAF-Houston’s goal is to strengthen its ties with Texas Southern and other
HBCU programs and initiate their participation in AAF-Houston’s other educational
and professional development programs. For 2013 we have already received three
applications from Grambling and one from Texas Southern University.
Alex Lopez Negrete, AAF-Houston’s Chairman, represents AAF-Houston as the national
past chair of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA). Alex also
represents AAF-Houston on the Board of Selectors of the American Institute of Public
Service and is Chairman Emeritus of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEDIA OUTLETS
AND MULTICULTURAL SUPPLIERS AND VENDORS
AAF-Houston past board member, Cesar Rincon is a board member of Camara de
Empressarios Latinos de Houston and also a member of the Houston Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce.
Objective: AAF-Houston strives to maintain strong relationships with multicultural
media outlets, suppliers and vendors. Through event sponsorships, trade or in-kind
sponsorships, and involvement in many AAF-Houston educational efforts such as
our internship program, AAF-Houston invites the media, suppliers and vendors
into opportunities to gain visibility in the market and within the AAF-Houston
membership community.
CONDUCTING PROGRAMS WHICH EDUCATE AND
MOTIVATE MULTICULTURAL STUDENTS TO PURSUE
CAREERS IN ADVERTISING
Target Audience: AAF-Houston members, the advertising and communications
communities in the greater Houston market.
Objectives and Target Audience: Attracting minority college students, not only in the
greater Houston area, but also those in the 10th District, to participate in the annual
AAF-Houston Student Conference and to apply for AAF-Houston scholarships and
Results Achieved: Two of AAF-Houston’s largest Corporate Members are Univision
Houston and Lopez Negrete Communications. The Houston market has many
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multicultural media outlets, suppliers and vendors. AAF-Houston has relationships
with all the local media outlets, including, but not limited to: KXLN-TV: Univision,
KTMD-TV: Telemundo, KETH-TV: Univision, KLOL-FM 101.1: ClearChannel,
African-American News and Issues Paper, La Informacion Spanish Newspaper, Rumbo
Newspaper, El Dia and La Subasta Newspapers and Mikel Marketing online newsletter for
the Asian-American community. These multicultural media, suppliers and vendors can
be found at our monthly meetings, supporting our major events such as the Trailblazer
Gala and the ADDY program. Many also support the Houston Media Classic. And, most
have one or more AAF-Houston members.
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and looks forward to educating young minds about the many possibilities to be found in
a career in advertising, public relations or communications.
DIVISION III:
AAF OF THE MIDLANDS
Goal: The ultimate goal of this program is to reach quality minority high school students
who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in advertising and communications and
to create a mutually beneficial relationship for the intern, AAF of the Midlands and the
companies that host the intern.
Overview: The American Advertising Federation (AAF) of the Midlands seeks to
increase diversity in the field of advertising, public relations and communications by
exposing minority high school students to careers in advertising, public relations and
communications. A network of teachers has been established in the inner-city schools
that partner with AAF of the Midlands to arrange audiences of high school juniors and
seniors eager to learn about careers in advertising.
Target Audience: Our target audience includes Columbia area minority high school
students, educator and career counselors.
Minority advertising professionals serve as guest speakers in presentations to minority
high school students. This has the two-fold benefit of informing students about
opportunities in the field of advertising, while allowing them to see real life examples of
African-Americans who work in the field.
Strategy: To create an informative and engaging experience in the advertising and
communications industry for minority high school students in order to encourage
growth of a more diverse workforce within the industry.
To optimize the timeline for getting minorities into the workforce, the selected student is
required to be a junior or senior at the time of the internship.
The teachers appreciate the value of making the classroom experience more interesting
and relevant by having career professionals come in and help expand the student’s vision
and goals.
Students that meet these criteria are encouraged to submit an application packet for
consideration. The packet includes an application, a typed essay of no more than 150 words
on the topic “Why a Career in Advertising Interests Me,” a letter of recommendation
from a teacher or guidance counselor and parental consent.
EDUCATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL PROGRAMS
FOR STUDENTS
Execution: To kick of the 2013 program, we recognized our 2012 intern during the AAF
Midland 2013 kickoff event in August 2012. We presented her with a certificate and began
to recruit committee members and host companies for the 2013 program.
In an effort to encourage diversity and inclusion in the advertising, public relations and
communications industry, the AAF of the Midland Diversity Committee has awarded seven
minority high school students, over the past seven years, the opportunity to gain valuable
experience and establish contacts within the advertising and communications industry.
Tasks were divided into recruiting minority advertising professionals to speak to the
students, contacting high schools to arrange speaking engagements, recruiting host
companies and coordinating the schedules of all parties.
Students who have gone through the program truly appreciate the opportunity and many
have pursued higher education in Advertising, Public Relations and Mass Communications.
Presentations were made to minority students in four area high schools. Students
were given engaging presentations on what the day-to-day work was like in the field of
advertising, public relations, and communications. Applications for the internship were
distributed during the classroom visits and students were encouraged to apply.
As we continue to provide this empowering program for students, we encourage them
to pursue degrees that will prepare them for careers in the advertising industry. We
also expose students to the difference disciplines the industry has to offer. The diversity
committee continues to engage local minority high school students for the 2013 program
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From the pool of 10 applicants, committee members selected one internship winner. In
an effort to maintain a positive relationship with those students not selected, a letter was
sent to all candidates.
The selected student participates in a summer internship program, which exposes him/her
to organizations within the advertising, public relations and communication industries.
He/She also receives a $500 scholarship towards his/her post-secondary education.
After the intern is selected for the 2013 internship experience, he/she is invited along
with his/her parents to attend the 2013 Kick Off event, to be held in August 2013, to be
introduced and recognized for his/her accomplishment. A certificate commemorating
this experience will be presented at that time.
Results: More than 100 high school juniors and seniors in the Columbia area were
presented with an overview of careers in advertising, public relations and communications.
Teachers established an open dialogue with these and other students about the promising
and creative career pursuits in advertising, public relations and communications
CONCLUSION
AAF Midlands is dedicated to educating the community on the importance of diversity
and multiculturalism. We look forward to continuing to provide programs that foster
relationships with the local community and in schools and businesses.
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DIVISION IV:
AAF RALEIGH-DURHAM
Our Definition of Diversity: The 2013 AAF-RDU Diversity committee came together
for the first time at Babylon restaurant near downtown Raleigh on July 25, 2012 to learn
about the AAF-RDU club, meet and greet, collaborate on a brainstorming exercise, and
begin discussing what they wanted to accomplish individually and collectively as an
empowered committee in addressing the lack of diversity in advertising.
Our Intent: AAF-Raleigh Durham (AAF-RDU) is committed to increasing diverse
representation among its members and the advertising industry as a whole. The world
we all live and work in is a diverse one. As leaders in the local advertising and business
communities, it is the lack of overall diversity within our industry—advertising—that is
of great concern to us as a club. It is this issue—the lack of multiculturalism or inclusion—
that we felt needed to be highlighted and addressed in 2013, therefore receiving our club’s
fullest attention and support.
The AAF-RDU Diversity committee thought it was important to first define “diversity.” We
believed that for many in the advertising industry the word “diversity” conjured negative
connotations. We decided that diversity should cover more than a singular focus (i.e. one
race or one aspect of diversity). We believed diversity should be defined to encompass a
multiform of races, religions, gender equalities, socioeconomic backgrounds and varying
sexual orientations (LGBT). We felt that each of these groups were underrepresented in
the advertising industry.
Our Identity: One of our core values in 2013 is to ensure that our board/membership
demographics reflect those of our market. To that end our demographics reflect broadly
the following:
Our Market
Female: 51.3%
Male: 48.7%
Ethnic diversity: 35%
Our Board of Directors
Female: 56%
Male: 44%
Ethnic diversity: 17%
We discussed that the advertising industry should be more diverse by being open to
inclusion and multiculturalism. We truly believed that the individuals that comprised
our committee personified the truest definition of diversity. We sought to be a living,
breathing example for our local advertising industry to see how folks from all walks of
life can assemble through common goals and make positive changes without letting their
differences barricade progress. That is one of the priceless benefits of diversity, inclusion
and multiculturalism as we defined it.
Our Beginning: Another one of our core values is to educate our members on the value
of diversity by exposing them to a diverse group of people/experts and programming. In
an effort to increase minority representation and leadership on the AAF-RDU board, Past
President Mike McTaggart asked African-American club member Ed Roberts, creative
lead at ElectriCities of NC, Inc. and 20-year veteran in the advertising industry to chair
the 2013 AAF-RDU Diversity committee. Roberts accepted the position. To gain a better
understanding of the industry’s views on diversity, Roberts took to social media and
posed questions to two different LinkedIn groups (AAF and Urban Creative Network).
The questions “How important is diversity in the advertising industry? Does it matter?”
received well over 40 honest and insightful comments from many diverse professionals
working within the advertising industry. Better educated, Roberts went on to assemble
a diverse (i.e. ethnic, gender and orientation) group of people who worked within the
advertising, university, government and business communities to join the 2013 AAFRDU Diversity committee and support the core values of the club.
We refined our definition and set about to develop programming in subsequent meetings
that supported raising awareness and mentoring.
Our Core Goals: The AAF-RDU Diversity committee set its sight on affecting the future
of our industry. Its core goal in 2013 was to increase awareness among high school students
from diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic levels, educating them about the valuable
career opportunities available to them—with proper mentoring and education—in the
advertising industry. We also wanted to increase awareness and support among local
advertising agencies and advertising-related businesses about the lack of inclusion within
our industry and the need to mentor and encourage young, diverse talent in pursuing an
educational path that would lead to a long-lasting career within the advertising industry.
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We decided to develop a summer internship program that would engage diverse high
school students, college freshmen and working advertising professionals. The only way
for our program to be successful was to secure support from a major player in our local
advertising community. Our initial support came from Karen Albritton, president of the
ADDY award-winning firm Capstrat.
OUR PROGRAM OBJECTIVE
Connect high school students and college freshmen with host agencies and
related advertising businesses to give them real-life experiences to fuel their
interest and inspire them to pursue a career in advertising.
Our Program Goal: Place up to ten participating students, one per location.
Our Strategy: The AAF-RDU Diversity Committee is not only comprised of a truly
diverse and dedicated team of people, but also a team who has extensive experience in
graphic design, writing, account services, strategic marketing, filmmaking, Web design,
government relations, event planning and print production.
Program Duration: Five days (Monday through Friday) from 9 a.m. to noon.
Program Outline: Ideally, the internship will give students a range of experiences, enabling
them to finish the week with an understanding of the different roles in the company, what
the business creates and how. It will also be important that the student spend time in his
or her stated area of interest (ex. shadowing a designer, writer or account manager for
a day). A brief project could be assigned and completed in whatever form requested or
selected (i.e. written, drawn, audio/video). This is an unpaid internship, however, a $500
scholarship will be awarded to one intern who excelled during the internship period.
Early discussions among the committee members prompted a realization—the best way
to appeal to high school students was to reveal our own youthful daydreams, aspirations,
and talents, relating them to those of the young people we wanted to target. We wanted
this target audience to know that the advertising industry provides a way to put those
natural abilities to work. In the hope that students would see themselves in the boy
who loved to draw superheroes or the girl who told stories full of delightful details, the
concept of What We Do, You Can Too (WWDUC2) was coined for a program that
seeks to present a career in advertising as a viable, gratifying option for anyone with
talent and a dream.
Sample Schedule
Day 1: Tour, agency/company description
Day 2: Shadow two key functions, project assignment
Day 3: Interviews and/or additional shadowing, time to work on project
The committee decided to host a morning event sponsored by Capstrat for the sole
purpose of gaining support for our program initiatives from advertising industry leaders
in our community. We called that event the “Breakfast of Champions” and developed
a postcard and email blast campaign to advertise the event. Our plans were to develop
a comprehensive advertising campaign and premiere the WWDUC2 program at
the morning event and secure on-the-spot support for our internship by having local
advertising agency and advertising-related business managers and owners sign on to host
a high school student intern. We developed a personalized flash presentation, posters,
logo, graphic t-shirt and a film titled “This is What I Do.” The event was a huge success.
More than 10 advertising agencies or advertising-related businesses signed on to be
summer intern host agencies. To maintain engagement with the advertising professionals
in the industry and local host agencies, a WWDUC2 LinkedIn group was established.
Day 4: Project review with intern mentor
Day 5: Project completion and presentation
Student Outreach: Writer Kevin Miles created a series of more than 180 tweets for
Twitter which garnered more than 40 followers. Studies show that many teens prefer
connecting on Tumblr. A WWDUC2 Tumblr page was developed that included the This
Is What I Do film, WWDUC2 presentation, information about the program, instruction
on how to apply, and updated photos from outreach events.
Members of the Diversity committee traveled to the North Carolina State Youth Council
Mini-grants and Leadership Conference in Rocky Mount and served as keynote program
speakers. Design Professor Bailey led more than 50 high school students through an
educational workshop on product brand development brainstorming, the committee
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offered a panel discussion about careers in advertising, and the group shared information
about the summer internship program. From this event, State Youth Council Coordinator
Cynthia Giles posted the program on the state’s website to promote the opportunity and
has encouraged her constituents to invite the committee to speak to youth councils about
careers in advertising and the internship. WWDUC2 and the summer internship program
has reach nearly 700 students through meetings at Clayton Youth Council, Raleigh Youth
Council, and a Wakefield High School career day.
Results: Enthusiasm for the internship program has been overwhelmingly positive
from students and parents that we have corresponded with. We expect to place up to 10
interns this summer.
Classic Graphics offered to match the $500 scholarship offered by AAF-RDU and
EletriCities of NC agreed to support the program by purchasing a $500, full-page, color
ad supporting the AAF-RDU summer internship program in the 2013 ADDY program.
Matt Lang, business development manager and Jackie Schaffer, vice president/ general
manager at Cella Consulting approached Diversity committee chair Ed Roberts and
interviewed him about AAF-RDU summer internship program for their nationally
distributed e-newsletter Creative Execs: Perspectives in Creative Management. ElectriCities
also paid for the committee’s entry fees for the summer internship recruitment kit and
video into the ADDY Awards which won a silver and bronze award.
CONCLUSION
It is the sincere desire of the AAF-RDU Diversity committee for the program developed
to serve as a local and national model for engaging future professionals of the advertising
industry that will reflect the world that we live in. Our plan is for this program to continue
for years to come.
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Randy Rosenthal is a founding partner of Tricycle Studios, a strategic marketing
communications agency focused solely on the healthcare industry. Randy, an early
adopter of technology in advertising and marketing, is an interactive pioneer who has
brought immersive digital experiences to national and global clients back when floppy
discs were all the rage. Today, as director of innovation, Randy travels the globe working
closely with leaders of some of the largest and most respected brands, helping them to
create meaningful and engaging digital experiences.
DIVISION V:
AD 2 TAMPA BAY
What is diversity? Merriam Webster states that it’s “the condition of having or being
composed of differing elements: variety; the inclusion of different types of people (as
people of different races or cultures) in a group…” As an even broader definition,
diversity can relate to life experiences, previous job history, political affiliation, age, etc.,
and all of these contribute to a company’s culture or society.
Execution: The event took place Tuesday, February 12 from 6-8 p.m. at Mangroves
Restaurant in Tampa, Florida. The event was promoted via email blasts, and social media
postings.
As it relates to folks in the advertising industry, diversity often refers to race and ethnicity,
since this line of business tends to be less diverse than others. This current situation has
motivated Ad 2 Tampa Bay to put initiatives in place in order to make a change.
Results: About 40 individuals including students and young professionals attended the
event. Many participated by asking questions and even staying after the event ended to
meet the speakers. Positive feedback including a recommendation for a future AdTalks
was received, and a blog with an event recap was posted a few days following the event.
Program Speakers
Goal: Ad 2 Tampa Bay strived to hold a program that teaches the community about the
importance of hiring diverse individuals, and how this contributes to company culture.
Please also note that an additional AdTalks program focused on reaching out to the
LGBT market is currently being planned and will take place this May.
Education Workshops
Goal: Inform individuals about the current industry news relating to multicultural
markets and advertising.
Target Audience: Current and prospective Ad 2 members, including students and young
professionals, along with other working professionals in different industries throughout
the community.
Target Audience: Current board and club members, and prospective members.
Strategy: Present a piece of relevant news to board members at meetings, and also post
on social networking sites to reach out and educate current and prospective members.
Strategy: Prospective speakers for the February Ad Talks: Exploring Diversity Within
Company Cultures were asked a series of questions relating to the subject matter in order
to ensure they would be a good fit. Since this topic can be very subjective, Ad 2 Tampa
Bay selected two speakers from slightly different industries so the audience could grasp
the importance of diversity from two different view points.
Execution: At each board meeting, a different piece of advertising industry news relating
to multicultural audiences and diversity was presented. A link to the news source was
emailed to the board and posted in the meeting minutes, so the entire article could be read
at a later time. This allows board members to share the articles within their individual
networks online. Example news topics included the growing Asian-American population,
a sample campaign targeting the Hispanic market and facts relating to black consumers
and buying power. The Diversity Director also worked with the Communications
Director to post articles on the social networking sites to educate current and prospective
members. Most recently, the Diversity Director wrote a blog regarding Enterprise
Florida’s new controversial ‘sexist’ logo, and this was shared on social media as well.
Gerwai Todd, of Asian descent, is Director of Strategy at Connectwise, an IT Business
Automation Software Company, located in Tampa, Florida. Gerwai brings a diverse
background to his role at ConnectWise. He started his career with Citifinancial, where
he worked in sales and branch management. In this position, Gerwai was responsible
for managing a three million dollar branch portfolio as well as a significant real estate
portfolio. Even though they aren’t in the advertising industry, Connectwise’s diverse
staff and culture helps the company stand out.
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Results: Presenting the industry news during board meetings allowed everyone to have
a brief discussion regarding the segment, and ask any necessary questions. For the news
posted on social networking sites, followers were able to share and comment on the stories.
advertising industry, and will also speak to freshmen that are currently undecided
about their major. 2) The Rumbo Cultural Marketing Diversity Scholarship is
currently being promoted online on AAF Tampa Bay’s website and on social media.
Letters of recommendation must be provided, along with a detailed essay entry on
why multiculturalism and diversity is significant in advertising. Entrants must also
be a part of the AAF 4th District chapter, have shown leadership through volunteer
opportunities, and have an overall GPA of 3.0 and above. College professors have
been given the scholarship information and are assisting in getting the word out to
students. Rumbo’s intern Kristen Möller, who is of Nicaraguan and Spanish descent,
is already integrated into University of South Florida’s Zimmerman Advertising
program, so she is distributing applications right on campus. University of South
Florida’s (USF) Ad Club is also helping to promote the scholarship on Facebook
and Twitter. The School of Mass Communications at USF and Ad 2 Tampa Bay is
also assisting in getting the word out (4.6). After the Ad 2 Internship Speed Dating
function, Rumbo Cultural Marketing followed up with all of the students that were
interviewed to remind them about applying for the scholarship. 3) After meeting
Diana Altieri at the Ad 2 Mid-Year Retreat, Guilene Griffin of the University of
Central Florida (UCF) Ad Club asked if her club could tour Rumbo, based in
Tampa. Rumbo spoke with students about advertising to multicultural markets, and
the importance of having a detailed advertising strategy before putting any kind of
messaging out into the marketplace.
Business Relations / Programs for Students
Goal: 1) Inform undergraduate, multicultural students about the opportunity to choose
advertising or marketing as a career path. 2) Provide multicultural students that have
chosen advertising or marketing as a career with the chance to help fund their education
and future by offering the Rumbo Diversity Scholarship. 3) Focus on educating students
about multicultural marketing.
Target Audience: 1) Undergraduate, multicultural students that may be undecided on
their current major. 2) For the second year in a row, Rumbo Cultural Marketing has
partnered with the Tampa Bay American Advertising Federation chapter to present
the Rumbo Diversity Scholarship to one student currently enrolled in an advertisingrelated discipline. Conditions: Must be a US citizen or resident alien of Hispanic or
Latino, black or African-American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Asian or
American Indian descent. 3) Current advertising students interested in learning more
about multicultural marketing.
Strategy: 1) Since there is a lack of diversity within the advertising industry, Ad 2 Tampa
Bay sought to reach out to organizations of students to inform them that the advertising
career is a viable career option. This spring, Ad 2 Tampa Bay will show a presentation to
several different multicultural student organizations at local colleges, to educate them on
choosing Advertising as a career. Ad 2 Tampa Bay will also present to the local Ad Club at
University of South Florida to shed some light on the industry and how it lacks diversity. 2)
The employees at Rumbo Cultural Marketing understand the importance of having diverse
individuals within the industry. One of the Rumbo partners is on the board for the Hispanic
Business Initiative Fund (HBIF) of Tampa Bay, and Diana Altieri, an employee at Rumbo,
attended an event put on by the Florida Diversity Council, an organization that strives to help
the community understand the value of diversity. 3) Rumbo is the only agency in the area
to specialize in multicultural marketing, and is always open to accepting visitors for tours.
Results: 1) Presentations at multicultural student organizations and advertising clubs
will be taking place in the spring & fall. 2) Scholarship applications are due March 29th,
2013 and the winner will be announced April 2013. 3) About 12 students from UCF
attended the presentation at Rumbo, and were eager to learn more about how to get
involved in this specialized part of advertising.
Club Leadership & Volunteerism
Goal: Encourage diversity on the board and in the workplace
Target Audience: Ad 2 Tampa Bay Board Members
Strategy: The Ad 2 Tampa Bay board is unique compared to others, as it is comprised of
many individuals that all share one common passion—volunteering.
Execution: 1) Ad 2 Tampa Bay will hold information sessions among multicultural
organizations that may be comprised of individuals interested in getting into the
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Execution: From web designers to account executives to copywriters, each person on the
board is a true individual, and many are also involved in other volunteer organizations.
Due to these factors, diversity is especially important because board members are able to
contribute different perspectives on current topics, and continue learning from one another.
spent coordinating all of the specifics, copywriting, designing the necessary materials,
promoting the event. Event recaps include posting photos and sending out surveys to
participants, who also contribute to this effort.
Results: On the board, there are a total of 23 people; 74 percent are female, and 26
percent are male. Along with all of the information listed above, this shows how Ad
2 Tampa Bay values diverse board members and volunteerism. It’s also important to
remember that “Through each other’s diversity we become more aware of our own. Not
only do we become more aware we gain a sense of pride for the diversity of our own
culture” (Diversity Celebration, Appalachian State University).
Ad 2 Tampa Bay’s Past President Robyn Walters also has the role of Ad 2 National
Secretary, and Diana Altieri, Ad 2 Tampa Bay’s Diversity Director, also holds the
position as Ad 2 National Diversity Advisor. Both Robyn and Diana attended the Ad
2 Mid-Year Retreat in Orlando, and Diana spoke with Ad 2 leaders from all over the
country about incorporating multicultural initiatives into their own Ad 2 programs.
Diana works closely with Rumbo to help create an internal culture program in which a
non-profit is chosen each quarter to volunteer at or collect donated items for.
Conclusion
With the previously mentioned efforts, Ad 2 Tampa Bay will continue to be the driving
force of helping make the local advertising industry more diverse, as well as educate the
community to become more culturally aware of the current situation.
Aside from Ad 2 Tampa Bay, Achievements Director, Heather Winchell, spends her
time at The Children’s Home, a local organization that provides family support services
and healing programs to families and children. Public Service Creative Director, Allyson
Sims, is involved in Code Blue—Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity.
Internship Director, Hailey Plunkett, volunteers at Code Blue—Big Brothers Big
Sisters and is also a member of Tampa Connection, an organization in which business
executives volunteer to contribute to the community.
The Ad 2 Tampa Bay board is diverse when it comes to languages, race, and ethnic
backgrounds. Public Relations Director Sasha Wallace is Caribbean American,
Trinidadian and Jamaican, AdAuction Director, Danielle Byrd, is Portuguese, and
Creative Director, Brandi Morlen, has Italian and Cherokee Indian heritage. Several
board members speak Spanish fluently.
Many members are also worldly in terms of previous and current work experiences.
Tyler Lopilato, Programs Director, has worked previously in Los Angeles, Boston and
New York, and Allyson Simms has interned at advertising agencies in Buenos Aires,
Argentina and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Lindsey Howe, Ad 2 Historian, is
currently traveling to Dubai for business.
When planning any AdTalks event, a lot of time and effort go into the details. A
large portion of the board is involved in planning every event, so countless hours are
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Results:
DIVISION I:
DC AD CLUB
• Our efforts reached the offices of 70 government officials and our response
rate was 15%.
Our goals in the area of Government Relations included:
• DC Mayor Vincent Gray approved our petition, proclaiming September
10-14th as Advertising Week in DC.
• RAISE AWARENESS among government officials of the importance and
impact of the advertising industry in our market
• Our proclamation was showcased in the Washington Business Journal’s
Advertising Week DC supplement (reach of 16,000+), at Advertising Week
DC (550 attendees), via social media (which reaches over 2,500 member
and business industry professional accounts), and on our website which
had over 5,000 website visits during the event promotion.
• EDUCATE our members, as a member benefit, by providing informative
relevant programming and sharing AAF’s government relations efforts
• GET INVOLVED in policy conversations and issues
Our target audiences for Government Relations included:
•
DC business leaders including government officials
•
Our members and other area communications professionals
EDUCATE
RAISE AWARENESS
Advertising Week DC: Mayoral Proclamation
Advertising Week DC is the largest educational and networking gathering for
marketing and communications professionals in the mid-Atlantic region. Its purpose
is to educate our members and other industry professionals, raise the awareness of the
importance of the communications industry, and to provide a networking opportunity
for associated companies. As part of the week’s awareness outreach, we wrote letters
to key government officials in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. The letters outlined the
industry’s economic and workforce impact.
Additionally, we petitioned DC Mayor Vincent Gray to declare September 10-14th as
Advertising Week in DC. The proclamation application outlined industry facts on job
creation, revenue and the importance of the advertising industry. Our purpose for the
letter and the proclamation was two-fold: raise awareness of the industry at the local
government level as well as raise awareness of the industry in the business community.
Rock the Vote
We started our education efforts by developing and hosting a professional development
evening with Rock the Vote and our young professionals (Ad 2 DC). The event
included a networking hour, a presentation by Rock the Vote’s VP Marketing and
Communications, and a discussion with audience participation. The evening’s program
explored the role young people can play in an election and the efforts Rock the Vote
has embarked on to help ensure their participation. This program gave members of the
DC Ad Club, as well as other industry professionals, the unique opportunity to gain
insights into the minds of young people, such as their perceptions of politics and the
election and issues young people consider important. It also provided thoughts on how
these issues, and association with them via advertising during the campaign season, can
have an impact on overall marketing efforts.
All In: Digital Persuasion. Politics. The Presidency
Our second education event brought together a political reporter, a digital strategist,
and a political journalist. The panel focused on the broader reach of political campaigns
by exploring the important role digital and social media would play in shaping the 2012
elections and mobilizing voters and advocates. The election has one day of sale and
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with $2.2 billion spent to-date in the election cycle, we wanted to educate our audience
to the fact that knowing how to connect with audiences can be the difference between
winning and losing.
ANA Law & Public Policy Conference
Because of our efforts with the Advertising Week DC panel, we established a dialogue
with our colleagues at the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). One of their
largest events in DC each year is their Law & Public Policy Conference. Attendees
hear from the important regulators that influence the legal and political climate for
advertising and marketing. Additionally, the slate of speakers from top law firms
and leading client side marketers brought the latest insights on how to navigate the
turbulent waters of our industry. We partnered with the ANA to promote the event to
our membership via our bulletin and also shared with our social media contacts.
Results:
• Our Rock the Vote event drew over 30 attendees. The event was promoted
by Capitol Communicator, Capital Business, Washington Networking
Group, our website, the Ad 2 DC website, and via social media, our member
bulletin and email blasts. In total, these efforts reached over 36,000.
• The All In program was part of our greater Advertising Week DC line up.
The session was sponsor by Real Clear Politics, who we gained as a first
time sponsor of the week. The event was promoted and/or covered by
Capital Communicator, PRSA, DMAW, Capital Business, City Biz List, The
Washington Business Journal, Washington Networking Group, our website,
and via social media, our member bulletin and email blasts to our database.
Through those outlets we reached almost 60,000. Registrants for the day
totaled over 170. The hashtag for the event, #ADWKDC, was mentioned in
1,746 tweets with a reach of 4.5 million impressions. 1,113 Facebook page
views. And our Glossi page garnered 1,564 followers.
• For the ANA event, we helped cross-promote the event to our membership
and other database contacts (reach of 3,800). By partnering with the ANA on
their event, we didn’t reinvent the wheel on a similar event and we were able to
provide a more focused area of government programming to our members.
Bulletins, Website & Reports
At last year’s Advertising Week DC conference, we hosted a panel of the industry’s
association top leaders (AAF, ANA, AMA, DMAW) who discussed relevant,
overarching issues that each organization is addressing with government officials.
Knowing the importance of these issues, we wanted to create ongoing conversations
about changes to the issues this year and bring their attention to new ones affecting the
industry. We also see providing this AAF information as a benefit of membership. We
achieved this by writing articles in our member bulletin and holding policy discussions
at our Board meetings.
Results: Via our Member Bulletin and Board reports we kept the conversation going
with our over 500 members.
GET INVOLVED
AAF Government Affairs Committee Calls
Springing from our Advertising Week DC conference and the panel of industry
leaders’ discussion, we wanted to ensure we kept our members abreast of any updates,
changes or new political initiatives for the community and specifically for the AAF.
To do so, we became active participants in the AAF’s Government Affairs Committee.
Our involvement included participating in conference calls regarding current political
issues, updating members on the topics at hand and signing on to important initiatives
when possible.
Industry Letter to the Department of Commerce
To further our involvement, when the Government Affairs Committee discussed
writing an organization-wide letter to the Department of Commerce on the ICANN
issue, the DC Ad Club immediately signed on. We discussed the issue with our Board
and informed our members via our member bulletin.
Arlington County, VA B-Pol Tax
Arlington County, VA had on the books a tax on pass-through media buy receipts—the
Business, Professional and Occupancy Licensing (BPOL) tax. While the County had
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lowered the tax in recent years, it still put agencies located in Arlington at a disadvantage
in pricing. Because this issue is close to member agency LM&O Advertising—located
in Arlington—they worked with the county for months to explain the disadvantage
to agencies located in the county and also the disadvantage this unfair tax puts on the
County when trying to recruit new business tenants.
Results:
• Our updates brought the attention of about 20 government affairs issues to
our 500+ members.
• The DC Ad Club was one of only 19 clubs, out of 200 chapters, to sign onto
the Department of Commerce letter. By signing the industry letter, the
DC Ad Club helped raise the level of concern surrounding the proposed
guidelines. We educated our members, Executive Committee, and Board
members to the issue thus raising awareness of the guidelines that could
affect our member companies and their clients.
• And LM&O’s efforts resulted in a successful vote by the County
Commissioners on late Fall of 2012 to repeal the B-POL tax.
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DIVISION II:
AAF OMAHA
Legislative Monitors
AAF Omaha has dedicated a board member position to the monitoring of current
legislative activities as they pertain to its members. The individual monitoring
legislative activities regularly reviews the AAF Smart Brief, the AAF Government
Report and other industry publications. This year we have also subscribed to receive the
Unicameral Update from the Unicameral Information Office in order to better monitor
legislative activity pertaining to the advertising industry.
Objectives:
• Foster and solidify relationships with civic leaders and community partners.
• Open lines of communication between government officials and key
members of the advertising community on the local and state levels.
As advocates for the rights of advertisers, AAF Omaha educates policymakers, the media
and the general public on the value advertising brings to the well-being of our community.
• Educate lawmakers about AAF Omaha and position the organization as
the prominent advertising and marketing communications resource for
elected officials.
Throughout the year, members are notified of any legislative action that may affect
them through email blasts, letter-writing campaigns and the AdMuse newsletter. AAF
Government Reports, regulatory issues and legislative activities are posted to the AAF
Omaha website on a regular basis. A link is also provided to the AAF Government
Report archive.
• Alert and inform our members about governmental issues affecting the
advertising industry.
Target Audiences:
• State senators and members of the legislative body.
Results: Accomplishments to date include another successful meet and greet with
Nebraska State Senators scheduled for Tuesday February 19th, 2013 and increased
communications to AAF Omaha members regarding national AAF legislative issues
via our “Legislative Corner” column in AdMuse.
• Local city government (i.e., judges, city council members, mayor and
representatives).
• AAF Omaha and AAF Lincoln members and member organizations.
2012 Legislative Meet & Greet
The success of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Legislative events were the driving force for
repeating the venue on March 30, 2012. AAF Omaha and AAF Lincoln teamed up again
to plan the event. In hopes of gaining more attendance from Senators, this was a Meet
and Greet Breakfast, a little change from our historical evening event. We were able to
hold it in the State Capitol Building itself, encouraging more of Nebraska’s Legislators
to attend since they are in the building already. Materials from AAF Omaha and AAF
Lincoln were available for Senators.
Results: The event was held at the State Capitol Building. Representatives from Both
AAF Omaha and AAF Lincoln were in attendance to greet and meet with our legislators.
Council Bluffs Business Roundtable
On Thursday, February 7, 2013, Iowa Congressman Tom Latham held a Small Business
Roundtable in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the
needs of the business community during the 2013 Iowa Legislative session. More than
25 people attended, including representatives from AAF Omaha and various other
businesses from the Council Bluffs area. Concerns addressed ranged from taxes to
online business compliance.
Results: AAF Omaha was asked by AAF to have a representative from our federation
participated in the event. Lori Shields, a member of the Omaha Chapter of the American
Advertising Federation, attended. Lori was able to speak directly with Congressman
Latham sharing with him a fact sheet and discussing the benefits that the advertising
industry brings to the state of Iowa.
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2013 Legislative Meet & Greet
Due to Legislative timing we were able to hold yet another Legislative Meet and Greet on
Tuesday, February 19th from 5:30-7:30 at Billy’s in Lincoln. A combined group of AAF
Omaha and AAF Lincoln Club members met with about 10 Nebraska State Senators
to discuss issues regarding advertising and film-making in the state. A representative
from the Nebraska Film Association and AAF members were there to discuss what
the Senators can do to make it more financially feasible to companies to film more in
the state, including commercials. Materials from AAF Omaha and AAF Lincoln were
available for Senators.
Results: The event was held at Billy’s Restaurant. About ten AAF representatives from
both AAF Omaha and AAF Lincoln were in attendance to greet and meet with about 10
legislators. Pictures from the event are included.
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DIVISION III:
AAF BATON ROUGE
Introduction: Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, our original Government
Relations chair was unable to devote the time needed to the position and decided to step
down shortly before the presidential election. The void created by the departure took
shuffling on the board of directors part to fill the position, but we were able to recover
quickly and still achieve the objectives established at the start of the club year.
Operational Objectives: This year’s objective for the Government Relations committee
will be in sync with that of the national Government Affairs committee: “protect and
promote advertising at all levels of government through grassroots activities.” Our
challenge is to take something that is more national in scope/focus and effectively
generate interest on a local level.
With that in mind, our objective for Government Relations is to improve our role as
liaison to the national organization and raise the profile of the committee within AAFBR and with the business community in Baton Rouge. This includes taking the following
actions during the next year:
• Identify ways to educate membership on what AAF National is doing
regarding issues related to governmental relations.
• Identify and support a governmental-focused cause related to our industry
that is local in focus.
members about the Political MadMen talk that they were holding on campus on October
1, 2012. The talk featured Mark McKinnon (G.W. Bush’s 2000 & 2004 campaigns),
Gerald Rafshoon (Carter’s 1976 & 1980 campaigns), Ray Strother (Hart’s 1984 & 1988)
campaigns and Doug Bailey (Ford’s 1976 campaign). We included it on our website’s
calendar of upcoming events in an eblast and promoted it through our Facebook page.
“I Voted” Stickers
Just days before the biggest presidential election in years, we encountered a big decision
of our own when the current chair of our Government Relations committee resigned.
Our club was able to pull together and think quickly to remedy the situation.
At our November luncheon we reminded our members of the importance of voting in
the upcoming election and provided an incentive to everyone in attendance with a sheet
of originally designed “I Voted” stickers. Each member received 5 stickers to hand out to
friends or coworkers that voted.
We also encouraged members to post photos of their stickers after voting. Several
members did just that by posting photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Get to Know AAF-BR Government Relations
Due to the resignation of our Government Relations chair it was important to remind
existing and new members that one of the integral roles of the American Advertising
Federation is to monitor laws and regulations that may affect our industry locally
and nationally.
It was also important to inform our members of this duty so that they would have a
better understanding on why we were going to be sharing this type of information with
them that hadn’t been shared with them in the recent past. We used Facebook posts and
a brief article in our eblast to explain our role in the club’s efforts.
• Identify initiatives in state government that pose a threat to the well-being
of our industry on a local level.
• Identify avenues in which we could educate and involve members to be
more involved in Government Relations.
Membership Education
A lot of our club’s activities center around education and we thought it would be a great
benefit to our membership to hold a seminar on legal aspects affecting our industry.
METHODS OF ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES
Political MadMen
Our first opportunity to achieve one of these goals presented itself just before the upcoming
election. We assisted LSU’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs to help notify our
To do this we partnered with Kean Miller, a Baton Rouge based law firm. As the areas
largest full-service law firm with over 135 attorneys, they have a firm understanding of
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the laws that would be of great importance to our members. They were also recently
ranked as one of The National Law Journals 350 largest American firms.
The event is tentatively planned for Thursday, May 8. The event will begin with cocktails
and networking at 4:00pm followed by a seminar from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. Kean Miller is
fully sponsoring the event. The discussion will cover all aspects affecting the industry and
include such topics as intellectual property, copyrights, trademarks, and social media
legal issues. As an added benefit to our members we will not be charging admission
thanks to the sponsorship of Kean Miller.
Monitoring Local Issues
At the start of the New Year we were alerted about a conflict in the tax code that would
be of concern to our membership. At the time, builders of web sites and apps were
considered as a provider of goods rather than a service. The contention of a local app
developer was that this custom work was misclassified and should be considered a
service and therefore non-taxable. The issue is ongoing and is still being monitored by
our committee.
Monitoring State Issues
For the past several months there has been talk coming from Governor Bobby Jindal’s
office to eliminate income tax in favor of broadening the sales tax to include services. As
a service industry the issue concerns us directly and is one that has had the full attention
of our club. Recently we’ve learned that there is a strong consideration being made by
Governor Jindal to tax media advertising buys.
It is a tax we strongly oppose and club President Hunter Territo stated the position of
the club in the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s Daily Report that is emailed daily
to over 18,000 people in Baton Rouge. In his quote, Territo goes on to say that that the
tax would “have a negative impact not only on the advertising agencies in town but also
on the overall economy—less advertising, less sales, fewer jobs.”
Since the article was released, news of this possible tax has gone viral. AAF-BR has been
contacted by numerous members as well as other Louisiana clubs to ask what AAFBR is doing about the situation. President Hunter Territo quickly reached out to Clark
Rector, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs for AAF National. Becky Sadler,
AAF-BR Membership Chair began fielding questions from our members and forming
a coalition to gather together to fight the proposed tax. The news traveled so fast that it
quickly spread throughout the state. Clark emailed AAF-BR with great materials to have
on hand for our coalition meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, March 13 at Lamar
Advertising in Baton Rouge. Clark Rector sent out a state-wide alert to all Louisiana
AAF members to inform everyone about the issue, even the Governor of District 7, A.J.
Busé, showed his support on his Facebook page.
President Hunter Territo emailed all of the board members to brief them on the subject
as well inviting them all to the meeting to be held at Lamar Advertising. With the support
of our membership, Becky Sadler was able to put together a strong committee to lead the
industry meeting. AAF-BR member and industry veteran, Jeff Wright, put together an
outline to serve as an action plan for the meeting.
With the advertising community in Louisiana buzzing about the proposed tax, the Daily
Report of Baton Rouge ran a second story, this time highlighting the coalition that is
forming. We are expecting a high turn out for the meeting including Dan Claitor, a
member of the Louisiana State Senate. We also expect local media outlets to give
coverage of the event.
Core members of the AAF-BR Executive Committee along with industry leaders in the
state representing TV, Print, and Outdoor have a meeting scheduled with the Louisiana
Department of Revenue for Wednesday, March 13, at 10:00am.
The Louisiana clubs have formed a strong alliance to collectively fight this, and with the
District and National resources that have been offered, we are confident that we will stop
this tax from passing.
RESULTS
Despite the loss of our original Government Relations chair person we were able to
achieve a number of our goals set forth at the beginning of the club year. We have kept
our members informed through the use of social media and by our weekly eblast that is
sent out to approximately 300 subscribers.
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Our “I voted” stickers proved to be a big success with a number of members sharing
their photos across several different social platforms thus providing our club with some
viral recognition on a local scale. The distribution of stickers by members among their
coworkers was also a great way to market our club to non-members.
We look forward to our spring program of networking and education at the Kean Miller
Advertising Agency Legal seminar. Our planning is in full effect as we put together
speaker information and collateral material for our members.
By keeping up with local and state issues, we were able to quickly respond to a proposed
tax that would have a significant negative impact on our industry by forming a strong
coalition of industry leaders, AAF members and now potential members to stand
together to fight it. It was also critical that local media outlets picked up the story to
share with Louisianans, President Hunter Territo was invited to appear on the radio by
President of the Louisiana Radio Network and morning talk show host, Jim Engster.
The interview will take place after the coalition meeting. Most importantly, our stated
position shows concern for more than the industry we help service. It highlights the
negative impact that could be felt by the community.
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DIVISION IV:
AAF JACKSON, MS
The American Advertising Federation of Jackson, Mississippi, (AAF Jackson) is
privileged to be located in the state capital. With the convenience of having so many
legislative opportunities in our midst, it is easy to communicate with elected officials and
get involved with state government and legislative activities. Therefore, our membership
benefits from the numerous relationships the club has built over the years. We have
found that the process of keeping abreast of all aspects of our government, and its effect
on the advertising industry, is based on the personal relationships we have with elected
officials and community leaders at all levels from national, state, and local offices. Our
focused efforts to maintain these relationships have proven beneficial year after year.
Our goals for the 2012-2013 club year remain similar to those of years past, because they
have consistently proven to be successful.
AAF Jackson’s Government Relations Goals:
1. Maintain communication with our members about legislative issues
that are pertinent to our industry
advertising with radio and television stations. The bill also would have restricted state
agencies from placing print advertising. Not only would this bill have restricted our citizens
of being educated about our state’s various services including college savings funds, public
health issues, etc., it would have been UNFAIR to the very industries that have struggled
to help our state with their advertising campaigns time and again. An email and phone
call campaign targeted all Senators and the bill never reached the Senate floor for a vote.
After the mad dash to keep Senate Bill 2736 from becoming law, AAF Jackson was
thankful that the rest of the year was very calm and uneventful.
AAF Jackson ensures that our members receive the AAF Governmental Reports, which are
sent out every quarter. Other communication devices are AAF SmartBriefs and Interact as
well as emails from AAF Government Affairs. We encourage our membership to subscribe
to these services, as they are great sources of information on the national level. In addition,
we utilize information from the Mississippi Economic Council to keep our members fully
aware of matters affecting their businesses. Maggie frequently visits with our elected officials
to be sure that all information we receive is accurate and that we hear it first-hand.
Primary club communications vehicles include emails to the AAF Jackson membership
reporting legislative information. Through the club’s e-newsletter and President Megan
Harris Langley’s general emails, we encourage members to participate in the legislative
process by contacting their representatives and share any pertinent information with the
entire advertising industry. For the elections held here in 2012, voting reminders were
sent out by our vice-president.
2. Support the activities of the club’s legislative representatives
3. Encourage membership involvement in legislative activities on
national, state and local levels
4. Maintain established partnerships with organizations and develop
new alliances
Maintain Communication with Our Members About Legislative Issues that are
Pertinent to Our Industry
In the government relations arena, AAF Jackson is proud to have Maggie Clark as the
AAF—District 7 government relations coordinator for Mississippi. Maggie has thorough
knowledge of the legislative system and keeps the membership abreast of events on the
local, state and national levels. Thanks to Maggie Clark and other AAF Jackson members,
a potential threat to advertising in our State was killed before it could be voted on. Senate
Bill 2736 was proposed that would restrict state agencies from expending state funds for
AAF Jackson maintains thorough representation by our board members at the AAF
district and national meetings and conferences to reinforce our awareness of decisions
that affect us as employees, employers, and as an accumulative industry. There is
no denying that open communication is a key factor in building a strong and viable
organization. Therefore, AAF Jackson makes abundant efforts to maintain a strong
presence in government relations.
Support the Activities of the Club’s Legislative Representatives
Our legislative coordinator, Maggie Clark, maintains a high level of trust with many national
leaders as well as state and local leaders. Maggie often attends government conferences,
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special legislative functions and many other local activities to gather the most accurate and
timely information to report to our leadership and membership. She continually monitors
governmental activity that might be of concern to the advertising industry.
Our participation in these activities increases awareness and improves the image of AAF
Jackson throughout the community. In addition, these events provide our members
with further networking opportunities that could benefit their respective companies.
Through continuous monitoring of legislative bills and AAF communications, we
strive to keep our local membership current on events that might affect marketing and
advertising for clients and businesses.
Maintain Established Partnerships with Organizations
and Develop New Alliances
Because of our membership in the Mississippi Economic Council and our longstanding
relationships with: the area Chambers, Better Business Bureau, the Mississippi
Association of Broadcasters, and other AAF clubs in the state, AAF Jackson benefits from
our involvement with a rich, diverse cross-section of professionals and other citizens.
Many on our board and other AAF Jackson members are actively involved in our local
and state organizations. For example, several of our members serve as board members
for Production Services Association (PSA). Founded by one of our most illustrious past
presidents, Tammy Smith, in 1999, PSA is an organization that offers print production
professional development to its members. This small, yet high quality group meets
monthly to exchange ideas and experiences furthermore learning new production
techniques and practices. The Jackson area is very strong technically and is constantly
making a favorable impression on people throughout the country. Organizations like
PSA help us foster that excellent reputation.
Encourage Membership Involvement in Legislative Activities
on National, State and Local Levels
AAF Jackson is a powerful voice in the advertising industry; however, we know we are
even stronger when we combine those strengths with other organizations. The board
members are well threaded through the industry, including civic boards throughout
the city. We have capitalized on dual memberships in such groups as the Mississippi
Economic Council (MEC), the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, as well as other
chambers of commerce in the metro Jackson area. The MEC refers to itself as the “Voice
of Business,” and links AAF Jackson with more than 9,000 business leaders in the state
to help influence the legislative process. The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership
provides AAF Jackson an additional entrée into the local business community. This
alliance has already proven helpful in membership recruitment and provides us with
many opportunities to become involved in local activities surrounding issues that affect
the advertising community.
Networking activities with elected officials are encouraged for all AAF Jackson members.
Because Jackson is Mississippi’s capital city, we are afforded unique opportunities to
participate in local events, legislative activities and issue-based forums. We have found
that encouraging participation in these activities helps make our members better
corporate and individual citizens by broadening their perspectives and increasing their
personal knowledge of their individual influence.
In addition to the previously mentioned events, because of our club’s relationship with
Mission Mississippi, Past President Becky White and several members of AAF Jackson
had the distinct pleasure of being invited to attend the 13th Annual Governor’s Prayer
Luncheon. Over 800 people attended the luncheon to pray for the Governor Phil Bryant
and Elected Leaders and hear an inspiring message or racial reconciliation.
Other industry-related civic organizations that we partner include: the Greater Jackson
Chamber Partnership, Madison County Business League, Review Board of the Better
Business Bureau, Rankin County Rotary Club and the Public Relations Association of
Mississippi. These affiliations keep AAF Jackson informed about and involved in the
government aspects of our communities and counties surrounding Jackson.
Conclusion
Through the efforts of our officers, board members and membership, AAF Jackson
has spent many years developing productive relationships with members of city
government, the Mississippi legislature, and our national delegation. We are proud that
we are able to “work the system” if need be. These relationships will only help AAF
Jackson function as a “Unifying Voice for Advertising” thus impacting our effectiveness
as we strive “to protect and promote advertising at all levels of government through
grassroots activities.”
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DIVISION V:
AD 2 TAMPA BAY
Government Relations is the first and foremost reason the American Advertising
Federation (AAF) was founded. As an AAF chapter, Ad 2 Tampa Bay seeks to protect
and promote advertising at all levels of government through grassroots activities year
after year. It is not always an easy task, but it is tremendously important.
In recent years, our club has struggled to inspire our members’ interest in this core
value. To most, it seems too big, intangible, or even irrelevant to their lives. This year we
decided to change that. With the Republican National Convention coming to our own
backyard for the Presidential election, we knew it was time to address the elephant in the
room and finally show our members how exciting government relations can be.
Goal: Inspire government-related interest and participation among our members by
initiating favorable legislation, contributing to the defeat of adverse legislation, educating
lawmakers, and promoting industry self-regulation. Increased interest will be gauged by
overall event attendance, with a goal of increasing it by 25-percent.
Starting Right, Now and House Bill 1351
Execution: Educating Lawmakers, Initiating Favorable Legislation
Target Audience: Constituents of Tampa Bay, Local politicians
Strategy: Use the power and influence of advertising to raise awareness of homelessness
in our area and support local non-profit Starting Right, Now (SRN) in their push to
pass HB 1351.
gross impressions, hundreds of thousands of dollars donated, and multiple news stories
across our area; all free of charge. Even Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn agreed to come out
and support the organization at our fundraising event, “Restart Home.”
Thanks in part to the mass education of our market and its politicians, SRN was able to pass
Florida House Bill 1351, nicknamed “Sergio’s Law” after one of our campaign’s featured
students. Signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott in April of 2012, it will help countless homeless
youth in Florida obtain their birth certificates, ensuring a better chance at a happy life.
Branding Tampa Bay at the Republican National Convention
Execution: Educating Lawmakers, Promoting Industry Self-Regulation
Target Audience: Ad 2 Tampa Bay Members and Potential Members
Strategy: Harness the excitement and conversation about the RNC into something
tangible for our members.
Details & Tactics: It’s not every day a political convention comes to your city. We
decided to use this opportunity to bring government relations right to our members’
doorstep by kicking off the 2012-2013 year with a panel of those responsible for bringing
the RNC to life at our event, “AdTalks: Branding Tampa Bay.” In addition to promoting
the panel via eBlast and social media platforms as usual, the event was even advertised on
several local radio stations thanks to free PSAs leading up to the event.
Moderated by an iconic local news radio personality, Jack Harris, the panel included:
Details & Tactics: Since the ban on panhandling in a neighboring city, Tampa had seen
a severe increase in the number of homeless within the city. An alarming number of
those counted as homeless were children— most of whom were silently struggling in our
own schools and workplaces, just trying to stay alive. Ad 2 Tampa Bay elected to help
the issue by selecting SRN, a non-profit offering homeless students a revolutionary life
change, as our Public Service client for the 2012 year.
We created an empowering and educational advertising campaign for SRN that featured
a number of their students across all media. The campaign earned more than 13 million
• Jonathan Torres, Director of Digital and Integration of the RNC
• Jordan Raynor, Client Director at Engage
• Doug McClain, VP of Marketing and Communications at Tampa Bay & Company
• Doug Pace, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Executive Board Member
• Aileen Rodriguez, Director of Communications from the 2012
Tampa Bay Host Committee
• Elisa DeGregorio, Senior VP, Operations & Strategic Direction of Tampa Bay
Partnership
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During the event, panelists discussed what hosting a national convention meant for our
area, why it’s important to take advantage and get involved, and how Tampa Bay was
marketed to the world.
We also had our AdCast team on hand to cover it all with high quality production
equipment and video editing software to later share with our members on YouTube and
Facebook. (AdCast video available for viewing here: http://bit.ly/BrandingTB)
The panel was so successful that we even received some great press coverage afterward.
A journalist from the Tampa Bay Business Journal wrote an article focused on the lasting
technology advancements the RNC would provide our area.
With more than 75 attendees, additional news coverage, and 330+ YouTube views,
“Branding Tampa Bay” was one of our most successful and popular events in club history!
Ad Day in Tallahassee; Ad Day on the Hill
Execution: Educating Lawmakers, Defeating Adverse Legislation, Promoting Industry
Self-Regulation
Target Audience: State and National Lawmakers
Strategy: Protect the interests of our profession by bringing the message straight to the
source while giving members an opportunity to do something big.
Details & Tactics: Every year, Ad 2 Tampa Bay joins the rest of the chapters of the
AAF 4th District in a mass convergence in Florida’s capital, Tallahassee, known as
“Advertising Day.” This day is designed to form deeper relationships with government
officials and let them know that we are a powerful lobbying organization that cares
about legislation affecting our industry. Over the years, this event has become known
to legislators throughout the capitol as an effective way for our industry professionals to
protect and promote issues affecting the advertising community.
In March, we protect our industry from healthcare reform repercussions. Money
will need to be taken from somewhere in order for this reform to work, and we want
lawmakers to know advertising creates demand, and demand creates jobs. Adverse
legislation will only hurt the State in the end.
Then in April, we continue our heritage of legislative trailblazing by having an Ad 2
Tampa Bay representative participate in the first ever Advertising Day on the Hill, a
national AAF effort taking place in Washington, D.C. that was inspired by our District’s
preceding efforts. Senators and Representatives will take notice when our members care
enough to come meet and speak with them in person. A strong showing of the AAF
grassroots will send a message that further underscores the positions being advocated.
We hope to increase our attendance in Tallahassee by 50-percent over last year, and send
at least one club member to D.C., despite the expensive nature of such a trip. We already
have as many members as last year signed up for our Tallahassee initiative, with ample time
to meet this year’s goal. We are continuing to talk to members about this opportunity in
person, and will soon begin the conversation on our social media platforms. We will also
seek to have our trip to D.C. covered by a local sponsor in order to offset the cost to our club.
Knowledge Blast
Execution: Promoting Industry Self-Regulation
Target Audience: Ad 2 Tampa Bay Board of Directors, Members
Strategy: Arm our members with enough digestible and relevant governmental
education to pique a genuine interest in the issues.
Details & Tactics: In order to really meet our goal, we knew we needed to keep the
conversation going in between our other major events. Thus, our Legislative Director
took it upon herself to keep the information coming on a regular basis.
At our monthly board meetings, our Directors received a “Legislative Update” about
numerous governmental issues relating to the advertising industry. These updates
included a full explanation of the issue, the impact it would make, how to get involved,
and where to learn more.
We also made an effort to update our Legislative Blog more regularly. In previous years,
our club averaged about one blog post per year. This year, we’ve been successful in posting
once per month. Topics have included “Getting to Know Your Ballot” (which cleared
up members’ confusion on issues on their 6-page ballots in November) and “Do These
Brands Get Your Vote?” (a chronicle of how brands advertise during election season).
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The club also hopes to instate a legislative update in our regular eBlast newsletters that
reach our entire membership. These virtual updates will include a short brief on a current
issue or happening, and a call to action to either learn more on our blog or get involved.
Club Representation at the Republic National Convention
Execution: Government Relations Director attended the RNC as an alternate delegate
on behalf of Tampa and Ad 2 Tampa Bay.
Through these efforts, Ad 2 Tampa Bay is confident we will reach our goal of inspiring
government-related participation within our membership enough to gain a 25% increase
in overall event attendance. To date, we are on track with more than a 30% increase and
are actively seeking even more initiatives to exceed our goal!
Target Audience: Tampa Bay market and Ad 2 Tampa Bay target audience
Strategy: Send the Government Relations Director to the RNC with the task of sharing
her experiences and thoughts with our board members and general membership via
blogs and social media.
Details & Tactics: Kathryn attended many events throughout the week the RNC was
here, from The Daily Show to touring the Social Media Command Center to the main
event. This allowed us to educate to our followers an inside scoop that they may otherwise
not see. She even got to bring along some Ad 2 Tampa Bay Board Member friends!
Results
To recap, here’s what we have done this year:
• Helped our Public Service client pass Florida House Bill 1351, “Sergio’s Law”
• Hosted our first event of the year around the Republican National
Convention (one of our most well-attended and publicized ever)
• Introduced monthly “Legislative Updates” for board members with action
steps they can take to get involved, as well as monthly updates on our
Legislative Blog
• Had representation at the largest event the Tampa Bay Area has ever
hosted, the Republican National Convention.
As well as laying the foundation to:
• Increase our attendance to Advertising Day in Tallahassee by 50%
• Send at least one club member to Advertising Day on the Hill in D.C.
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membership development
div I:
d i v II :
A u s t i n A d v e r t i s i n g F e d e r at i o n
AA F c l e v e l a n d
d i v III : d i v I v:
d i v v:
aaf of the midlands
aaf northeast tennessee
ad 2 houston
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : M E M B E R S H I P D E V E L O P M E N T
In formulating a development strategy, we began by analyzing current membership by
business type:
DIVISION I:
AUSTIN ADVERTISING FEDERATION
Ad Agencies
We began the 2012-13 year with 1,753 members. Our goal was to reach 2,000 by the end of
our fiscal year in June. We passed that goal in February. But membership development is
about more than numbers. It’s about providing real benefits to members. So we listened
carefully to some member ‘tough love’ during “The Listening Tour,” and are working to
improve our practice and better deliver the value proposition.
2012—2013 Goals
Involvement
1. Member Feedback— Integrate findings and member comments from The
Listening Tour.
2. Increase member participation (volunteers and overall attendance)
by 25% from previous year.
Recruitment
1. Continue to recruit ad agencies as our strongest category of membership.
2. Increase involvement by film and interactive companies.
3. Attract more media companies with the strong benefit of agency
networking.
Marketing/Communications 113
6.40%
Students
103
5.88%
Media
95
5.41%
Miscellaneous
35
Printers
64
Professional
53
Ad Federation others
20
Web/Interactive
19
Film
15
Public Relations
3
• 114 potential film companies
• 403 potential advertising agencies
5. Continue growth to exceed 2,000 members from levels of 1,753 in 2012
and 1,358 in 2011.
Elevate awareness and communication of club benefits and value among
existing members.
70.3%
Our membership (1753 on June, 2012) was comprised largely of agency personnel
(70.3%) with one agency comprising 23% of our total membership. As a result, the
membership committee began steps to diversify our membership and target specific
categories for growth. We identified 602 non-member companies in these areas:
4. Recruit 25 new volunteers to the club.
Retention:
1233
• 70 potential interactive companies
• 15 potential media companies
We detailed our membership goals for the year by working closely with the Programs
Committee to develop specific programs and communication to attract participation
from these companies. We also incorporated key elements from our Listening Tour into
the strategic plan.
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• Promote the brand and professional development value of participating in
the ADDYs, plus the chance to “Meet the Judges” at a happy hour.
INVOLVEMENT
Member Feedback—Integrate Findings and
Member Comments from “The Listening Tour”
We conducted a “Listening Tour” as a way of evaluating the club’s perception among
members and the ad community at large. We invited 17 member and non-member
agencies and media companies to participate. We interviewed multiple people at seven
of those companies. By keeping their responses anonymous and urging them to be
brutally frank, we gathered telling and useful responses.
• Discover members’ current perceptions of Austin Ad Fed.
• Determine what people want and need from a Professional Association
serving advertising, marketing, and PR and media professionals.
• Determine what members want and need in order to attend Ad Fed events
other than ADDYs or Big Wig Awards.
Results: As can be seen in the detailed Listening Tour exhibits, the exercise provides valuable
feedback from our members. Clearly, they are not impressed with our history of winning
AAF Club of the Year and are telling us not to rest on our laurels. The survey results formed
the framework for discussion at this year’s annual Board Retreat. The challenges are clear:
we’ve got a lot of work to do in meeting the expectations of our bright, young, innovative
and well informed membership. To help us in that process, we updated and discussed the
club’s new vision statement, Powering the World’s Most Creative Minds, and mission
statement: Unite. Challenge. Promote. Now our challenge is to meet their expectations.
Increase Member Participation (Volunteers and Overall Attendance) by 25%
In order to improve the value of membership and increase member participation, the
Membership Committee worked closely with Programs and other committees to:
• Begin planning the upcoming 3rd annual Hispanic Marketing Symposium,
a remarkably successful event drawing 200-300 primarily Hispanic
advertising/media guests in years past to hear nationally recognized
speakers and break into facilitated discussion groups.
• Promote Big Wigs nomination and the value of member-only voting.
• Create new programs such as “Game That Shall not be Named due to
Trademark Restrictions Fest,” as well as a “Media Day” event that is still
being structured.
Programs
The Programs Committee worked diligently to compile a 2012-13 line-up of solid
topics/speakers, including the ‘Nooner’ series to appeal to creatives, who are notoriously
difficult to attract to events and regular events appealing to a diverse group of industry
professionals. The goal, once again, was to support the overall initiative to create more
industry diversity in our membership. Program calendars were pushed via email blasts
and social media, while Membership distributed the calendar events and shared them
via email during recruitment/renewal efforts.
Listening Tour Goals:
• Create/distribute a 2012-13 Event calendar.
• Establish solid presenters for programs, such as the “McDonald’s Brand” event.
Results: Attendance at lunch programs averaged a respectable 30-70 members/nonmembers. Additionally, our joint efforts and solid program lineup resulted in the club
experiencing a surge in participation, email blast signups and new memberships.
The ADDY Awards
Participating in the ADDYs benefits members in a number of ways. The well-designed
ADDY Winners Book provides more exposure to winners and sponsors. We invite
member vendors to sponsor, with contributions recognized in campaign collateral,
on our website (www.austinadfed.com), and during the awards show. Volunteers
(members, students, and potential members alike) learn new skills, add award-winning
work to their portfolios and develop valuable professional relationships. Members get a
significant discount on entry fees and a great opportunity for professional development.
Results: The preliminary results of this year’s ADDYs are measured by the following metrics:
• Entries: stable at 518 vs. 524 in 2012, up 15% from 2011
• Entry Fee Income: stable at $40,689 vs. $41,765 in 2012, up 13% from 2011
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• Ticket Sales: Expect to sell out show at 450 tickets. Added After Party to
accommodate overflow.
collateral and media to non-profit clients Austin Children’s Shelter, Texas Wildfire
Relief, AustinProBono.org, Hill Country Ride for AIDS, and E4 Youth at the ADDYs.
• Sponsorship Income: $20,250 cash sponsorships, up 17% from 2012 and
67% from 2011
RECRUITMENT
• Net Revenue: to be determined, but tracking at ± $30,000, up 48% from 2011
The ADDYs continue to contribute to membership growth and involvement by elevating
the Ad Fed brand while providing volunteer, networking and professional development
opportunities to our members.
Big Wigs Awards
The annual Big Wigs Awards recognize the important contributions of our “unsung
heroes”—vendors, suppliers, and media. The Big Wigs has a fun, casual costume-party
feel, and is a huge hit with creatives and vendors alike. Event promotion included email
blasts and social media. Nominees were called directly and encouraged to bring team
members and supporters which led to 197 tickets sold up to the day of the event—a sellout success. Our members nominated nearly 200 of their peers and voted for 29 winners
including the Silver Medal for Service to the Austin ad community.
Results: Big Wigs sold out with 197 guests and netted $4,700 ($2,322 over last year),
the largest profit in its history. Big Wigs promotes member involvement through the
nomination and voting process, and rewards our most involved with well-deserved
recognition from their peers.
Public Service Campaigns
Public Service projects are central to the Austin Ad Fed’s success. They provide
meaningful volunteer opportunities to current and prospective members, help volunteers
make new friends and establish enduring professional relationships, and allow students
and professionals to build their portfolios and win professional recognition. Public
Service also builds the Ad Fed brand and public profile by promoting the perception of
advertising as one of Austin’s important creative industries contributing to the region’s
prosperity and health.
Results: In the past year dozens of member volunteers and companies produced
pro-bono, ADDY-winning work and delivered tens of thousands of dollars worth of
Continue to Recruit Ad Agencies as Our Strongest Category of Membership
With a simple Yellow Pages search we identified 403 ad/marketing/specialty shops that are
currently not associated with the Austin Ad Federation. With our attractive membership
tier pricing established, we created personalized recruitment letters to reach these nonmember agencies. We also made phone calls and follow-up efforts. Face time with nonmembers was crucial, and the Committee attended all our lunch programs, happy hours,
and other local professional organization events. Our intent was to turn conversion by
personalizing relationships, pitching the club and opening the door for follow up calls/
emails to consistently remain on their radar. The team also encouraged potential and
existing members to engage in the club’s social networking activities (Facebook, Linkedin,
and Twitter) to keep abreast of developments and upcoming events.
Results: Since June of 2012 the number of agency memberships has increased nearly 2%
from 1,233 to 1,254, and we are on pace to reach the 1,280 mark (64% of total) by the
fiscal year closing.
Increase Involvement by Film and Interactive Companies
We discovered 184 non-member companies that were strong prospects in the Film and
Interactive categories. We have only 35 members in a market that should support many
more. Since they supply so many services to ad agencies, these two categories in Austin
should have a strong interest in connecting with our agency base. We enlisted the same
personalized approach to recruit this group. We created personalized recruitment letters
to reach expired members. We followed the same strategy that we used with agencies:
personal invites, face-time, and event/social networking with non-members in these
business categories.
Results: Film/Interactive memberships have increased 43% from 35 members to 50 and
should double by the end of the fiscal year.
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Attract More Media Companies, with the Strong
Benefit of Agency Networking
Only about 5% of the Austin Advertising Federation is in the Media category. Several
committee members have been associated with other advertising clubs throughout the
country that were primarily media based, so we see this as a big opportunity to grow. Our plan
is to create a stronger connection between agencies and media using events such as a Media
Day and the Hispanic Marketing Symposium. During the process we will take care to prove
to agencies that they are not going to be bombarded with “people trying to sell me stuff.”
(See Listening Tour perceptions). By adding several media executives to our Membership
committee, we can take advantage of their connections to encourage other organizations to
participate and join. Once again, working from RSVP/sign-in logs, news announcements
and peer leads, the Membership committee reached out with personal phone calls and email
introduction letters that were developed specifically for this target audience. Relationships
were established by consistent contact, reinforcement of membership benefits, inviting
company staff to attend events, and encouragement to engage in the club’s social networking
activities to keep abreast of developments and upcoming events.
Results: Since the beginning of our fiscal year we secured $2,000 in TV station
sponsorships plus an in-kind ADDY sponsorship ($5,000 value) from the print media
side. The number of Media memberships increased 28% from 95 members to 122. This
should put us on track to reach 150 by the end of the year and take this category up to
7.5% of our membership—a good start.
Recruit 25 New Volunteers to the Club
Providing meaningful volunteer opportunities is one of our most successful membership
recruitment and retention tools. Our members feel engaged, make new friends and
professional contacts, learn new skills, produce portfolio pieces, and earn the chance to
win ADDYs while donating their skills to deserving non-profits. Many volunteers join
after their experience working with fellow members.
The Ad Fed homepage features a “Get Involved” header and our highly trafficked Jobline
lists volunteer opportunities. The “Get Involved” button has a link to an online volunteer
form, which is sent to several officers, including the volunteer coordinator, who contacts
potential volunteers by phone and email. We maintain an Excel spread sheet listing
volunteer skills and interests, contact info, contact history, and volunteer history.
Results: We have at least 50 new volunteers on record, as University of Texas and
Texas State students have stepped forward to help with “Holidazzle,” Big Wigs, ADDY
judging, and the ADDY event. We expect to develop good relations with many more as
we produce the Hispanic Marketing Symposium.
Continue Growth to Exceed 2,000 Members from
Levels of 1,753 in 2012 and 1,358 in 2011
Our overall goal this year is to exceed the 2,000 member milestone, as we continue to
grow as a community and an organization. This represents a 12.4% year-to-year increase
and over 32% growth since 2011. The Membership Committee and Programming
Committee will continue to collaborate on ideas to generate more and better programs—
the most important step in delivering value to members and recruiting new members.
RETENTION
Elevate Awareness and Communication of Club Benefits
and Value Among Existing Members
In order to preserve current members the committee conducts a monthly renewal
campaign. We contact members a month prior to expiration via emails and phone calls.
This is an opportunity to inform them of upcoming club activities and membership
benefits. We worked with the HR Department of member agencies to update the list of
members and email addresses. The club also conducted the “Listening Tour” to obtain
feedback from members to address any issues, concerns, and praises to better meet
member needs. The results were then presented at the Board of Directors Retreat and
form the basis of all committee work going forward.
The committee leverages renewal incentives to encourage expiring members to recommit.
These incentives included a free lunch with renewal, membership discount packages,
opportunity to speak at upcoming luncheons, and guerilla marketing opportunities for
their company at luncheons and events.
We continue to update the “What’s In It For You?” one-sheet, personal emails/calldowns,
and social networking, the club was able to cost-effectively and efficiently communicate
benefits and upcoming events targeted to our member subgroups— Students, Under 32
Professionals and Professionals. The benefits we spoke of included:
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Results: Since June of 2012 attrition has decreased from approximately 6% to 4%
as we continue to promote club benefits and value to existing members. By offering
consistent and well-produced events, coupled with regular communication updates on
membership benefits, industry news and volunteer opportunities, while also targeting
specific sub-sections of the club (students, vendors, creatives, etc.), we’ve seen a surge in
member participation over the last year. Statistics include:
Students (Growth from 101 members to 126 members)
•
Internships, Intern Roundup Event
•
Portfolio reviews
•
Shadow Day
•
Scholarships
•
Student of the Semester competitions
• Facebook fan page is now up to 1,083, up 29% from last year’s 840 members
•
NSAC competitions
• Twitter followers are now at 1,317, up 31% from last year’s 1,003 followers
•
Student ADDY showcases
•
Volunteer opportunities
• Distribution list has grown to 3,314. Average open rate for email campaigns
have held steady, averaging 26%.
• The website has over 51,600 site visits, over 20,400 unique visits and over
220,800 page views. We expect numbers to increase as we launch the new,
improved website in May 2013.
Ad2ATX, Under 32 Professionals (Growth from 152 members to 167)
•
Ad2ATX’s own website, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter pages
•
Ad2 members-only participation and events (Ad2bing web page)
•
Many social opportunities such as happy hours and pub crawls
•
Volunteer opportunities
CONCLUSION
Through collaboration with Ad Fed members and other committees, dedicated volunteers
and many hours of determined work, the Membership Committee has achieved its goals.
By all measures, we are on track to meet or exceed our goals for recruitment, retention,
and involvement: club membership grew 16% from 1,753 to 2038 and will continue to
grow throughout the remainder of the fiscal year.
Professionals (Growth from 1,753 members to 2,038 members)
•
Reduced fees to attend programs, events, and workshops
•
Reports such as the 2011 Advertising Economic Impact Analysis
•
Educational and timely blogs featuring important industry issues
•
Free Job Line postings for members
•
Volunteer opportunities
Total membership growth in all three segments: 16%, 1753 to 2038.
We also distributed Austin Ad Fed business cards at happy hours, events and programs
to drive traffic to our website to learn more about joining, membership benefits, event
information.
But more importantly, Membership has created a legacy by planting the seeds for
future growth. In a city with several competing professional associations and fierce
competition for media attention and accolades, the Austin Ad Fed has set itself apart
with high caliber programs, events, public service campaigns, advertising education
and effective communication. We will work hard in the coming year to live up to our
new vision and mission statements, Powering the World’s Most Creative Minds and
Unite. Challenge. Promote.
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• Tell a compelling story about AAF-CLE’s value through member
testimonials on video.
DIVISION II:
AAF CLEVELAND
• Develop a database of prospects and target campaign tactics to specific
companies and individuals, ideally with messaging from someone they
know in the organization.
Since 1901, AAF-Cleveland has been the unifying voice for the Northeast Ohio
communications and advertising industries. We exist to promote the vitality of
the communications industry in Northeast Ohio bringing advertising, marketing,
public relations, and sales professionals together to build networks and create
business solutions.
RECRUITMENT
Goals: Research indicated significant untapped potential in Northeast Ohio for new
members of AAF-Cleveland, especially large and small agencies, suppliers to agencies,
and corporate marketers. AAF-Cleveland wanted to capitalize on this opportunity and
make new member acquisition a primary objective in the 2012-2013 program year.
AAF-CLE’s membership team developed a membership drive and campaign with the
goal of adding 25 new individual members and two new corporate members between
January 15 and March 31, 2013. Another goal was to engage the board and volunteers in
membership outreach.
Projects/Programs
The AAF-CLE membership committee developed a comprehensive, multifaceted
membership marketing strategy and membership campaign. The strategy included
several recommendations which drove the campaign plan:
• Develop a major membership drive from January through March to get the
attention of prospects and make membership a priority and focus for the
organization. This campaign should have an engaging creative theme, utilize
multiple marketing channels, and feature a special offer to spur action.
• Focus campaign creative on the AAF-Cleveland value proposition: “AAFCLE is the most dynamic, creative community of advertising and marketing
professionals in Northeast Ohio, an unmatched source for ideas, education,
contacts, and recognition. Membership helps you be more successful in
advertising and marketing and boost your career and your business.”
• Use social media, email, the AAF-CLE website, and club events as the
primary marketing channels.
The membership team built a customized, highly targeted prospect database of
individuals at agencies, suppliers, corporate marketers, independent creative shops, large
nonprofits, governments, and young professionals. Data included mailing addresses and
emails. All board members were asked to submit names of colleagues and prospects to
whom they would feel comfortable writing a personal message.
The campaign also utilized AAF-CLE’s list of event attendees, lapsed members, and
other prospects.
Wyse Advertising generously provided the pro bono services of a professional creative
team, led by creative director Lane Strauss and account supervisor Julie Telesz, who
is a member of the Membership Committee and a club director. Wyse developed an
engaging creative approach that had application in all media and campaign tactics and
value and usability far beyond the campaign:
If you’re hungry for fresh ideas…new contacts…more success…AAF-CLE
is the place to Get FED!
Wyse directed a photo shoot by a professional photographer to capture fun images of
ad pros “eating” tools of the trade that symbolized key themes, such as a cell phone for
contacts, pencils for graphic design, a light bulbs for ideas.
The campaign had a compelling, high-value offer to attract attention, spur action, and
encourage engagement upon becoming a member: Join during the campaign and receive
two free luncheon tickets with your membership. In addition, all new members who join
during the campaign were entered in a prize drawing for a grand prize to be awarded at the
AAF-CLE April luncheon: A “Golden Ticket” for free admission to ALL AAF-CLE events for
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Each lunchbox is labeled inside and out with the GetFED theme. Contents
included GetFED candy bars, GetFED-labeled packets of hot chocolate,
GetFED paper cups and napkins, and a GetFED squeezable stress toy
shaped like a light bulb. A letter inside the box promotes the offer and an
extra bonus: Two free pizzas for the organization that produces the most
new members during the campaign.
one year. The campaign included two direct mail postcards, 9 targeted email blasts, extensive
social media usage on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube, AAF-Cleveland website,
event marketing, newspaper advertising and a Corporate Prospect Lunchbox Blitz.
The membership committee developed multiple high-visibility tactics to get attention
and promote the campaign at club events:
• The campaign launched at the January luncheon with table tents, a new
floor-stand display, video testimonials, a promotion during the PowerPoint
presentation prior to the speaker, an announcement at the podium, and
large, colorful buttons worn by the committee and board featuring the
campaign’s GetFED photography.
• The ADDY Awards, the biggest event of the year, were a prime marketing
opportunity, so the committee planned a major splash. The team purchased
candy bars from a local chocolate company (at half-price because the
company is a member), created a custom GetFED campaign wrapper for
each candy bar, and used a professional model, who donated her services,
to wear a “Golden Ticket” costume and pass out candy bars to attendees.
Many board members helped the committee wrap candy. The video team
also produced three humorous commercials with outtakes from the video
testimonials to play during the show.
• The March luncheon will feature more events, including a giant “Golden
Ticket”, campaign posters, buttons, table tents, a podium announcement, video
testimonials, and a second new permanent display, this one for a tabletop.
• The campaign is being promoted in all other club events during the
campaign timeframe, such as the ADDY Call for Entries and Young
Professionals Chili Bowl.
• A committee member from the Cleveland Plain Dealer secured multiple free
insertions in the paper’s Deal of the Day ad series during the campaign and
announcements in the paper’s email promotions. The Plain Dealer campaign
produced millions of impressions and promoted the AAF-CLE website.
• The final push of the campaign is a “blitz” where committee members
will hand-deliver GetFED Lunchboxes to 25 top membership prospects.
Volunteerism
Our entire membership committee was made up of volunteers who spent numerous
hours developing databases/mailing lists, creative ideas, collateral, and all other aspects
of the campaign. Eighteen volunteer members of AAF-CLE from agencies, corporate
marketers, vendors, and the media were videotaped. The videos were posted on the AAFCLE website and YouTube, shown at the ADDY Awards and luncheons, and featured
in links in campaign emails, direct mail, and social media posts. The development of the
collateral material was done by a number of volunteers at a local agency and the students
who shot and edited the videos also volunteered their time away from their class work.
In all, over 40 volunteers helped with the development and execution of this campaign.
Member Feedback
Feedback was monitored by our membership/campaign committee through follow-up
phone calls and emails to new members gained through the campaign and to prospective
members from the compiled database. Feedback was processed at membership
committee and monthly board meetings.
CLUB OPERATIONS
The leadership of the club made a concerted effort to focus on membership development
through the creation of a strategic membership plan. This plan along with the creation of a
viable/working membership committee was the impetus for our membership campaign.
Results
As of March 12, 2013 the campaign has produced 25 new members and 2 new corporate
members with two full weeks remaining in the campaign period, during which there will
be a major splash at the March luncheon, two more emails, the “GetFed Lunchbox Blitz”
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to top corporate member prospects, and a big push on social media. The campaign will
end on March 31 and the Golden Ticket will be drawn at the April luncheon, offering yet
another opportunity to create high visibility for membership.
RETENTION
Goals: The goal of our retention was quite simple: Retain as many members as possible.
Projects/Programs
Attaining our goal was more of a process than a program or project and the process
started with ascertaining those who were 60 or more days behind on their dues. A handsigned letter from our Executive Director is sent to all late members before they are
removed from the membership roles and turned over to the membership committee for
further action. Each month, a membership report is generated showing new members
and dropped members. All new members are contacted by a member of the membership
committee while the dropped members (if updated contact information is available) are
contacted by our VP of Membership.
The e-commerce section of our website was updated to allow for members to pay
their renewal dues online and that link is contained in the email which also has their
invoice attached. This makes for an easier process of renewing and hopefully lessens the
chance of the invoice being lost or forgotten about. We can also process new or renewed
memberships at our events through a PayPal smartphone app.
Volunteerism
We have found that when members get more involved with the club, the chances a
greater that they will renew their membership. With that being the case, AAF-Cleveland
has added a membership testimonial page to our website as well as a list of committees
with email links to the committee chairs. Our Young Professionals chair has designed
a process to get our young professionals involved with each major committee. . Our
scholarship program offers all scholarship applicants a free one-year membership and
guides them to volunteer opportunities within the club. Our Executive Director has
also developed a “student volunteer” program where local students can volunteer in the
AAF-Cleveland office and become involved with committees, planning etc.
Member Feedback
The best way we know how to gather feedback in through face-to-face collaboration.
When one of our corporate memberships come due, our Executive Director and VP of
Membership (when able) meets with the corporate member to get feedback, ascertain
needs and ask for a overall opinion of the club’s programs, events and value over the past
year. These meetings have been invaluable to the club in determining which programs are
working, which are not and how we can better meet the needs of our members. It’s also
led to companies and their employees volunteering for a number of club-related projects.
Club Operations
Our “Get Fed” membership campaign is a direct result of our operational goal of
membership growth, retention and involvement. It was designed so that it can be
repeated in future years and the full membership strategy was created so that future
membership committees will have a blueprint from which to work.
Results
Our retention rate has hovered around 75% which has been the case for the past few
years. Many of these retention initiatives have only started in this past program year so
our hope is that retention number will increase in years to come.
INVOLVEMENT
Goals: Another simple goal: Get more members and non-members involved in the
numerous projects, programs and events hosted by AAF-Cleveland each year.
Programs/Projects
AAF-Cleveland has used its programs to encourage involvement in many ways. Our
new member orientation allows for new members to meet and greet club staff, leaders
and committee chairs. The AAF-Cleveland Education Foundation reached out to
area colleges and universities for scholarship applicants as well as partnerships with
professors. Two themes for our program year were “do one thing and do it well” and
“no committees of one.” Each committee chair was strongly encouraged to reach out to
the membership for new volunteers and allow them to take a leading role in planning
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and execution. Our Executive Director attempts to meet personally with new members
to inform them of volunteering opportunities and his welcome letter includes a pitch
for getting involved. At most of our club events an announcement is made regarding
opportunities to volunteer. All corporate members are given the opportunity to play
a role in a major event. Recently, a meeting with a new corporate member led to them
volunteering to produce video’s for our AAF-Cleveland Advertising Hall of Fame
induction ceremony.
Member Feedback
Each of our committees is asked to conduct a “feed forward” session which allows them
to gauge what worked and what did not. It also allows for member feedback which can
be used in future endeavors. Our creative community has many good ideas and aren’t
afraid to share them so it incumbent upon us to listen and when applicable, make them
a part of our overall event structure.
Results
We have attained our goal! Each board member did one thing and did it well and for the
first time in many years there were no committees of one. New members of the ADDY
committee introduced many new ideas which resulted in 280 attendees at our awards event,
new members of the Education Foundation aided in streamlining our scholarship application
process and involvement from corporate members led to pro bono work on our membership
campaign. We could offer more examples but it’s clear that our efforts surrounding member
involvement have paid dividends and will continue to do so in the future.
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List of Events And Programs for the 2012-2013 Year:
DIVISION III:
AAF OF THE MIDLANDS
• August 21: 2012-2013 Kick-Off event, featuring the Art Directors’ Art Show
• September 11: Luncheon. Speaker: Henry Thomas, Marketing Director,
Carolina Panthers “Sports Marketing”
AAF of the Midlands’ membership has had an overwhelming 35 percent membership
growth rate since 2011. While this growth has been exciting, it also brought challenges
of retention and continuing growth. Understanding this challenge, the membership
committee emphasized the membership experience, increased event attendance and met
income budget goals.
• October 4: “Life After Work” social at Tombo Grill
• October 17: Luncheon. Speaker: Tim Cox, Director of Creative Strategy,
Publix Supermarkets “Brand Development”
• November 1: Oyster Roast Media and Lifestyle Auction
Membership Goals:
• Recruitment: Increase exposure to potential professional members and
achieve 12 percent growth in new membership.
• November 7: Student ADDY take-in day
• Retention: Encourage current members to upgrade to corporate or gold
membership levels (4 and 6 member commitments). Meet 2012-2013
membership income budget of $26,055.
• December 10: “Life After Work” social at Goat Feathers
• December 5: ADDY workshop program and lunch
• January 9: ADDY take-in day
• January 16: Luncheon. Speaker: Rob Wilson “Innovator’s toolbox”
• Involvement: Increase luncheon attendance by 15 percent and encourage
members to join a committee.
• February 16: ADDY Awards gala: Reality TV-themed.
Activities to Support Goal Achievement: AAF of the Midlands event experience
was successfully heightened through diverse speakers, special events, improved
communications, record keeping and online event and ticket management. Mid-year,
we began to send out opinion surveys to analyze our performance at luncheons. In
addition to luncheons, we offered after-hour networking events and special pro-grams
such as our Oyster Roast Media and Lifestyle Auction and our “Reality TV”-themed
ADDY Awards gala. The Oyster Roast Media and Lifestyle Auction was not only a great
event for membership enjoyment, but nearly all media companies that were members
donated packages for the media auction. Our agency and corporate company members
ate up the discounts offered on the media auction and in total, we raised $8,000. The call
for entries/invitations for the ADDY Awards gala were themed and a new ADDY gala
website (which can be accessed from our website) was created to generate excitement
among membership and to remind membership that they are entitled to discounts on
both tickets and entries.
• March 6: AAF South Carolina Legislation Reception
• March 20: Luncheon. Speaker: Geoff Halselma, The Goodway Group,
“Doing Digital Media Right”
• April 17: Luncheon. Speaker: Stefan Mumaw, Creative Director of Callahan
Creek Agency of Kansas City “Chasing the Monster Creative Idea”
• May 15: Luncheon. Speaker: TBA
Advancements in Membership Tools to Improve Membership Experience
Because of AAF Midlands rapid growth over the past couple of years, registrations at
lunch-eons were becoming cumbersome and lengthy. The club was also losing money
every year due to inconsistent record and invoice keeping. In short, people were slipping
in under the radar at luncheons and AAF Midlands was stuck with the bill. This year, we
retained a new RSVP and event system, Eventbrite. Eventbrite automatically emails an
attendee the day before the event with a reminder, cutting down on people who RSVP
and forget to show up. Also Eventbrite allows for payment online. Most guests have
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a chance to win an original piece of artwork by one of our members. Five
members quickly re-joined that night and we even got a new member.
We also offered discounted membership prices through October 21st to
encourage members to renew early.
paid online and thus quickened our registration line the day of the luncheon. Because
of the attendee and record keeping systems on Eventbrite, we are able to keep accurate
records and invoice companies as appropriate; this is cutting down on expenses that
AAF Midlands should not incur.
4. We rewarded members at luncheons for membership referrals through
drawings for free swag (t-shirts, lottery tickets) and luncheon passes for
friends and colleagues.
Considering our members’ responses we received at our May 2012 year end social, we
decided to completely overhaul our AAF Midlands website into a tool our members
would access frequently and find important. Launched in August 2012, aafmidlands.com
was transformed into a user-friendly website including a scrolling feed, blog, Twitter and
Facebook integration. The upgraded and user-friendly website encourages members to
be informed and educated on the club’s events, efforts and accomplishments.
5. Since many members didn’t realize how many volunteer opportunities we
offered and the variety of those committees, we increased our exposure by
creating a huge poster of our committee descriptions that was displayed at all
events along with applications to fill out. Members were encouraged to join
committees and any new committee member that joined during an event
was awarded a free AAF Midlands luncheon pass for a colleague/friend.
With a website we could be proud of, we promoted the website to possible members
through distribution of business cards with the web address written on them. These
business cards were at all AAF Midlands functions on tables and check in tables for
members to share and for non-members to pick up for more information.
6. We also increased our “Life After Work” after-hours networking socials,
holding two “Life After Work” events this year and averaging 27 people
in attendance. The networking opportunities in our “Life After Work”
socials are an added benefit to our membership as well as being a great
recruitment tool. The social is free to attend, offers discounted food and
drink pricing and even door prizes. It makes for a great time with fellow
marketing and advertising professionals.
Our membership packets were also redesigned to coordinated with our new improved
web-site. The design allowed the packets to be better organized, more user friendly with
photos creating a personal connection. A benefits page was incorporated into the packet
to remind members that membership is also national in scope and extends benefits
beyond local programs and events.
Improvements in Membership Touch Points/Rewards
Everyone likes free swag and everyone likes to feel special: our members are no different.
We utilized several approaches to “reward” and encourage members as well as give
them some individual attention. This type of “reward structure” is designed to increase
satisfaction with the end result being continued and involved membership.
Membership Outreach:
To expand our footprint, we wanted to better reach out to professionals that would be
good AAF Midlands membership candidates. Listed below are the ways we accomplished
this task.
1. We reached out to members by email on an individual basis to welcome new
members and asked for feedback on programs and their general experiences.
2. We reached out to long-time members by email to express gratitude and to
offer them committee participation opportunities.
3. For the first time, we rewarded members for joining membership early at
our kick-off event. All new/renewed members were entered that night for
1. Prior to each luncheon, board members were asked to reach out to clients
and associates that weren’t members but would enjoy the luncheon’s topic.
An example of this was contacting the marketing director of University
of South Carolina Athletics to come to the September luncheon featuring
the Carolina Panthers’ marketing director (which actually lead to a new
membership). This type of highly targeted invitations, increased our
exposure, with the intention to gain new members.
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respective institutions. This scholarship strengthens our ties not only with
the scholarship recipient but also increases awareness of AAF Midlands
to a perfectly targeted demographic that will be embarking into the
professional realm.
2. Board members were also asked to utilize social media to push events.
We’ve increased Facebook likes by 24 percent and increased our Twitter
followers by 49.75 percent over last year.
3. New name tags were created to designate Board Members, Members and
Guests. Red name tags allowed guests to be easily recognized and welcomed.
Board members were asked to particularly seek out these guests and engage
them in conversation and as a personal introduction to AAF Midlands.
4. We utilized digital billboards in the Columbia-Metro area in August to
reach out to potential members who may not have heard of us. With a
daily effective circulation of 168,411 we were featured on four digital
billboards for the four days leading up to our Kick Off event. We also
created a future outdoor campaign titled “This Is The Club For You” which
showcases various occupations and their relevance to our club which we
plan to launch for the next membership drive.
The health of a brand will always be in securing that future generations value the “brand”.
Getting the youth to understand the AAF Midlands’ “brand” and what we stood for is no
different. We increased the awareness within this group by:
1. Reaching out to the University of South Carolina’s largest segment of
graduating advertising/PR students, the Student Advertising Federation.
Our president spoke about securing jobs and the importance of
networking and joining a professional group like AAF Mid-lands.
Results (and Pavlov’s Dogs)
AAF Midlands was able to reach goals of improved attendance and awareness, all
while hitting, and then exceeding the budget for membership revenue. AAF Midlands
successfully hit and then blew away our goal of 12 percent in new membership; our
make up is 25% new members this year! Three companies stepped up and committed
to larger memberships (one converting a four-person to a six-person membership and
two converting from an individual to a four-person membership). Event attendance
averaged 16.5 percent higher than last year overall and a 25 percent higher luncheon
attendance. We exceeded our membership budget by $1,020 for a yearly total of
$27,075. Improvements to our website and collateral have freshened our look and made
information easier to find. The new website increased visits and page views. Returning
visitors are up by 30 percent and average visit duration is up 25 percent, meaning
members are using the website and staying longer. And as for membership rewards?
Even Pavlov’s dogs had anticipation of rewards to come. It’s our hope, with all our new
reward systems, we’ll keep our members “salivating” and coming back for more.
2. Sending two board members to participate on a Journalism and Mass
Communications Professional panel at the University of South Carolina
where they promoted the industry and the power of networking through
AAF Midlands.
3. Creating and offering a “New Professional Scholarship” this year,
which awards one student who graduates within the next year or has
graduated within the past year to a free AAF Midlands membership.
A press release was sent out to local media outlets. Also, every major
college and university in South Carolina offering advertising and public
relations majors was contacted for distribution of this scholarship in their
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RECRUITMENT
DIVISION V:
AD 2 HOUSTON
According to the Houston Chronicle, Houston’s creative community saw increases while
other industries decreased. More people are employed in the local creative industry than
the Texas Medical Center. Houston is home to many young advertising and marketing
professionals, recent college graduates and students pursuant in related fields. Ad
2 Houston has a diverse population of 18-32 year olds who are actively seeking more
opportunities to get involved in the advertising industry. Ad 2 Houston identified this
group through their need for networking, skill development and industry education.
This membership year we sought more ways to improve our role as a forum for budding
communication professionals. We focused on three key areas to advance our organization:
recruitment, retention and involvement.
Recruitment
• Increase membership by 10%
• Expand the board committee by 10%
Retention
• Increase retention rate for current members
Increase Membership By 10%
Strategy: Collaborate with AAF Houston
AAF–Houston gives discounted group memberships to companies who sign up through
the Corporate Membership Program. By working together with our sister organization
AAF, Ad 2 memberships were incorporated into the corporate membership level. The
Corporate Sustainer level receives five Ad 2 memberships, Corporate Underwriter
level receives three and Corporate Member level receives two. We recognized this
incorporation as an opportunity to recruit more experienced young professionals into
Ad 2 Houston. Our combined efforts yielded an opportunity for both organizations to
increase memberships.
Expand the Board Committee by 10%
Strategy: Encourage Ad 2 Houston members to take active roles in the organization
As our membership grew, it became apparent that more people were needed on the
board in order to effectively run the organization. We approached active members and
promoted our open leadership positions in Ad 2. According to the strengths of these
members, we filled empty positions on the board.
• Educate current members
• Create valuable networking opportunities
RETENTION
• Connect with current members
Retain Current Members
Strategy: Early Bird Discounts
Involvement
• Provide exclusive volunteer opportunities for members of the club
• Use social media to engage with members and the local ad community
Towards the beginning of our membership year, we offered discounts for those who
signed up or renewed early. In June we offered a discounted rate of $65 for a total savings
of $15, in July memberships were offered at $70 and August was our final discount
month at $75. We increased membership to the new standard rate of $80 in September.
The decreasing discount method proved successful.
Educate Current Members
Strategy: Professional Development Series
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In further effort to expand our member’s industry experience, we created our Professional
Development Series. This series of offers gave members had a chance to look into
local agencies and see how they operate. We helped our members explore the variety
of opportunities within the companies in the communications industry. The program
was free to current members. For each event we limited the number of reservations 30
people. This ensured that the attendees got the most out of their experience.
Create Valuable Networking Opportunities
Strategy: “Thirstday” Thursday Mixers
Networking is an essential part of any professional’s career. Many students and young
professionals, however, need a little help getting started. We hosted several Thirstday
Mixers at popular local venues to create a more relaxed and fun environment for
attendees to mingle. These mixers were not made exclusive to Ad 2 members and
invitations were extended to the public and other organizations such as AAF–Houston,
OIH and AAF at the University of Houston. Raffles became a popular way to get people
engaged during our mixers and many people had a story to share after they won. Board
members used the raffles as an opportunity to greet guests and encourage involvement.
Connect With Current Members
Strategy: Board Member Interaction
To increase club loyalty we made making real connections with our current members
a top priority. Through “membership spotlights” in our monthly newsletter, we were
able to officially introduce new members of the club to the advertising community.
Membership spotlights were a short professional biography highlighting a new or
current member. The newsletter circulated at well-attended AAF–Houston luncheons,
through our email database and from our social media outlets. This public introduction
encouraged others to approach board members during events. We also released timely
emails after networking events to contact current and potential members about topics
relevant to the interests that we discussed with them. We not only followed up with
event attendees, we also personally invited them to upcoming events. These connections
helped encourage a more impactful and continued participation.
INVOLVEMENT
Volunteer Opportunities
Strategy: Serve as a dedicated source of volunteers for the Houston advertising community
AAF–Houston hosts and attends several major events throughout the year. These events
were a huge opportunity for our members to make a big difference in our community
and to start building lasting and trustworthy relationships with important individuals in
it. Our members volunteered at the Trailblazer Award Gala, the Houston ADDY Awards
and the monthly Creative Thought Leader Speaker Series luncheons. Our volunteers
provided the support needed for proper event set-up, smooth check-ins, and quick takedowns. Members also attended the AAF–Houston, Ad 2, and Only in Houston table at
the annual Holiday Houston Communications Alliance Mixer to provide information
about all three organizations.
Social Media Outreach
Strategy: Use social media to reach out to the advertising community
Much of our day-to-day communication efforts were focused on social media with
Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as primary outlets. Social media is a large part of our
target audience’s daily routine. We made posts to our Facebook and Twitter accounts on
a daily basis. During local events we live tweeted to give the public a real time look into
the Houston ad world. Twitter was also used to congratulate agencies on awards and
accomplishments. Across all of our social media platforms we shared interesting and
helpful articles relevant to the communications industry. We also cultivated engagement
by asking our followers what they thought about different trends.
The first step of primary importance in any young professional’s career is getting an
entry-level position. In order to serve this need, we frequently post and retweet local job
openings as and even had members share job openings on our networks. Companies
even used our social media sites for recruitment, which made Ad 2 a valuable source for
young communications job seekers.
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Results
At the beginning of the year Ad 2 board members sought new opportunities; working
along with our sister organization, AAF–Houston, our membership was integrated
into corporate membership levels. As a result, we increased our membership by 40%;
15 out of 31 members were acquired through dual memberships. In order to keep up
with the demands of our new membership, more committee positions were created and
filled. We reached a 33% growth of our Board Committee. We were also able to fill two
key positions: Membership and Education. These two positions proved to be pivotal in
reaching our membership goals for the year.
Eight members took advantage of our early bird discount incentives. Many current
members provided positive feedback to the discount program and expressed interest in
a repeated discount method for the upcoming year. After many months of preparation,
the organization launched its first installment of the Professional Development Series at
ABC 13–KTRK TV. The tour had a total of 13 attendees including four non-members.
In order to create valuable networking opportunities, Ad 2 Houston included eight
member spotlights in the monthly newsletter. This also carried over to our mixers where
efforts were made to create a more interactive networking experience as board members
made it a personal goal to get to know each member. As a result of our club loyalty focus,
we have increased the number of member-focused events as opposed to previous years.
We also maintained an average attendance of 30 people per event.
According to many news sources such as ABC and CNN, 80% of jobs are found through
social networking. In order to provide for our member’s demands, we relied heavily
on social media to find and post listings. Two members have stated that connections
with Ad 2 helped them to get a job. Through methods of recruitment, retention and
involvement, Ad 2 Houston achieved and exceeded its goals set out for the year.
CONCLUSION
At Ad 2 Houston, membership in the 2012-2013 year was very fruitful. Not only did we
significantly increase the number of members, but also we cultivated many opportunities
to engage them in the industry. In addition to increasing our numbers we also grew
our board and increased our involvement in the local advertising community. We
dedicated ourselves to providing meaningful experiences and advancing the careers of
our members. Through that dedication we were able to successfully reach our goals for
this membership year. In the upcoming term, we plan to continue to improve upon the
programs and initiatives we implemented this year.
In order to involve members and provide them with exclusive volunteer opportunities, we
initiated relationships with industry leaders to provide these volunteers as well as creating
events unique to our organization. Volunteer attendance for our events was as follows:
• Trailblazer Award Gala—8 volunteers
• The Houston ADDY Awards—15 volunteers
• Holiday Houston Communications Alliance Mixer—7 volunteers
• Bowl Your Ads Off—9 volunteers
• Oyster Orgy—6 volunteers
• Total—45 volunteers
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DIVISION I:
AAF DALLAS
Overall Goals: The Dallas area is fortunate to have a high population of ad agencies, toptier clients, and a robust vendor community to serve them. We needed to identify and
develop specific events and programs that would bring value to this disparate group of
members. In addition, Dallas has had significant growth of Digital agencies—new shops
have sprung up and those who have been in business a few years are growing accounts
and therefore, adding to staff. These digital professionals tend to join and engage
with digital-focused ad clubs. We compete for their time and membership dues with
the Social Media Club of Dallas, DFW Interactive Marketing Association, SEO Club
of Dallas, Women in Wireless, Digital Dallas, and many others. Our opportunity for
growth was to communicate our value proposition to this growing segment of the Dallas
ad community and encourage them to engage with our organization. We established
aggressive goals to meet as many of our members’ needs as possible:
• Create a new Digital Integration Chair, responsible for building
relationships with Digital agencies (members and prospects), identifying
new sponsor dollars within the Digital vendor community, and creating
positive outreach within the Digital ad clubs in Dallas.
technology companies and other vendors to demonstrate their platforms, services and
offerings. We held this portion of the event in the Penthouse meeting room at our venue
rather than in the hallway leading into the ballroom to create engagement. We chose
the topic based on not only the explosion of new technologies focused on hyper-local
activity but because of the prevalence of smart phones and other mobile devices that
are driving this particular industry trend. We wanted our panel to be balanced with
technology vendors as well as agency representatives. The panel consisted of Steve
Moynihan of JiWire, Shawn Gurn, Director of Digital Media at Moroch and Kevin
Houldsworth, Mobile Specialist at The Weather Channel. The discussion was moderated
by Steve Smith of Firehouse.
Target Audience: Traditional and digital advertising professionals, marketers, students
and the general public who want to learn how new advertising platforms are already
shaking up our industry
Method of Promotion: The event was promoted through our website, social media
pages and email blasts. We also produced an agenda for the event which was provided
at the tables.
Total Attendance: 166
Feedback Mechanism: We introduced our monthly luncheon survey at this event and
were very pleased with a 10% response rate.
• Continue signature programs like Magazine Day, Cable Day, Emerging
Technologies Showcase as well as hosting of select AAF 10th District events
Results: With sponsorship sales from the trade show and luncheon combined
representing over 50% of our total revenue, we were able to generate a net profit of
$4,564. Survey results indicated that over half of the 166 attendees came because of the
topic, and profits were up 9% YOY on this signature program.
• Launch a Digital Roundtable series
• Apply a fresh approach to Diversity and Multicultural Initiatives in our Programs
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS
Third Annual “Emerging Technologies Showcase and Luncheon”
September 11, 2012
Event Details: This extremely popular event geared to innovation in advertising has
become one of our signature programs due to strong attendance and interactivity. This
year’s theme was location-based technologies and hyper-local programs that activate
and influence consumer behavior. The event began with a one-hour trade show for
Social Media Marketing: What are the Future Factors for Success?
January 15, 2013
Event Details: Previous surveys from our regular luncheon attendees indicated there
was enormous demand for more programs on Social Media. And we knew this would be
a great opportunity to attract and engage the Digital subset of our target audience. We
wanted to make it as engaging as possible, so we introduced live tweeting to encourage
the audience to ask questions throughout the discussion. With so many “talk head”
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panel discussions on Social Media, we decided to use a different technique with our
speakers. We secured John Lee, CEO of Digital Growth Strategies to interview Gabrielle
de Papp, Vice President, Corporate Public Relations of Neiman Marcus. John expertly
led her through a series of questions that allowed her to unveil Neiman’s story of how a
brand that would seem to have the most to risk by giving up control of their messaging in
social media has fully embraced it. She discussed strategy development, implementation
and results, as well as issues often not discussed—the resources it takes to manage a
successful Social Media strategy. Gabrielle shared how they identified and secured
popular bloggers to produce organic, credible and engaging content for their customers.
Target Audience: Traditional and digital advertising professionals, marketers, students
and the general public who want to learn how big brands are utilizing social media
marketing
Method of Promotion: The event was promoted through our website, social media
pages, and email blasts, as well as announcements at luncheons leading up to this event.
We also produced an agenda for the event which was provided at the tables.
Scott McLernon, Chief Revenue Officer for YuMe; and Laura Molen, EVP Network Sales
and Marketing for Univision. The panel discussed topics such as multi-screen content
distribution strategies; how they are leveraging viewer interaction via the “second
screen” (i.e. Social Media); and the long overdue convergent measurement tools.
Target Audience: Network executives and sales representatives from New York,
Chicago and Dallas; traditional and digital advertising professionals, marketers, students
and the general public who want to learn how Cable networks are transforming the
video experience.
Method of Promotion: We issued a “Save the Date” email to all Cable network sales
offices in New York, Chicago and Dallas to ensure they would be available to support
this annual event. It was also promoted through our website, social media pages, and
email blasts, as well as announcements at luncheons leading up to this event. We also
produced an agenda for the tables.
Total Attendance: 294
Feedback Mechanism: Surveys distributed at each table
Total Attendance: 132, up 27% YOY
Feedback Mechanism: We had 30+ Tweets with questions; the audience Q&A session
lasted much longer than normal; many stayed behind to speak with the presenter; several
people thanked us on their way out.
Results: This annual luncheon is typically one of our largest attended, and in 2012, we
surpassed the previous year’s attendance by 30%. The number of sponsorships sold was
up by 54%, and we made a net profit of $8,203 (driven by $11,000+ in gross sponsorship
revenue)—our most profitable lunch of the year.
Results: Our January luncheons are usually one of our lowest drawing, so we were
extremely pleased with the attendance. We had a 12% response rate on survey submissions.
6th Annual Cable Day: Transforming the Video Experience
November 13, 2012
Event Details: This year’s panel discussed how technology is impacting where/when/
how consumers view video content today. As was true at its inception six years ago,
we continue to secure high-profile network executives from some of the leading Cable
networks. This year, we added a speaker from the Digital Video space, given the rapid
changes happening with “TV” content. Chris Smith, Creative Group Head for The
Richards Group served as Moderator. The panelists included Linda Yaccarino, President
of Advertising Sales for NBC Universal; Eric Johnson, EVP Multimedia Sales for ESPN;
SPECIAL EVENTS
Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame, AAF 10th District Event,
Hosted by AAF Dallas, October 15, 2012
Event Details: AAF Dallas has had the honor of hosting the Southwest Advertising Hall
of Fame Induction Ceremony for five years. We typically schedule this event in our
normal monthly Luncheon venue, but in 2012, as luck would have it, that venue was
unavailable on our date. We quickly scouted other options and secured Brookhaven
Country Club, which was quite fortuitous because it served as a beautiful backdrop to an
inspirational and motivating event. Six inductees were honored at this event: Norman
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Brinker (Dallas), Chuck Carlberg (Dallas), Bill Fogarty and Rich Klein (Houston),
William Hill (Houston) and Tom Kalahar (Dallas). Each inductee was honored and
recognized for their contributions to the advertising industry as well as in their local
communities.
Target Audience: Advertising professionals, marketers, past inductees, AAF 10th
District members, and the families of the 2012 inductees.
Method of Promotion: We issued a dedicated Press Release in June to announce
the 2012 class. Background information on each inductee as well as highlights
of their career and accomplishments was published on a dedicated website—
www.southwestadvertisinghalloffame.com. It was also promoted through our website
www.aafdallas.org and the 10th District website www.aaf10.org. We promoted it on
the AAF Dallas and 10th District social media pages, and with email blasts. We made
announcements about the upcoming induction ceremony at luncheons leading up to
this event. A program guide was produced and provided at the tables; AAF Dallas sold
86% of the advertising.
Total Attendance: 369
Feedback Mechanism: The attendees came from all over District 10 and many expressed
how impressive the venue was, and the program, overall. The President of Camelot
Strategic Marketing & Media (the agency owned by Inductee Tom Kalahar) thanked her
employees for their strong support of the event and appreciated the vendor support in
the community.
Results: Attendance was up 83% YOY. Ad sales were up by 153%; of that, 86% were sold
by AAF Dallas.
2013 AAF Dallas ADDYs Awards, February 20, 2013
Event Details: The ADDYs Awards program is the largest program we put on each year,
and is our most anticipated event in the Dallas creative community. It is the most visible
and effective product we’ve developed over time to showcase the breadth and depth of
agency resources based in Dallas.
Target Audience: This year, our co-chairs made it their goal to put Dallas on the map
as a creative destination. As a part of that goal, it was their desire to open the award
program to new agencies and businesses. In all, they were able to increase registered
ADDY users by nearly 10% year over year, and with this year’s expanded base of digital
categories, introduced our award show to a number of digital shops in the market. In
all, 116 different representatives of agencies, client and universities from throughout the
Dallas area registered for this year’s show. One of the biggest of those was The Richards
Group. Known as one of Dallas’ largest local agencies, TRG had fallen off in terms of
ADDY involvement in recent years. That changed this year thanks to the recruitment of
The Richards Group as Agency of Record for the 2013 ADDY Awards.
Method of Promotion:
The Creative Team: Each year, we select a local agency to develop the ADDY theme
and creative campaign to promote the entry process and the Gala. As mentioned above,
The Richards Group is one of the largest and most prestigious full- service agencies in
Dallas and the region, yet historically they have chosen other national and international
competitions for showcasing their own work. We knew early on that we wanted to get
them engaged with our brand, not only to benefit from their creative genius but to
remind them of how special the ADDYs are. From there, not only would TRG produce
a phenomenal ADDY campaign, but they would also eventually be recognized as the
winner of Best of Show Television for one of the entries they may into this year’s show.
The Richards Group delivered on what it had set out to do with this year’s campaign
by delivering the overall premise for this year’s show. They nurtured it and cared for it.
Eventually, the realization came to them. Ideas make us feel like they are our babies. We
breathe life into them, nurture them and protect them—from internals and clients alike.
If the ideas are our babies, the ADDYS are a baby pageant like no other. From that, the
2013 ADDY theme became “May the Best Babies Win”. They paid this idea off across a
full spectrum of work—videos, posters, viral elements and fun “party” collateral.
Call for Entries: It all started with a teaser campaign. The visual of a positive pregnancy
test and the theme “Congratulations, You’re having an ADDY” was pushed out
prior to a November 8th Call for Entries party to bring out the interest of potential
competitors. On the day of the event, posters claiming “Congrats. You had a baby!” were
hung throughout the evening’s venue, and everyone in attendance received wrapped
chocolate cigars. Balloons promoting “It’s an integrated campaign” and “It’s a TV
spot”, etc. adorned the Happy Hour venue. We launched via postings on social media,
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continuing with the theme “Send Us Your Babies”. The team delivered similar posters to
local agencies the next week. The campaign included a robust social media effort across
Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. On December 4th we issued a dedicated Press Release
promoting The Richards Group theme and submission information. The Better Business
Bureau promoted our Call for Entries in their newsletter, on their website and social
media channels. As the deadline approached, we promoted the ADDY judges in email
blasts along with a “Hurry, last day to enter” message.
Judging: We recruited three world-renowned and respected Creative Directors to come
to Dallas and judge the submissions. Hart Rusen is VP/Creative Director of Publicis
Seattle and is known for his work on the T-Mobile campaign “Girl in the Pink Dress”.
Michel Rothschild is SVP/Creative Director at Draftfcb Chicago and has worked on
brands such as Quaker Oats, Dos Equis, MTV and McDonalds. Aimee Schier is an
Emmy-Award winning creative director at CNN Digital. This stellar panel of judges
reviewed 440 entries over three days.
we held our kick-off Call for Entries Happy Hour. The party was promoted in email
blasts leading up to the day of the Gala.
Following the Show: We sent out an email blast the next morning thanking the
community for “Helping Shine a Spotlight on Idea Baby Brilliance”.
Total Attendance: 466
Feedback Mechanism: Press coverage, Twitter feed, immediate demand the next
morning for the winner’s list (mostly by those not in attendance), and orders for extra
trophies.
Results: In all, 137 Gold, Silver and Bronze ADDYs were handed out to winners
throughout the evening. We netted a profit of $36,000.
Awards Show: We encouraged the ad community to attend our Gala through a series of
email blasts and social media. Hummingbird Productions provided freshly produced
music and audio for the evening. We were able to show off our market’s babies in a
unique “baby mobile” like display because of our in-kind sponsor Skyline. Without
the help of businesses like these, the show would have never been what it was able to
become. Our host for the evening was Comedian David Jessup, and entertainment was
provided by award-winning artist Tony Ramey.
One of the most notable pieces of the evening was this year’s People’s choice awards.
During our cocktail hour and the extent of our show, we provided, with the help of our
sponsor Best Buzz, a mobile application that allowed our baby mommas and daddies the
chance to vote for the best piece of creative that was on display at the show. After the
show was over, we continued the Baby Pageant theme with our gift bags, handing out
baby bottle-shaped boxes and “diaper bags”. We published a full list of winners in a show
guide that was included in the gift bags as well as on our website.
ADDY After Party: Immediately following the completion of the 2013 ADDY Awards,
streaming audio provider Spotify sponsored our After Party at the Blackfriar Pub where
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Average Attendance: 50 (August AdBites surpassed the average attendance attracting
60 attendees)
DIVISION II:
AAF OMAHA
2012-2013 Program Overview: AAF Omaha’s mission is to support the professional
advancement of all advertising, marketing and communication professionals in the
Greater Omaha area through educational, social and community programs. The club’s
programming goals are:
Results: AAF Omaha accomplished its objective by surpassing the average attendance
with minimal out-of-pocket expense. The audience enjoyed the video presentation and
was engaged in the program. In addition, television networks sponsored the program,
deferring costs for the organization.
• Provide top-notch, engaging programs
• Provide long-lasting benefits for personal and professional development for
members and non members
September AdBites
Program Date: September 18, 2012
• Reflect the diverse mix of skill sets, ages, interests, expertise and
professional roles of our audience in programming
Speaker: Donna Kush, Assistant VP of Corporate Communications, Union Pacific
Topic: Union Pacific 150th Year Anniversary Celebration Campaign
• Retain program attendance from the 2011-2012
Event Description: In 2012, Union Pacific Railroad Company celebrated 150 years of
business. The anniversary was celebrated nationwide by Union Pacific employees, train
enthusiasts, businesses, and communities. Kush demonstrated how a well-organized
campaign can bring diverse audiences together to celebrate.
• Stay within budget, specifically by recruiting speakers at low or no cost
August AdBites
Program Date: August 21, 2012
Topic: 2012 Fall TV Programming
Target Audience: AAF Omaha members, marketing professionals, advertising agency
professionals, college students and professors.
Event Description: Video presentation featuring new fall programming for NBC, CBS,
ABC, CW, FOX and cable. This program was designed to give a preview of the upcoming
fall television lineup. To make the event more fun, there was a drawing for a variety of
prizes that were provided by the various TV networks.
Method of Promotion: This AdBites program was promoted through an email
invitation, regular reminder emails, the AAF Omaha website, and the AAF Omaha
newsletter, AdMuse. It was promoted at August’s AdBites by a PowerPoint presentation
and an announcement during the program.
Target Audience: AAF Omaha members, specifically media buyers and planners
Average Attendance: 50 (the September AdBites surpassed the average attendance)
Method of Promotion: This AdBites program was promoted through an email
invitation, regular reminder emails, the AAF Omaha website, and the AAF Omaha
newsletter, AdMuse. It was also promoted at July’s AdBites by PowerPoint presentation
and an announcement during the program.
Results: AAF Omaha accomplished its objective by surpassing the average attendance.
Also, by bringing in a local speaker with no speaker fees we were able to keep our expense
at a minimum.
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Additional Speakers: Twenty three speakers presented throughout the two days.
October AdBites
Program Date: October 16, 2012
Speaker: Laura Ries, author of the digital book, Visual Hammer
Topic: Building Powerful Brands with Visuals Alone
Event Description: Advertising isn’t working the way it used to and the noise level on
social media is so high, it’s difficult to cut through the clutter. So what’s a marketing
person suppose to do? Use a visual approach instead of a verbal one. Laura Ries explained
how companies are building power brands with visuals alone. At the conclusion of the
presentation, Ries gave away five copies of her digital book, Visual Hammer.
Event Description: The Meet the Pros attendance and curriculum continues to be a strong
and highly anticipated program. The two-day event features general session speakers,
virtual agency tours, panel discussions, skill building breakout sessions and portfolio
reviews. Portfolio reviews continue to be the most popular feature. Students have the
opportunity to meet face-to-face with experienced professionals to have their portfolio’s
constructively critiqued in preparation for a job interview. This year’s curriculum was
designed to prepare students for the real world after graduation.
Target Audience:
• Regional college, university and trade school students in Nebraska, Iowa,
Kansas, South Dakota and Missouri
Target Audience: AAF Omaha members, marketing professionals, advertising agency
professionals, college students and professors.
• Student Ad / Marketing / Public Relations Clubs
• College and university professors and teachers
Method of Promotion: This AdBites program was promoted through an email
invitation, regular reminder emails, the AAF Omaha website, and the AAF Omaha
newsletter, AdMuse. It was also promoted at September’s AdBites using a PowerPoint
presentation and announcement during the program.
• AAF Omaha members
• Area advertising / marketing / public relations professionals
Method of Promotion:
Average Attendance: 50 (the October AdBites surpassed the average attendance)
• Posters sent to college students throughout the region
Results: AAF Omaha accomplished its objective by surpassing the average attendance.
Also, in exchange for the opportunity to sell her books, the speaker reduced the speaker fees.
• Email communications with professors and AAF Omaha members
• The posters and emails drive the target audience to a branded webpage for
more information and registration
• Campus visits are also conducted to engage students in robust dialogue
about Meet the Pros and the AAF Omaha
Meet the Pros
Program Date: February 11-12, 2013
Keynote Speakers: Clint! Runge of Archrival, was the Monday luncheon speaker and
used work his agency has done for the City of Lincoln as a platform to discuss why we
have a responsibility to make where we live awesome. Stefan Mumaw, Callahan Creek,
led a Creative Bootcamp on Monday afternoon. In just 90-minutes he helped students
improve the quality and quantity of their ideas. Finally, for the Tuesday luncheon,
illustrative designer Von Glitschka showed why drawing is an incredibly important part
of the creative process and challenged everyone to draw every day.
• To further reach out to our target market, a Facebook group page and
Facebook event page were established to assist in event communication,
ongoing Meet the Pros news and provide a venue for industry dialogue
Feedback: 2013 Meet the Pros was a rousing success, smashing the committee’s
attendance and sponsorship goals. The event also fulfilled its profit responsibilities to
AAF Omaha’s yearly budget. Most importantly, it was widely regarded as an incredibly
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informative and successful event for the students. In fact, many college professors left
the same feedback, “Best Meet the Pros I’ve ever attended.”
Results: Meet the Pros connected 242 students and professors with area professionals during
the two-day event, which represented a 40% increase over 2012 attendance. Students had
the opportunity to network with other students, educators, and professionals, ultimately
kick-starting their post-collegiate career on a creative note. More than 75 local professionals
participated through the panel discussion, portfolio and resume reviews throughout the
2-day event. Local agencies and businesses provided over $4,000 in sponsorships, 17 job
shadows, food, drink and prizes for attendees. They also surpassed budget goal, providing
AAF Omaha with profit to fund other events and expenses throughout the year.
Creative Boot Camp
In conjunction with Meet the Pros, we kept Stefan Mumaw around for an evening just
for professionals.
The Creative Boot Camp was a 90-minute creativity crash course. Audience members
were given a creative exercise to begin as their base. Stefan then elaborated on the key
characteristics of daily creative output, identified the obstacles to effective creative
training and broke down ideation into digestible steps, all the while using short, intheir-seats creative exercises to illuminate key points about behavior, experience and
perspective. From serious creative inflection to comedy improv techniques, the audience
was taken on a creative journey through practice, philosophy and application. At the
end, attendees were administered one last creative exercise, their final exam. Audience
members saw that they were able to generate ideas in greater quantity and quality after
just 90 minutes of Creative Boot Camp.
Objectives:
• To provide ongoing, educational programming for professional
development
• To generate an additional source of income for the club
• To utilize the program as a recruitment tool for new members and as an
opportunity to earn back lapsed-member interest
Target Audiences:
• Current AAF Omaha members
• Prospect databases
• Any and all advertising professionals and students in the area
Budget Recap: This Creative Boot Camp was held in conjunction with Meet the Pros,
which allowed costs to remain low. The presenter, the rental space and the audio/visual
needs were already available from the event held earlier in the day. The budget for
Creative Boot Camp paid for half the costs of the presenters travel costs and lodging as
well as the sodas provided to our attendees.
Distribution Methods:
• Email blasts with links to the AAF Omaha website
• Promotion on AAF Omaha website events page and homepage
• AdMuse newsletter promotion and promotion for upcoming luncheons at
each luncheon
• Direct personal emails to various advertising agencies in town encouraging
their participation in the Boot Camp
Results Achieved: As a brand new offering, the Creative Boot Camp was incredibly wellreceived. The attendance was higher than expected at 70 guests. Plus, the majority of
attendees were non-members which gave us great exposure to help entice people to join.
The response from the group was that they thoroughly enjoyed Stefan Mumaw and his
approach to creativity. In addition, because it was held in conjunction with Meet the
Pros which kept costs low, the Boot Camp was a great source of income for the club.
6 in 60
Each quarter, AAF Omaha hosts an After Hours professional development event. The
program features six advertising and marketing professionals from all types of businesses
from whom our members and guests can learn firsthand experiences and advice over a
60-minute period.
• To educate the Omaha community on best practices in advertising
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Objectives:
• To educate the Omaha community on best practices and trends in advertising.
• To generate an additional source of income for the club.
• To utilize the programs as a recruitment tool for new members and as an
opportunity to earn back lapsed-member interest.
Target Audiences:
• Current AAF Omaha members
• Prospect databases
• Any and all advertising professionals and students in the area
Budget Recap: “6 in 60” events do not generally cost money to host. A local restaurant,
has allowed us to use their private space and audio/visual equipment at no cost. In
addition, all speakers are volunteers and have given their time at no cost to AAF Omaha.
Distribution Methods:
• Email blasts with links to the AAF Omaha website
• Promotion on AAF Omaha website events page and homepage
• AdMuse newsletter promotion
Results Achieved: Two events have been completed to date—one in October and one
in January. AAF Omaha plans to have another this spring and one in the summer. For
the October event, six area advertising professionals discussed the topic of “Is your
marketing smart enough for smart phones?” Each presenter works in mobile marketing
from mobile sites and applications to QR codes, analytics and multi-screens. Attendance
was 35 guests. For the January event, a couple speakers pulled out at the last minute,
and we had four presenters speak on the topic of “The differences between agency-side
and client-side marketing.” Two presenters had a background being on the client-side,
one had experience in various agencies and one had been on both sides throughout his
career. Attendance was 29 guests.
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4. Obtain member feedback to determine if we are meeting member needs.
DIVISION III:
AAF EAST CENTRAL INDIANA
Result: Members were surveyed after every meeting to determine
satisfaction, and during the 2012 membership survey, programs ranked
second behind networking as the reason most retained their memberships.
Strategic Planning to Establish Goals: The American Advertising Federation of East
Central Indiana (AAF ECI) began its club year with a Board of Directors retreat in July
2012, when the group reviewed results of its goals from the previous year and formulated
goals and strategies for 2012-2013. Using results from a series of documents from 2012,
including the year’s Membership Survey, Budget results, program surveys from monthly
club meetings, Mission statement, and By-laws, we developed our 2012-2013 goals.
After being approved by the board, these goals were communicated to our members via
our website (aafeci.org), our Viewpoint e-newsletter and our first annual club meeting
(September 2012).
5. Maintain fee to attend our professional development programs at the same
rate charged the last five years—members, $15 and guests, $20.
Result: By maintaining the fee we increased meeting attendance by 19%,
from 63 per meeting in 2011-2012 to 83 in 2012-2013.
6. Schedule speakers that offer value to memberships and helps to increase
membership by 10%
Result: Our membership held steady at 107 members for the second straight year.
2011-2014 Programs Goal: To focus on excellence through quality programming to
foster an active, interested membership, well attended programs and membership growth.
7. Offer a program targeted to diversity in advertising to reach minority
businesses and professionals.
Result: In March 2013, AAF ECI will hold a program on Multicultural
Advertising with speaker Jo Muse, Muse Advertising.
2012-2013 Programs Objectives:
1. Engage at least 50% of our membership through involvement in an AAF
ECI committee.
Result: 2012-2013 member participation was 41%
2. Offer seven extraordinary professional development programs that focus
on innovative trends in advertising and provide value to members and
prospective members.
Result: AAF ECI offered its members seven well-received programs
including former Apple Executive Steve Chazin (September), LinkedIn/
Social Media expert Kevin Knebl (October), and Marketing/Sales expert
Kent Dean (January).
3. Increase membership attendance by 5% (our average meeting attendance
for 2011-2012 was 63 members per month) for the seven professional
development programs.
Result: 2012-2013 attendance at monthly professional development
meetings increased to 19% to an average of 83 members per meeting.
Targeted Audiences: The primary target audiences for all monthly programs consist of
current and former members; professionals in the advertising, communications, public
relations and marketing industries; student, staff and faculty of Ball State University;
small business owners; marketing and public relations staff of non-profit organizations,
and Minority business owners.
Method of Promotion: The AAF ECI Communications committee is responsible for
the promotion of all programs through social media vehicles including Facebook and
Twitter, as well as traditional media. New releases were sent to area newspapers, radio
stations, community website calendars throughout the region. Releases were also posted
on our website (aafeci.org) and our e-newsletter—Viewpoint—kept members, students
and prospective members informed of upcoming events. We were also dependent on
event sponsors who underwrote our programing. We received $20,000 in program
sponsorship for 2012-2013.
Feedback Mechanism: A written evaluation is available at all monthly professional
development programs and special events. Members and guests are encouraged to
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complete surveys at the end of each program meeting and they are now in the habit of
doing so. More than one-half of those attending our professional development programs
complete the written survey. Survey results are e-mailed to board members within a week
of the meeting. They are also reviewed a second time, at the next board meeting. Particular
consideration is given to member suggestions and recommendations.
TOP THREE PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL PROGRAM
Sept. 14, 2012, “The 5 Secrets of the World’s Best Marketing Machine”
—Steve Chazin
Event Details: Former Apple Marketing Exec Steve Chazin described how Apple
leveraged little known secrets to go from the brink of bankruptcy to changing the way the
world experiences music, movies, applications and the web.
98% of participants surveyed enjoyed Chazin’s presentation. Although the program ended
20 minutes late, all but four of the meeting’s 114 attendees stayed until its completion.
Target Audience and Methods of Promotion: In addition to the methods described
on page 3, board members promoted this event by attending a special Chamber of
Commerce Breakfast called “Muncie On The Move” and gave out 100 apples with the date
and time of the program, had a billboard donated by Burkhart, a local outdoor company,
advertised in the Muncie Star-Press newspaper, had radio spots donated and run by five
local radio stations and gave away free t-shirts to the first 100 people to make reservations
to the program. Our group also sold opportunity tickets for a prize of a free Bose docking
station and iPod Touch.
“It will be hard to beat this program.”
“Nice job guys! Continue to book such interesting and inspiring speakers.”
Oct. 12, 2012, “Social Media for Huge Success”—Kevin Knebl
Event Details: International Speaker and co-author of The Social Media Sales Revolution:
The New Rules for Finding Customers, Building Relationships, and Closing More Sales
Through Online Networking revealed how using social media platforms like LinkedIn
and Twitter could help local business professionals and businesses build relationships,
awareness and sales.
98% of participants surveyed enjoyed Knebl’s presentation.
Target Audience and Methods of Promotion: The AAF ECI Communications
committee promoted this program through social media vehicles including Facebook
and Twitter, as well as traditional media. New releases were sent to area newspapers,
radio stations, and community website calendars throughout the region. Releases were
also posted on our website (aafeci.org) and our e-newsletter—Viewpoint—kept members,
students and prospective members updated of this event.
Attendance: Attendance at the luncheon was 72, a 10% increase over the October 2011
meeting. This included 66 members and 6 guests.
Feedback: Survey results verified satisfaction with 100% responding that the program
was informative and interesting; 97% said the speaker held their attention; 100% said
the atmosphere was friendly and fun and 100% said the meeting met their expectations.
Results: There was no negative feedback among those surveyed. Comments included:
“I normally don’t take notes but I certainly at this meeting!!!”
Attendance: Attendance at the luncheon was 114, a 43% increase over the September
2011 meeting. This included 81 members and 33 guests.
Feedback: Survey results verified satisfaction with 99% responding that the program
was informative and interesting; 97% said the speaker held their attention; 96% said the
atmosphere was friendly and fun and 98% said the meeting met their expectations.
Results: There was definitely a lot of positive feedback regarding the meeting. Survey
comments included the following:
“I can’t wait to get back to work to tell my boss what I learned.”
Jan. 11, 2012, “From Personality to Profitability”—Kent Dean
Event Details: Kent Dean, Director of Field Marketing/Corporate Communications for
32 Rosa’s Restaurants in Texas and California, walked the audience through a personality
assessment designed to help people easily recognize personality types and better execute
successful communications.
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Feedback: While our chapter will not survey members on the ADDYs until our March
14 meeting, we received a record number of entries (201 up from 160 the previous year),
and revenues of $12,195.
93% of attendees at this program completed surveys; ranking the program at 99.7%
Target Audience and Methods of Promotion: See Program #2 for details.
Attendance: Attendance at the luncheon was 74, a 10% increase over the January 2011
meeting.
Results: We have also received several e-mail testimonials praising the event including
the following:
Feedback: Survey results verified satisfaction with 100% responding that the program
was informative and interesting; 100% said the speaker held their attention; 99% said
the atmosphere was friendly and fun and 100% said the meeting met their expectations.
“…I have been to a few of these in my job with Burkhart Advertising and this
year’s award ceremony was by far the most interactive and the most enjoyable
to be a part of. The “Rock the Addy’s” theme created ways for the members to
become personally involved which added to the atmosphere and interaction
among competing businesses. Fun was had by all and I commend you for the
efforts. I can’t wait to see what we do next year.”
Results: This is the second meeting this year where there was no negative feedback among
those surveyed. Comments included praise like:
“I’m glad the PowerPoint will be posted so our HR Vice President can view it.”
—Joe Cielinski, Sales Manager, Burkhart Advertising
“Glad you included membership application in the folder you gave me at checkin. I’m filling out the application now. I want to be a part of this organization.”
PROGRAMS SUMMARY
Feb. 23, 2013, “AAF ECI Rock the ADDYs” Awards Banquet
Event Details: AAF ECI held its annual ADDY Awards banquet “Rock The ADDYs” at
the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie, IN. Attendees were encourage to dress up as
rock or pop stars.
Target Audience and Methods of Promotion: In additional to the promotional methods
used for other programs detailed above, AAF ECI began brainstorming the 2013 ADDY’s
in November of 2012. Once the theme, “Rock the ADDY’s,” was finalized, promotion
immediately ensued with an email sent to all club members. The emails continued weekly
until the event with a different decade of music portrayed each time. Along with the
stream of email blasts, collateral materials were featured at each speaking event, such
as posters, table tents, table fliers and verbal announcements. In order to ensure student
involvement, professional club members attended a student chapter meeting to spread
the word, along with email blasts and collateral materials.
AAF ECI had a tremendous program year. We kicked off our year with a speaker that
drew 114 and increased our meeting attendance by 19%. In addition to our attendance
increase, our members praised our programming, often commenting on how relevant the
speaker’ topics were and the insights they gained bay attending. We also experienced one
of our most successful ADDY programs ever.
We believe that this extremely successful year has left our membership not only proud
to be a part of AAF ECI, but excited about the organization and that this excitement
will serve as a springboard to a more active membership, that is eager to insure this
organization remains successful.
Attendance: Attendance at the event was 130 up from 115 last year.
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Board members reported progress on each of their committee’s goals at monthly
board meetings.
DIVISION IV:
AAF FORT WORTH
Opening Statement and Overview: The recession of 2010-2011 left an impact on all
those who it affected in and out of the advertising realm. Whether it was loss of jobs or
company cut backs on spending, it caused a great deal of concern for every dollar that
was spent and how it was to be spent. In 2011-2012, AAF-Fort Worth began to see an
increase in participation from not only the advertising community, but other closelyrelated industries. Agencies and industry partners were picking up the pace and getting
back on track.
For 2012-2013, we continued to ramp up our online efforts and work hard to reach out
through social media channels. We also took a look at the speakers and topics we were
bringing in, and made sure we were bringing in a variety of speakers about various topics
that appeal to different targets within agencies, the creative community and supporting
industries.
Target Audience: The target audience for AAF-Fort Worth programs includes our
membership base, professionals in communications, marketing and advertising
industries, staff and students from Texas Christian University, University of Texas
at Arlington, University of North Texas, Art Institute of Fort Worth, small business
owners, and corporate and non-profit marketers.
Methods of Promotion: Cvent: AAF-Fort Worth uses Cvent as our exclusive invitation,
reminder and tracking device for all programs. We can also receive, track payments
and print name tags through Cvent. Each program is e-mailed to about 2,000 e-mail
addresses weekly up until the day before the event. We also send out an email the
morning of the event as a reminder.
AAF-Fort Worth Website: The AAF-Fort Worth Website (www.aaffortworth.
com) underwent a major facelift in 2011. The new layout allows us to
showcase the current events/luncheon programs on the home page in a large
promo area. There is also a calendar of events listing on the home page as
well as an “Events” tab in the top navigation that lists the monthly luncheons
and other programs. Every page includes a link to register for events.
Programming Objectives: American Advertising Federation—Fort Worth (AAF-FW)
is an organization of advertising professionals with a common goal—to encourage and
enhance the education and advancement of the advertising community in Fort Worth.
The AAF-Fort Worth Board met at our summer retreat to work on the goals of all aspects
of the club. The 2012-2013 goals of the club’s programming were:
Social Media: AAF-Fort Worth employs Facebook and Twitter (@
AAFFortWorth) to promote our monthly programs. We have an official
hashtag for all AAF-FW events (#AAFFW). We currently have 551 fans on
Facebook and 1,161 followers on Twitter.
• Work on membership to help drive up our attendance at luncheons and
special events
• Continue having luncheon speakers that do not charge a speaking fee to
help save on costs for our club
• Target programs for perspective member groups and diverse audiences
• Come up with inexpensive and creative events for our members to be a part
of and bring potential new members
• Work with other local organizations to gain attendees and build stronger
working relationships between similar organizations (PRSA, Social Media
Club, AIGA, DSVC, etc.)
FEATURED PROGRAMS
August 15, 2012: 2012 Magazine Day
Event Details: Our Annual Magazine Day featured speaker Bob Sacks, a veteran of the
publishing industry since 1970. Sacks was one of the founding fathers of High Times
Magazine and has held positions that include Publisher, Editor, Freelance Writer,
Director of Manufacturing and Distribution, Senior Sales Manager, Circulator, Chief
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of Operations, Pressman, Cameraman, Lecturer, and Developer of website companies.
His resume lists directorships at such prestigious companies as McCall’s, Time Inc.,
New York Times Magazine Group, International Paper, Ziff-Davis, CMP, and Bill
Communications (VNU).
based on her own experiences and countless interviews with her peers, gives the full stories,
from the junior account man whose wife almost left him when she found the copy of Screw
magazine he’d used to find “a date” for a client, to the Ogilvy & Mather’s annual Boat Ride,
a sex-and-booze filled orgy, from which it was said no virgin ever returned intact.
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members, marketing professionals, social media
professionals, small businesses, advertising agency professionals, college students and
professors, and magazine professionals.
Wickedly funny and full of juicy inside information, Mad Women tackles some of the
tougher issues of the era, such as unequal pay, rampant, jaw-dropping sexism, and the
difficult choice many women faced between motherhood and their careers.
Methods of Promotion: This month’s luncheon was promoted through Cvent, AAFFort Worth Website, Press Releases, Facebook and Twitter.
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members, marketing professionals, social media
professionals, small businesses, advertising agency professionals, college students and
professors and media.
Attendance: Average attendance is 63. The August luncheon had an attendance of 96.
Feedback: Feedback is tracked through Facebook and Twitter comments, all were positive.
Results: This program stepped out of the comfort zone a little and brought interesting
insights into the publishing industry. Our attendance exceeded our expectations and this
event met our goal of bringing in outside speakers with great information and increasing
our luncheon attendance numbers.
September 19, 2012: Mad Women: The Other Side of Life on Madison Avenue
in the Sixties and Beyond
Event Details: Jane Maas is one of the most respected names in advertising. She is best
known for her direction of the “I Love New York” campaign, which changed the image
of New York City and revitalized its tourism economy. Maas is a real-life “Peggy Olson”
and in her book, she reveals what life was like as an ad woman on Madison Avenue in
the 60s & 70s.
Mad Women: The Other Side of Life on Madison Avenue in the Sixties and Beyond is an
immensely entertaining and bittersweet memoir. It’s a tell-all account of life in the New
York advertising world by Jane Maas, a copywriter who succeeded in the primarily male
jungle depicted in the hit show Mad Men.
Fans of Mad Men have been dying to know how accurate it is: was there really that much
sex at the office? Were there really three-martini lunches? Were women really second-class
citizens? Maas says the answer to all three questions is unequivocally “yes.” Her book,
Methods of Promotion: This month’s luncheon was promoted through Cvent, AAFFort Worth Website, Press Releases, Facebook and Twitter.
Attendance: Average attendance is 63. The September luncheon had 90 attendees
registered with an actual attendance of a little over 100.
Feedback: Feedback is tracked through Facebook and Twitter comments, all were positive.
Results: This program was well received and loved by many members. Response was
that she was one of the best speakers we have had at a luncheon in the most recent years.
Jane Maas was very entertaining and answered any questions attendees had, even the
hard ones. We worked with Barnes & Noble on setting up a table to sell her books and
she autographed every book sold during the luncheon.
January 16, 2013: Everything You Know About Social Media is Wrong
Event Details: Two local social media thought leaders debunked some of the latest social
media myths such as: Only young people are on social media. Social media doesn’t work
for B2B companies. The fans of my page see everything I post.
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members, marketing professionals, social media
professionals, small businesses, advertising agency professionals, college students and
professors and media.
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Methods of Promotion: This month’s luncheon was promoted through Cvent, AAFFort Worth Website, Facebook and Twitter.
Attendance: Average attendance is 63. The January luncheon had an attendance of 77.
Feedback: Feedback was tracked through Facebook and Twitter responses, which were
all positive.
Results: Ryan Cormier and Chip Hanna discussed the business of social media—from
turning your customers into a community, to turning your community into customers.
Many smaller companies that do not have social media departments benefited from
hearing these guys speak. We have also added them both to the District Speakers Book
and other organizations have invited them to speak locally after attending our luncheon.
February 22, 2013: 2013 ADDY Awards
Event Details: Everyone was encouraged to bring their A-Game to celebrate creative
excellence in our community and find out who won the ultimate bonus round—the
Best of Show ADDY. In order to allow for more attendees this year, we switched venues,
which allowed us to also save money on the total cost of the Gala. This year we struggled
with getting sponsors, but by saving on the venue and some other additions, we still
came out ahead. We also selected a well-known caterer in DFW to help attract more
people after food complaints last year. We added a silent auction this year to raise money
for our club to be used for programs. In addition, we allowed attendees to purchase VIP
tables for a premium price to help make extra money for the club.
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members, marketing professionals, social media
professionals, small businesses, advertising agency professionals, industry vendors,
college students and professors, and media.
Methods of Promotion: The Gala was promoted through several different Cvent
messages, AAF-Fort Worth Website, Facebook and Twitter.
Attendance: Attendance for this event was at 301.
Feedback: Feedback was tracked through follow up calls, a post-event survey as well as
Facebook and Twitter comments. All were positive.
Results: The new venue and caterer were a smashing success based on the feedback
we have received so far. We made an extra $800 on the VIP tables. The Silent Auction
brought in almost $2,500, without even publicizing it ahead of time. Both of these
additions really helped balance out our shortfall on Gala sponsors.
October 6, 2012: 6th Annual Beatles Benefit Bash
Event Details: AAF-Fort Worth hosted its sixth annual Benefit Bash on the covered
patio at Flying Saucer in support of PMR Charity. A local Beatles cover band A Hard
Days Night rocked the house and the response was fantastic by members and onlookers
alike. 100% of net proceeds from this event go to PMR Charity.
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members and all of District 10, marketing
professionals, advertising agency professionals, college students and professors, media,
vendors and fans of the Beatles.
Methods of Promotion: This event was promoted through Cvent, AAF-Fort Worth
Website, posters, flyers, Press Releases, Facebook and Twitter.
Attendance: The event had an attendance of AAF members and patrons from the
restaurant, which totaled 147 people.
Feedback: The response to the event was fantastic. Each year we have returning attendees
and new faces as well. People seem to still love hearing the band we have been using and
the venue is perfect for this type of event. Overall it was a huge success.
Results: We achieved our goal of raising a great amount of money for PMR Charity and
broadening the awareness of the work they do for people. T-shirt and poster sales, along
with tickets, allowed AAF-Fort Worth to make a donation to PMR Charity that totaled
$3,795.00. The response was fantastic and we can’t wait to get started on preparing for
next year’s event.
December 12, 2012: Paint a Bowl & Feed the Hungry
Event Details: Each year volunteer painters—professional and amateur alike—paint
bisque bowls for the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s “Empty Bowls” fund raising event in
February. Last year they raised enough for 1,250,000 meals from this event alone. The
AAF-Fort Worth board decided this would be a fun event that would reach out to a
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different audience than our standard monthly luncheons. Event was held at a professional
potter’s studio. Space was limited to 20 people (17 years of age or older).
Target Audience: AAF-Fort Worth members, artists, vendors, art directors, advertising
agency professionals, college students and professors.
Methods of Promotion: This event was promoted through Cvent, AAF-Fort Worth
Website, Facebook and Twitter.
Attendance: Attendance for this event was at max capacity of 20.
Feedback: Feedback was tracked through follow up calls, a post-event survey as well as
Facebook and Twitter comments. All were positive.
Results: With it being a goal of AAF-Fort Worth to be more involved in the community
and reach out to creatives, this event definitely helped develop a stronger relationship
between AAF-Fort Worth and the creative community while helping out an organization/
event that plays such an important role in our local community. Another painting night
was even added to the schedule for January 9, 2013 and it sold out as well.
CONCLUSION
AAF-Fort Worth has made programs the focal point of the organization. We recognize
that quality programming will be the central force of the club and in developing a strong
membership. This focus has brought a renewed energy to our monthly luncheon and
evening events and led us to find new ways to keep the membership involved and interested.
Growing our membership and engaging members is an ongoing effort. By giving our
members more to work with and providing knowledge that they can take with them to
help their businesses grow, we have continued to see success at our monthly luncheons
and evening events.
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Goal 3: Secure high-profile speakers for programs scheduled throughout the year to:
DIVISION V:
AD 2 DC
• Enhance the value of Ad 2 DC to prospective and current members.
Strong programming and events continues to attract prospective members and retain
current ones. In its fourth year, Ad 2 DC continued to provide high quality programs
to our members at a low cost. Our events have continued to garner us a reputation as
the premiere organization for young professionals in the advertising, marketing and
communications industry is the DC metro area. Within the past 12 months, Ad 2 DC has
gained 71 new members and hosted over 15 programs and events. Although much of this
success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the entire committee, our
success would not have been possible without the excellent programs and sponsorship
opportunities our Steering Committee members nurtured and produced. This year, we
chose challenging goals that would sustain the momentum we’ve gained over the past
four years and increase the quality of the organization as a whole. Our goals for the 20122013 year were as follows:
Goal 1: Plan, manage and execute at least one sold out program by:
• Consistently hosting programs that are free to members and charging a
nominal fee to non-members.
• Partnering with various industry-niche organizations for additional
exposure and to show the benefits of Ad 2 DC to our current members.
• Continuing to provide high caliber programs for our prospective and
current members.
Goal 2: Enhance the value of potential sponsorships by creating events that are in line
with potential sponsor goals by:
• Producing events that serve as effective vehicles to generate buzz among
young professionals in the industry.
• Maintaining the level of brand integrity achieved from the past four years of
strong programs.
• Increasing overall attendance at programs.
• Attract sponsorships for programs to cover costs of space rental, food and
drinks to lower ticket prices.
• Continue to increase positive awareness of Ad 2 DC within the industry.
We had a number of events planned through 2012-2013 that increased brand awareness
and resulted in increased membership. Our signature events are Water Cooler
Wednesday (WCW) and Tips & Tricks Series. WCW is a free happy hour for young
professionals in the advertising, marketing and communications industry to network
with other like-minded people. Our Tips & Tricks series is our advertising education
program that provides interesting topics to all ages of Ad 2 DC to help with professional
development. Tips & Tricks programs are always free to members and $15 for nonmembers. We developed this pricing structure to increase the value of our membership.
While we won’t discuss all our programs for the year, we do want to share materials from
a few. The following is a review of our three most successful programs.
Political Marketing: An Evening with Rock the Vote
Ad 2 DC hosted a political marketing event, An Evening with Rock the Vote on April
11, 2012 to educate our members on how to turn a mundane topic, such as politics,
into a successful campaign. Our guest speaker, Chrissy Faessen, Vice President
Communications & Marketing at Rock the Vote, presented a range of successful
strategies to drive action towards a nonpartisan issue—low young voter turnout. Faessen
discussed that one of the key successes of Rock the Vote’s campaigns is having a solid
understanding of its target audience—adults ages 18-29. As a non-profit organization,
it has strategically partnered with companies that resonate with young voters—such as
Viacom/MTV, celebrity pop icons and grassroots street teams— and have the influential
power to encourage young adults to take part in their civic duties. The event also reviewed
Rock the Vote’s innovative online, mobile and social media tactics to simplify the voter
registration process and further improve turnout for 2012.
With 2012 being a presidential election year, Rock the Vote had big marketing plans to
exceed young voter turnout from the last major election. Faessen unveiled its mobile
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strategies to have young adults easily register to vote through their phones at big pop
culture events around the country, primarily concerts and SXSW.
Despite politics being historically a low-interest topic for young adults, Rock the Vote
has successfully increased young voter turnout each year. Our speaker gave our attendees
ideas on how to think outside the box to reach the right audiences with creative messages.
Target Audience: Ad 2 DC and DC Ad Club members as well as other professionals in
our industry.
Method of Promotion: We leveraged Rock the Vote’s brand in our creative promotional
materials. As a well-known brand in the DC area, we wanted to highlight the organization to
draw a large crowd. We promoted the event through e-blasts, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,
blog entries and our website.
Attendance: 30 people were in attendance.
Feedback Mechanism: We collected feedback through social media (Facebook and
Twitter) and word of mouth at the end of the event.
Results: Prospective and current members were really impressed with the speaker and
her presentation. They felt the program was very educational and learned a lot about
the importance of doing thorough market research to understand target audiences.
One must know its audience well in order to create good messages that resonate with
them and drive them to take action. Faessen was a very engaging presenter and many
attendees stayed up to an hour past the 2-hour event to speak one-on-one with her.
March Water Cooler Wednesday, sponsored by Hulu
Water Cooler Wednesday (WCW) is a strong event brand and flagship program that
we’ve built over the past four years. It has become a model that other Ad 2 clubs have
followed to develop their own programs. This past year, Ad 2 DC wanted to continue
to use WCW as a vehicle to expand our membership base and add valuable content to
our attendees by increasing brand awareness of this networking happy hour through
high-profile sponsorships. It’s a great introductory event for prospective members.
WCW gives new members the ability to talk with the Steering Committee chairs oneon-one to learn more on how they can get involved. From month to month, at least
40% of attendees are prospective members and each WCW this past year averaged five
student attendees. This allows us to showcase what Ad 2 DC has to offer and provides
us an opportunity to turn prospects into members. The event also creates an appealing
sponsorship opportunity for businesses on a local, national and even international level.
This year, we’ve also seen an increase in overall attendance—specifically in students.
In March 2012, we continued the positive momentum generated by our popular February
WCW sponsored by ESPN, which attracted over 100 attendees. This time, we developed
a new strategic partnership with the internationally successful online video streaming
and subscription service, Hulu. In both cases, these widely known and respected brands
initially reached out to Ad 2 DC to inquire about potential sponsorship and collaboration
opportunities. Over 100 of DC’s young professionals enjoyed complimentary drinks and
appetizers, and were entered into a raffle drawing for the chance to win a Roku. The
event was held at BlackFinn Saloon in Washington, DC and was so successful that the
BlackFinn has invited us to book WCW in their venue as often as we would like. We are
currently speaking with Hulu to sponsor another event in 2013. Throughout the year,
we’ve also co-hosted with several organizations such as the What’s Next DC Conference,
Social Media Club DC and AIGA.
Target Audience: Our audience was composed of 21-32 year olds in the advertising,
marketing, communications and public relations industry. It also included those in the
DC metro area and students interested in learning more about Ad 2 DC.
Method of Promotion: We kept the creative consistent from month to month to drive
brand recognition. When there was a big sponsor, such as Hulu, we incorporated its logo
into the email banner. Also, whenever we had a special presentation, such as an end-ofthe-year recap or a public service campaign launch, we’d add a twist to the creative. These
events are heavily promoted via social media. Through joint efforts, both Ad 2 DC and
the sponsoring organization promoted the event through social media. Additionally,
we promoted through e-blasts, posts on our website and on community calendars. Our
goals were to reach a much larger audience outside of our organization and to increase
buzz around the program.
Attendance: 100 attendees; the average attendance for WCW is 50.
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Feedback Mechanism: Feedback was collected through social media (Facebook and
Twitter), word of mouth and emails to the Ad 2 DC email address. Feedback will also be
collected in our yearly member survey.
Results: This was arguably one of our most successful WCWs to date. We more than
doubled our average event attendance and increased our Facebook “Likes” and Twitter
followers. These events actively contributed to our addition of 71 new members this past
year. Both national sponsors listed above reached out to us due to the high success rate of
these programs. The email promoting the March WCW sponsored by hulu had the highest
open rate (19.7%) and click-through rate (4.53%) of all WCW emails sent out this past year.
DCWEEK: The (Anti)Social Network
For the second year, Ad 2 DC hosted an event during DCWEEK, a weeklong festival of
hundreds of events powered by the community that is attended by over 10,000 people
annually. To stand out in the crowd, Ad 2 DC partnered with a growing creative digital
agency in DC, BRINKmedia, who hosted, sponsored and provided a moderator (their
Executive Vice President) for the event. With the ever-changing landscape of the web
and social media as a focal point, the panel discussed what makes “good” content for
the web, how users expectations have changed, and how to measure effectiveness of
messaging through social media. To conclude the event, the panelists discussed how
social media is a career tool, what employers expect from young professionals when it
comes to their online presence, and what harm it can potentially do.
Target Audience: Local industry professionals of all levels, particularly with an interest
in social media.
Methods of Promotion: New creative was developed for this program to mention
that the event was part of DCWEEK. We promoted the event on DCWEEK’s website,
through social media (using DCWEEK, BRINK and Ad 2 DC accounts) and e-blasts to
our mailing list. Due to a high response rate on this event, we closed registration early,
however we continued to promote via social media and encouraged people to attend as
there may be standing room available.
Attendance: Over 80 people registered; 73% were non-members.
Feedback Mechanisms: Feedback on the event was collected through social media, word
of mouth and emails to the club. In our annual survey, we ask feedback for each event.
Results: This event sold out within two days of posting, resulting in high attendance of nonmembers. Due to the high volume of registrations, we only deployed one email as we had to
close registration. This email received the highest open and click-through rates of all program
emails we sent the past year, with 23.8% and 5.7% respectively. With the partnership of a
growing agency in DC and a well-known community industry event, we were able to expose
attendees to Ad 2 DC’s great programming. This event was also executed at no-cost to Ad 2
DC; BRINKmedia coordinated the catering with a local restaurant.
Mad Memoirs
Storytelling was a hot trend in the DC area this year and Ad 2 DC was looking to develop
a new program. Every agency has its fair share of horror stories; why not have them share
their favorite and add a bit of competition to it? Our programs chair conceptualized
Mad Memoirs—Horror Stories from Behind Agency Walls. Mad Memoirs featured local
agencies who shared their most horrifying story and competed for the Golden Tongue
Award. To offset costs and be able to host the event free for members, the programs
committee sought out an event sponsor and secured, Spongecell. The sponsor was also
a judge of the storytelling competition. We secured “storytellers” from Bates Creative
Group, SmithGifford, LM&O Advertising, and Borenstein Group. Stories ranged from
a phone left on after a client call was completed to a cast member on a video shoot
not being able to formulate a simple line. The judges debated then awarded the Golden
Tongue award to Karen Riordan at SmithGifford for her conference call gone wrong.
Target Audience: Our target audience was split into two groups—agency veterans
interested in exchanging “horror stories” with old friends and the young professionals
entering the agency world.
Method of Promotion: Our Creative committee developed the tag line and a logo for
e-blast, and imagery for social media promotions. To build excitement around the event,
promotions consisted of social media posts, e-blasts, and a branded cover photo on
Facebook.
Attendance: 68 people were in attendance.
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Feedback Mechanism: Feedback was collected through our social media (blog,
Facebook and Twitter), word of mouth and emails to the Ad 2 DC email address. We
also featured a post-event write up on our blog. Feedback will also be collected in our
yearly member survey.
Results: Our first storytelling event was a huge success. We had a great turnout that was
a mixture of our various membership levels. Having Spongecell as the title sponsor—
which was worth $2500—allowed for members to attend at no cost. Spongecell will also
be sponsoring an upcoming WCW. This event was our most profitable event of the year,
resulting in over $1500 in revenue and 279 impressions on Facebook, the most for any
Ad 2 DC Facebook post this past year.
CONCLUSION
As identified in the narrative above, Ad 2 DC has continued to achieve great success
through programs in the past year. Consistent strategic partnerships have expanded our
prospect base to result in the addition of 71 new members over the previous year. New
sponsorships and the addition of several high-profile speakers to program discussion
panels have allowed us to provide more to attendees and enhance our value to both
prospective and current sponsors and members. We continually fill the rooms for
our events and attendees consistently express their enjoyment of them. We were able
to channel this positive momentum to help us generate $6,600 in sponsorships, 38%
above our original goal for the year. By providing a high quality level of programming,
Ad 2 DC continues to reinforce its place in the DC advertising, communications and
marketing industry as the premiere organization for young professionals.
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public service
div I:
d i v II :
A u s t i n A d v e r t i s i n g F e d e r at i o n
aaf omaha
d i v III : d i v I v:
d i v v:
a a f b at o n r o u g e
AA F E C o a s t
ad 2 honolulu
AWA R D W I N N I N G I D E A S : P U B L I C S E RV I C E
Target Audience: General public, ACS clients and support community, Ad Fed members.
DIVISION I:
AUSTIN ADVERTISING FEDERATION
Public Service projects are central to the Austin Ad Fed’s success. They provide
meaningful volunteer opportunities to current and prospective members, help volunteers
make new friends and establish enduring professional relationships, and allow students
and professionals to build their portfolios and win professional recognition. Public
Service also builds the Ad Fed brand and public profile by promoting the perception of
advertising as one of Austin’s important creative industries contributing to the region’s
prosperity and health.
Media/Materials Used: Design and photography for print and online/pdf annual
report, video.
Public Service Goals for 2012-2013
1. Select and work with ad agency/photographer/film-maker for new public
service client Austin Children’s Shelter.
Results: ADDY Award winning collateral produced for deserving non-profit. Existing
Ad Fed member relationships strengthened through collaboration on joint project. Ad
Fed members’ brands are elevated through pro-bono donations.
2. Promote public service/advertising education client E4 Youth at the
ADDY Awards.
E4 Youth Interns introduced at the ADDY Awards
Promote E4 Youth at the ADDY Awards and elevate the ADDY mission by exposing
guests to worthy pro-bono opportunities.
3. Produce events in support of non-profit DreamFund and program,
“Marketing for Small Biz 101” .
4. Continue billboard exposure of member-generated creative supporting the
Red Cross’s Central Texas Wildfire Relief efforts.
Audience: ADDY guests, Ad Fed members and friends
5. Continue development of AustinProBono.org, an online “matching
service” for non-profits and creatives who want to Do. Good. Work.
Execution/Tactics: Every year the Austin ADDYs features one of our educational or
public service clients as a way to elevate the ADDYs to something more than “just an
awards show”. The Ad Fed supports E4 Youth—a successful program working with
minority and at-risk Austin high school students exploring advertising and media as
career paths. Directed by former Ad Fed VP Diversity Carl Settles, it is a model program
with active and diverse support community.
6. Secure new creative agency and continue support for the Hill Country
Ride for AIDS.
7. Provide meaningful volunteer opportunities to Ad Fed members wanting
to make new friends, learn new skills, build the portfolio, and earn
professional honors.
Austin Children’s Shelter Annual Report and Promotional Video
Long-time Ad Fed professional and personal networks led to an easy solution for the
Austin Children’s Shelter’s marketing needs.
Goals: Leverage existing Ad Fed relationships to provide marketing support to client.
Execution/Tactics: When the Austin Children’s Shelter looked for an agency to create
and produce their annual report they were fortunate to ask Ad Fed member agency
Mason Zimbler. The agency reached out to former VP Public Service and photographer
Scott Van Osdol, who donated $15,000 in photography to the annual report. This led to
current VP Public Service Mark Scholes at Third Rail Creative and Cut to Black Films
producing a promotional video which premiered at ACS’s annual gala and serves as a
fundraising tool for the coming year. The video featured Van Osdol’s still photos and the
distinctive design work from Mason Zimbler.
For the second year in a row Austin ad agency McGarrah Jessee purchased a Gold
ADDY sponsorship and donated the benefits to E4 Youth. One of Austin’s leading
agencies, McJ designed a brilliant campaign featuring Austin advertising luminaries had
they not worked with an advertising mentor and their careers had taken a different path.
We worked closely with McJ to feature the campaign and its six original posters at the
awards show.
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Media/Materials Used: The E4 logo appeared on all ADDY collateral, website, and email
broadcasts. E4 Director Settles presented the Best of Show Student awards, using that
opportunity to describe E4 Youth’s mission and encourage guests to meet with, mentor,
and hire the high school students as summer interns. Before the show students met at
McJ, received campaign T-shirts and were briefed on networking protocol. McJ staff
took their photos and helped them set up LinkedIn pages, promoted the event through
social media, and donated a full-page ad in the highly valued Winners Book. McJ staff
accompanied students throughout the show, introducing them to creative directors,
account supervisors, film and video professionals and more.
Results: At last year’s award show students were invited to tour several ad agencies
including LatinWorks, Ad Age’s Multicultural Agency of the Year; Texas’s largest
African-American-owned ad agency, Sanders\Wingo; and Austin’s largest agency,
GSD&M. While results are not yet in, we expect similar results this year following the
February 28th awards show. By showcasing E4 Youth at our industry’s leading event, we
help promote the club’s support for diversity and education initiatives while providing
our members an easy way to get involved by mentoring and hiring interns.
DreamFund Fundraiser and “Marketing for Small Biz 101” Seminar
Two of this year’s public service projects looked more like traditional Ad Fed program
events: a fundraising event and a breakfast seminar.
Goals: 1) Produce a fundraiser for DreamFund, a 501c3 dedicated to helping those in the
advertising community in times of need, while also providing our members with a fun
social and networking event. 2) Produce a seminar for non-members in the non-profit
and small business community.
Execution: In both cases we worked with complementary professional associations,
the DreamFund and the Austin Chamber of Commerce in producing these highly
successful events.
Media/Materials Used: HTML email broadcasts to the Ad Fed, DreamFund, and
Chamber of Commerce lists.
Results: The DreamFund event, ‘Night in Biloxi’ raised $4,000 via ticket sales, a silent
auction and various games of skill. The Marketing 101 seminar provided basic marketing
principles and best practices to non-profits and small businesses. Ad Fed member agency
Door Number 3 principal and New York Times blogger M.P. Mueller delivered a solid
presentation to a sold-out crowd of 75 at the Texas Law Center.
Both events led to improved relationships with fraternal associations: the DreamFund
director now serves as our VP Programming and we look forward to engaging the
Austin advertising community and the Austin Chamber of Commerce to assist nonprofit organizations needing marketing support.
Wildfire Relief Project
The wildfire started in the piney woods east of Austin. By the time it ended a month later,
1,645 homes were destroyed and property damage reached $325 million, making it the
most destructive single wildfire in Texas history. Our neighbors needed help, and Ad
Fed members pitched in by designing and producing two billboards reminding people
to donate to Red Cross relief efforts.
Goals: Sponsor a design competition among Ad Fed members for wildfire relief billboards.
Target Audience: 1) Ad Fed members and the ad community. 2) the general public.
Strategy: Build visibility of relief efforts by producing billboards supporting the Red
Cross. Engage our members by offering them highly visible display of their creative work.
Execution/Tactics:
• Ad Fed issued a call to the ad community to submit designs.
• Our members submitted 40 entries. The Public Service committee selected
the final two entries and worked with the designers to carry their designs
through production.
Media/Materials Used: Reagan National Advertising donated two billboards to display
the winning entries
Results: The Austin Ad Fed made a significant contribution to the massive outpouring
of community aid to wildfire victims. The value of the donated production services was
$2,200. The value of the donated billboard space from March 2012 onward was $42,025.
Total gross impressions for 2011 and 2012 are calculated at approximately 70 million.
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AustinProBono.org
Launched by the Ad Fed and several member agencies in June 2008, AustinProBono.
org is an innovative website that allows ad agencies and qualified non-profits to connect
to create public service campaigns and promotional material. The website is built on
a peer-to-peer model that allows users to connect directly, requiring little supervision
from founding members.
Goals:
Hill Country Ride for AIDS: Helped HCRA Secure New Creative Agency Partners
In 2004 the Austin Ad Fed tapped the Hill Country Ride for AIDS as its premiere
public service client. HCRA is a cycling event that distributes funds to local nonprofit
agencies providing AIDS education and services such as health care, food, clothing and
counseling to some 2,500 Central Texans living with HIV/AIDS. In the nine years we’ve
worked with them the ride has raised more than five million dollars, over 80% of which
goes directly to client agencies.
One of the principal goals of our public service projects is to “graduate” our clients.
We help them create their brand identity, introduce them to a network of professional
marketing support, and teach them the basic marketing principals that allow them
to grow on their own. HCRA has done that by assuming responsibility for their own
marketing in recent years.
• Promote AustinProBono.org as the go-to site for ad agencies and creatives
wanting to produce public service work and for non-profits needing
donated services
• Secure a new volunteer partner to update the APB.org website and assume
administrative duties for connecting creatives and non-profits
Target Audience: Advertising agencies and creative service providers; non-profit agencies
Execution/Tactics:
• Secured new volunteer partner, Build-A-Sign.com (BAS) principals and staff.
• BAS secured 501c3 Non-Profit status for APB.org.
• Launched new website with improved functionality.
• Promote new website through Ad Fed email to 3,500 members and friends.
Media/Materials Used: Website
Results: The original website’s peer-to-peer model proved to be a success, listing hundreds
of agencies, vendors, and non-profits. But the site was proving difficult to administer
with existing volunteer resources. In Summer 2011 we secured a new volunteer partner,
BuildASign.com. A new Ad Fed member and sponsor, BuildASign agreed to design and
launch a new website and take on promotion and administration of APB.org, dedicating
the services of a full-time staff member in charge of community relations. With this new
partner, and with our new 501c3 Non-Profit status, we hope to see substantial growth in
2013, and new relations created with leading non-profit organizations.
Still, the Ad Fed continues to support the ride by hosting training rides, organizing
company teams, and encouraging our members and friends to join and donate to riders.
More importantly, when our long-time creative agency resigned following the 2011 ride,
we helped secure a new agency partner for the 2012 ride by writing a creative brief and
developing an agency pitch strategy. We repeated the process for the 2013 ride.
Campaign for April 27, 2013 Ride
We began searching for a new creative agency to produce the 2013 campaign by using an
updated RFP and personal direct mail and phone calls to 17 Ad Fed member agencies.
This resulted in several agencies asking to be considered in coming years and finding one
great match in TKO Advertising. TKO is led by an openly gay couple and a bright young
creative team chomping at the bit to do innovative work.
Goals:
• Work with new creative agency TKO to refresh the creative campaign, building on
previous success
• Reinforce relationship with Ad Fed member sponsors who for years have provided probono creative campaigns, printing, paper, media relations, and banners and signage.
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Target Audience: Former riders, the cycling community, the AIDS service community,
the LG&TG community, the general public, Ad Fed community and ride sponsors
Strategy:
volunteer partners. The Ad Fed’s continued involvement with the HCRA proves the
slogan of the Ad Fed Team Veloci-Peddlers (Latin for Speedy Sellers)—Our Campaigns’
Got Great Legs!
Volunteer Opportunities
For the first time the Ad Fed conducted a Listening Tour with six agency members and
one non-member media company. The goal was to discover current perceptions of the
club and determine what people want and need from the Ad Fed. Many respondents
expressed the desire for meaningful social and professional development opportunities
through volunteering and public service projects.
• Update creative campaign building on playful look and feel of earlier campaigns
• Expand use of social media and events to build ridership and donations
• Recognize value of pro-bono donations at all opportunities
Execution/Tactics:
• Ad Fed volunteer Ride Marketing Director worked closely with Ride staff
and TKO as they produced new campaign.
Goal: Provide meaningful volunteer opportunities to Ad Fed members.
• HCRA staff updated website to match new creative campaign
Target Audience: Ad Fed members and potential members, students.
• Social media branded to campaign style, executed by Ride staff
Strategy: Providing meaningful volunteer opportunities is one of our most successful
membership recruitment and retention tools. Our members feel engaged, make new
friends and professional contacts, learn new skills, produce portfolio pieces, and earn the
chance to win ADDYs while donating their skills to deserving non-profits.
• Guerilla campaign: hang 5,000 bicycle hand-bar tags at Austin City Limits
Live Music Festival bike parking lots
• Sponsors recognized with logo display on website hyperlinked to their own
websites, recognized at all ride events and personally thanked from the stage
Media/Materials:
• print collateral including posters, push cards, brochure; event signage,
riding jerseys, guerilla bike cards; interactive and social media including
website, Facebook, and html email; display ads; mass media press releases
Results: To date some $30,000 has been raised. Registration is on pace and training rides
have been well attended.
Summary: In its 12 years the ride has raised $5.84 million, much of it coming in the nine
years of our involvement. We helped grow volunteers and riders from 125 in 2003 to
over 1000 today. Donations have grown from $186,000 in 2003 to $663,000 in 2012. The
ride has been embraced by the advertising community with several agencies and vendors
sponsoring teams over the years. The pro-bono campaigns designed and executed by
Ad Fed volunteer members have appeared in the pages of Communication Arts, HOW
International Design Annual, and PRINT, helping build the professional status of our
Execution/Tactics: Volunteers are recruited with emails about public service events
which direct readers to web pages describing our public service opportunities. Our
homepage features a “Get Involved” button, and our highly trafficked web Job Line
contains new Volunteer Opportunities listings. Our newsletter subscription form has
a space to volunteer. The form is sent to several officers and the volunteer coordinator
contacts potential volunteers by phone and email.
Media/Materials Used: HTML email, web pages, telephone calls to potential volunteers
Results: Our Volunteer Coordinator lists over 50 new volunteers this year, and that is
before counting one of our largest volunteer events, the 2013 ADDYs. Several dozen
volunteers engaged with public service projects and submitted billboard designs. We
expanded our permanent base of volunteer support by enlisting the help of BuildASign
and TKO Advertising, who we expect to handle Hill Country Ride for AIDS creative for
several years to come.
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Conclusion
The Austin Ad Fed continues to grow its public service practice. In recent years we
graduated several successful clients including Global Austin, AustinFree.Net, Art From
the Streets and The SIMS Foundation. This year we:
• Worked with new non-profit client Austin Children’s Shelter
• Continued support of E4 Youth at the ADDY Awards
• Continued media exposure for Wildfire Campaign
• Enlisted a new partner in securing 501c3 status and producing a new
AustinProBono.org website
• Secured new agency partner and continued support for long-time public
service client Hill Country Ride for AIDS
• Provided multiple volunteer opportunities, increasing the value of Ad Fed
membership.
This success makes it clear that public service work is a form of enlightened self-interest;
it profits everyone involved. Not only have we helped area nonprofits raise well over $5
million in recent years, we’re making a real difference to our members, our industry,
and our community. By providing a variety of volunteer opportunities to our members,
they are able to make new friends, learn new skills, build the portfolio, and share in
professional accolades. Public Service also builds the Ad Fed brand and public profile by
promoting the advertising industry’s contribution to the region’s health and prosperity.
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Goals of the Project:
DIVISION II:
AAF OMAHA
Based on the communication problems above, the committee set forth to achieve two goals:
Introduction: Every year, the American Advertising Federation Omaha (AAF Omaha)
designs and executes a pro-bono public service campaign for a nonprofit organization.
In 2012, the public service committee was contacted by Red Basket (see RedBasket.org)
to assist them with ongoing promotional work. Red Basket is a nonprofit philanthropic
organization that matches those who are in financial need with those who are willing to
give. AAF Omaha provided marketing communications support for the organization.
As in years past, AAF Omaha partnered with advertising students from Creighton
University who, with guidance from other AAF Omaha members, functioned as the
public service committee. The students, who operated under the name of Soup Line,
conducted themselves like a student-run agency, with account services, media and creative
departments. Students were responsible for conceiving and executing all work done for
the client. The students’ involvement was the focal point of the advertising campaigns class
offered by the Department of Journalism, Media & Computing at Creighton University.
Why Red Basket?
Red Basket is an Omaha-based non-profit organization that allows individuals to donate
time or money directly to people or projects that need help. The organization’s website,
RedBasket.org, serves as a micro-philanthropic resource that connects individuals
who are in need of financial support with individuals who are willing to assist them.
Donors can browse the different projects and individuals that are featured on the website
and can donate to them directly through the website. Unlike some of Red Basket’s
competitors, such as Kiva.org, that also specialize in micro-philanthropy, 100 percent
of each monetary donation goes directly to the person or project asking for help. Red
Basket takes no commission nor does it charge the asker or giver.
Communication Problems:
1. Despite the effort that Red Basket has made to establish its brand,
awareness of individuals asking for help is very low.
2. Individuals asking for help were in need of assistance in promoting their
causes to potential donors.
1. Increase awareness of individuals and projects on the Red Basket website
among the community and among those who are willing to donate to them.
2. Help those needing financial assistance with guidance in promoting their causes.
Target Audiences: Adults between the ages of 25 and 65 in Omaha who are inclined
toward charitable giving were the primary target audience. Since Red Basket is an
independent affiliate of Woodmen of the World (an Omaha-based insurance company),
Woodmen’s members and employees were identified as the secondary target audience.
Strategy: To inform the target audiences about the individuals and projects on Red
Basket’s website that need help, the committee felt that a personal connection needed to
be forged between the “asker” (the person asking for help) and the giver. For example,
we felt that someone simply reading about a person needing financial help with
overwhelming medical bills due to a critically ill loved one simply wouldn’t establish a
connection strong enough to stimulate one to want to give. Moreover, we felt that even
photographs would lack the strong emotional appeal that is often needed to precipitate
giving, particularly when individuals are bombarded by compelling images every day.
To overcome this form of desensitization, and to help forge a strong connection between
someone needing help and someone willing to provide it, the committee felt that
producing videos of askers would best meet the goals of the project. Each video would
feature the asker describing their situation in an appealing, documentary-style format.
In this way, potential givers could better understand why the asker needs assistance and
how the asker would use donations given to them.
Media/Materials Used: The work undertaken included four videos and collateral
material for askers. In cooperation with AAF Omaha public service committee members,
Creighton University students wrote, directed, filmed, and edited the videos, and wrote
and designed the collateral material.
Videos: The first video was done for the parents of Lia Jansen, who at one month of age
was diagnosed with Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, a chronic heart condition. After
suffering cardiac arrest and enduring an extended stay in intensive care, her parents
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were forced to deal with staggering medical bills. The video showcased Lia, in her home
with her mother and father.
Angel Watts, who lost her home and belongings in a fire, was the subject of the second video.
Angel’s oldest daughter, Adaysha, found the house in flames and attempted to extinguish
the fire, nearly suffering from smoke inhalation. The video featured Angel, a single mother
of four children ages 1, 5, 7 and 15, tearfully sharing her story along with Adaysha.
Two other videos remain in production.
Collateral Material: To help askers as they join the Red Basket community, Creighton
students wrote and designed what they referred to as an “Asker’s Basket”—a welcome
letter with advice on how to promote their cause to potential donors.
Results:
• Red Basket’s “askers” now have powerfully persuasive vehicles that
compellingly tell their stories in ways that enable them to forge meaningful
connections with potential donors.
• As a result of the committee’s video for Lia Jansen, her parents raised
$3,552. Lia is now a happy 8-month-old and continues to recover, despite
continued physical therapy.
• Angel Watts used the video that the committee executed for her to raise
$1,475, which enabled her to move into a new home and to begin to
establish a sense of normalcy again.
• Advertising students benefited from getting an inside look at how
professional videos are written, produced, and executed; they also benefited
from exposure to AAF Omaha and from learning how they can use their
skills and talents to give back to nonprofit organizations.
• The estimated value of the campaign, considering donated hours, was
estimated to be $55,000.
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DIVISION III:
AAF BATON ROUGE
The American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) outlined club and
committee objectives for a three year period at its Strategic Planning Session in July
2011. The strategic plan for Community Outreach was to engage the local advertising
community and bring together creative individuals and resources to provide an
advertising campaign that could be utilized and implemented by a local non-profit. In an
effort to stay in line with AAF-BR’s strategic plan, these projects would be accomplished
through member and community involvement, which would in turn increase awareness
for both AAF-BR as well as for the selected non-profits.
Campaign for Community Project
Goals of the Project: In an effort to give back to the community, bring awareness to the
federation and increase member involvement, the Community Outreach chair built a
committee to plan and create an inspiring event where creative individuals, supporting
members, and additional resources could be brought together to provide a marketing
campaign for a non-profit within the Baton Rouge community. The concept for this project
was to build the “AAF-BR Ad Agency” that would be made up of various advertising
professionals who would collaborate to create an advertising campaign for a local non-profit.
Target Audience: AAF-BR general membership, board of directors, advertising
professionals, students, general public
A press release was sent out requesting applications from local non-profits. We received
eight applicants eager to be selected for this project. The applications were reviewed and
voted on by a panel of AAF-BR members and board members. This year, a partnership
program was selected. Junior Achievement of Greater Baton Rouge (JA) and the Big
Buddy Program are working in a collaborative fundraising effort, hosting a crawfish boil
competition in conjunction with an established Baton Rouge spring event, Live After Five.
Both organizations were very open to giving the committee complete creative freedom.
A schedule was created to plan and promote two half-day creative sessions on December
12 and December 15, 2012. The sessions were promoted as “a unique opportunity for
advertising professionals, and students to experience professional growth, network, and
rejuvenate creativity all while giving back to the community.” It was defined as a chance
to network, collaborate, and brainstorm with other professionals in a creatively inspiring
environment. A variety of channels was used to get the message out.
The four-hour creative sessions were strategically divided into two days; one day for
planning and one day for implemenation, with a very specific agenda for each day.
The idea was to empower the volunteers to collaborate and use their own skill sets to
determine a creative strategy and start implementing a new branding or advertising
campaign, all within the two days. A background information sign-in sheet was used for
the volunteers, a PowerPoint presentation helped get everyone on the same page, and
executive board members from both JA and Big Buddy attended to provide more details
about their fundraiser and be available for questions.
Strategy: (Part One) Find a local non-profit that would inspire volunteers and also
be willing to give volunteers creative flexibility and freedom to create an effective
campaign in a short amount of time. (Part Two) Promote this opportunity to all
advertising professionals including account managers, art directors, designers, writers,
photographers, PR/social media specialists, and web developers from all agencies, firms,
and freelancers, etc. Members, non-members, and students were all welcomed. This
while having a positive influence on the local community.
Media/Materials Used: For promotion of the sessions: Press Releases, Email, Website
Event, Facebook, Twitter, and monthly luncheon announcements via PowerPoint.
Execution/Tactics: With the success of the 2011 “Campaign for Community” program,
we reused the established logo and format of a creative “lock-in” atmosphere to inspire
the initial creative development process.
During the first creative session, the group came together and brainstormed a plan of
attack. JA and Big Buddy had most of the logistics of their event planned, but lacked a
decision for the name, theme, and marketing direction. The volunteers worked as one
group to tackle their first task of developing the fundraiser name, “Crawfish King Cook-
Results Attained: The creative lock-in was held over two half-days to discover the
marketing needs of the chosen organization and how those needs could best be met.
The “AAF-BR Ad Agency” formed organically during the two half-days. A total of eight
volunteers participated both days.
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off.” The team also created the logo concept, secured a web address, began designing
a promotional event poster, postcard to solicit team entries, T-shirt design, and other
grassroots ideas for the fundraiser. By the end of the second creative session, the creative
team developed and received approval on the new logo, website design for registration,
and postcard, poster and T-shirt designs.
Media/Materials Used: Email, Facebook posts.
Results Attained:
Since some of the project needed extra attention to details before final completion,
the volunteers all agreed to continue their work on the individual elements needed
to promote this fundraiser. For example, as the event gets closer, the volunteers will
incorporate the sponsors’ names and/or logos on the poster, postcard and T-shirt
designs. File sharing and management accounts were created to connect the designers’
work to both non-profit organizations for updates.
“8 Months of Giving” Monthly Meeting Donations
Goals of the Project: Provide a simple community outreach opportunity in which the
federation can give back to the Baton Rouge community by collecting monetary and/or
material needs at each monthly meeting for a selected local non-profit.
Target Audience: AAF-BR general membership and board of directors
Strategy: Research and select a local non-profit organization for each month we have
membership meeting. Ask federation membership to bring material needs or offer a
financial donation at each monthly meeting. Money collected during the “Holla’ for a
Dollar” segment of the meeting was assigned to the non-profit for that month. “Holla’
for a Dollar” is a fairly new idea that was added last year to the monthly meetings. As part
of the general opening announcements, anyone wanting to share information with the
membership (i.e. birth announcement, internship opening, new employee) could have
the opportunity to do so by donating a dollar. All monies collected were donated to the
LSU AAF students.
Execution/Tactics: The “8 Months of Giving” campaign kicked off at the first membership
meeting in September. A survey form was given to all members asking for suggestions
on non-profit organizations they would like to support during the upcoming year. The
selected non-profits were announced by email and social media.
• September: LSU AAF Students—$120 was collected and donated to support
the student chapter’s back-to-school club meeting with refreshments and
other needed items.
• October: Baton Rouge Parents Magazine’s “Sock It To Me”—an annual sock
drive to collect socks for men, women, and children in need during the
holiday season. $137 was collected to purchase packs of socks in addition to
the variety of socks placed in the donation box at the meeting. We donated
a total of 249 pairs of socks for the magazine’s sock drive.
• November: Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank—25 non-perishable food items
and canned goods, along with $25 in cash donations, were collected at
this monthly meeting. Other federation members collected canned goods
throughout the week at their office and donated to the food bank on behalf
of AAF-BR.
• December: Nubian Kruzers United Baton Rouge (NKU-BR)—For the
past several years, the AAF-BR Diversity and Community Outreach
committees have worked together to partner with the NKU-BR for
their annual Christmas toy drive. NKU-BR is an African-American
motorcycle club whose mission is to serve in the community by delivering
a positive message and positive role models to those who need it most.
Each Christmas they travel around the Baton Rouge community on their
bikes to deliver new, unwrapped toys to needy children up to 18 years in
neighborhoods and hospitals throughout East Baton Rouge Parish. We
collected a box full of fun toys, stuffed animals, and games, plus $18 in cash
donation during “Holla for a Dolla”.
• January: Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge (FHFGBR)
—This non-profit was chosen in response to the Sandy Hook school
tragedy. FHFGBR is a local non-profit whose mission is to provide the
individualized services, information, resources, and support needed to
positively enhance the independence, productivity, and integration of
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their target audiences, while showcasing how we, as an advertising industry, can help
our community. The experience of working together with others in the Federation on
these public service projects also fostered better communication among our members
and enthusiasm among members who had never before volunteered for a Federation
committee. Several participants even expressed an interest in furthering their
involvement with the Federation.
persons with disabilities into the community. Because their staff is also
parents and/or family members of individuals having a disability, one of
their core services is family/peer support particularly with Autism. $100
was collected and members were encouraged to participate in their annual
Autism Walk in April.
• February: AAF-BR did not have a monthly meeting scheduled due to focus
on the local ADDYs.
• March: American Heart Association (AHA)—monetary donations will
be collected and federation members will be encouraged to participate
in the AHA Heart Walk in April. A marketing partnership has also been
established to promote the sale of a specially designed T-shirt in which the
proceeds go directly to AHA. One of our past AAF-BR presidents designed
the T-shirt. T-shirts orders will be sold at this monthly meeting.
• April: Habitat for Humanity—monetary donations will be collected and
federation members will be encouraged to volunteer for a build project.
• May: LSU AAF Students—The May meeting has historically been dedicated
to advertising students. The LSU National Student Advertising Competition
(NSAC) team is invited to the meeting to showcase their presentation with
the professional membership. Monetary donations will be collected to
support the student chapter.
Summary
Our Community Outreach projects over the past year have increased AAF-BR’s visibility
in the Baton Rouge community, increased an awareness of volunteerism among our
members, and fostered new professional relationships among competing creatives and
other members.
Integrating our Diversity and Communications Committees into our Community
Outreach efforts created a multi-faceted approach to each project and allowed a
greater participation from AAF-BR and student membership. By selecting several
non-profit organizations to which our members could donate their advertising skills
and services, we were able to help each non-profit communicate more effectively to
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DIVISION IV:
AAF EMERALD COAST
Organization Background: The 2011-2012 Board of Directors challenged themselves
with a club rebrand moving from Emerald Coast Ad Fed to AAF-Emerald Coast in order
to more closely align the club with the national brand and increase recognition as part
of a larger brand with local, regional, and national exposure. The board implemented
a cohesive marketing plan which included: membership packets, membership forms,
luncheon receipts, raffle tickets, business cards, note cards, MailChimp templates,
Facebook page, and a redesigned website integrated with a content management system
which included blogging capabilities.
The 2012-2013 Board of Directors set goals to continue implementing the objectives
established by the previous Board. Based on the comprised eight AAF core values, a
foundation was laid that the 2012-2013 Board used as a guide when they explored new
initiatives to increase club membership, sustainability, maintaining long-term growth,
and achieve “Club of the Year”.
Habitat for Humanity of Walton County’s program is not a hand out, but rather a hand
up. The programs requires every qualified family to give 250 sweat equity hours per
adult living the house, pay a nominal closing fee, attend credit and financial counseling
provided by Habitat for Humanity, and pay back 100% of the cost to build the home in
manageable monthly payments.
Habitat for Humanity Walton County Digital Rebrand
Goals: The objective for the Habitat for Humanity of Walton County Digital Rebrand
was to achieve a more professional presence, set up a standard operating procedure
for marketing the brand digitally, increase fundraising event attendance, and recruit
online donations.
Target Audience: The target audience for the rebrand was the local Walton County
community and potential donors.
Strategy: The online procedures for branding events utilizing PayPal, Wordpress,
MailChimp and Social Media were streamlined in an effort to give the brand a
consistent voice.
AAF-Emerald Coast is a distinctive chapter due to three highly-populated military
bases within one county and area demographics of 84% Caucasian, 50% female, and
27% women-owned firm representation. Due to a smaller market, unique geographical
limitations, and a transient military population, AAF-Emerald Coast experienced
difficulty in attracting and retaining energetic, professional members.
Execution/Tactics: The website was redesigned in a Wordpress format to allow Habitat
the ability to maintain the electronic publishing of events and news in addition to
recruiting potential family applications and gaining online donations. The club also
established standards for Facebook presence and MailChimp templates for email
marketing.
In an effort to serve the community, AAF-Emerald Coast established programming as an
implementation guide to achieve the goals set forth at the annual Board Retreat in July 2012.
Media/Materials Used: AAF-Emerald Coast executed the rebrand through the
utilization of website, Facebook, and MailChimp.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WALTON COUNTY
Habitat for Humanity of Walton County is a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated
to the elimination of substandard housing in Walton County, Florida. The non-profit
provides opportunities for the community to help break the cycle of poverty by building
affordable housing and improving the quality of life of their partner families. The lives of
two families per year have been forever changed with monetary donations and through
volunteerism from the community they serve.
Results Attained: In the first month after the website rebrand, traffic to the website
increased by 643.33%. During the fourth quarter of 2012, $3,000 in donations was
generated through the website. The website was professionally recognized with an
International Davey Award in addition to a 2013 AAF-Emerald Coast Silver ADDY
Award. The email marketing efforts generated 33 e-blasts with an average open rate
of 25.09%, which was a 160.87% increase over the prior average open rate of 15.59%.
Facebook fan growth was 20% with an average 28 Days Page Engaged Users increase of
489% over 2011.
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2nd Annual Habitrot at Sandestin
The 2nd Annual Habitrot for Humanity at Sandestin, 5K and 1/2 marathon, was
established as a fundraising event to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Walton County.
The event’s proceeds were used to fund the next housing project, which will be House
#26 for the county.
Goals: The club worked to brand the event as an annually recognized event with the
purpose of increasing awareness for Habitat for Humanity Walton County and to raise
funds for future house builds, while generating an increased interest in volunteerism.
The objective was to increase participation by 25% in addition to increasing the funds
raised by 25%.
Target Audience: The target audience for this event was runners, walkers, local Habitat
supporters, the general public, and the local community.
Strategy: The committee established a centralized source of information, encouraged
media coverage, marketed at other running events, partnered with local running clubs,
partnered with venue which was a local resort, and set up volunteer identification.
Execution/Tactics: The event was promoted through the Habitat for Humanity Walton
County’s website, a new permanent Facebook page for the annual event, MailChimp
email marketing to Habitat’s local database, as well as the creation and distribution of
fliers, posters, and cards. Through partnerships with Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort,
news releases about the event were distributed locally, regionally, and nationally. The
volunteers were required to wear newly designed T-shirts that were specifically for
volunteers so they were visible and easily identifiable in a large crowd.
Media/Materials Used: AAF-Emerald Coast executed the promotion of the event
through Habitat for Humanity of Walton County’s website, Facebook, print, T-shirts,
and MailChimp.
Results Attained: The 2012 Habitrot website page was promoted in the months leading
up to the event, and it was the most popular page outside of the home page on the
Habitat for Humanity Walton County website for the months of September and October,
achieving 17.15% of the website traffic.
The Campaign as a whole won a 2013 AAF-Emerald Coast Silver ADDY Award. The
Volunteer T-shirt developed for the event won a 2013 AAF-Emerald Coast Gold
ADDY Award.
Habitat for Humanity Walton County increased their net profit for the event by 85%
with $6,813.97 in net profits over the $3,700 net profits from the Inaugural Habitrot
event in October 2011. Due to more focus being placed on sponsorship and in kind
donations the net profits increased while the number of participants decreased by 28
participants in 2012.
Habitat for Humanity Walton County Painting Party: The Winter Sun
Goals: The objective for the event was to raise awareness in Northwest Florida to
recruit volunteers, sponsors, and donors to get involved with Habitat for Humanity
of Walton County.
Target Audience: The target audience for the event was anyone in Northwest Florida
who had an interest in supporting a local non-profit while having fun.
Strategy: AAF-Emerald Coast hosted a painting party to raise funds and awareness
in our community to bring attention to Habitat for Humanity of Walton county. In
addition, the club partnered with two small businesses, which increased awareness for
AAF-Emerald Coast with potential members and strengthened our visibility with those
who were familiar with the club from past public service campaigns that were created for
various non-profits in the community.
Execution/Tactics: AAF-Emerald Coast hosted a painting party at a local business and
invited other businesses to participate and assist in the promotion to raise funds and
awareness for Habitat for Humanity Walton County. AAF-Emerald Coast created a
Facebook event to promote attendance, sent out a MailChimp email marketing blast,
and created a flyer to distribute for promotion of the event. The club worked with other
involved local businesses for promotion through their channels, in addition to AAFEmerald Coast’s resources and Habitat for Humanity Walton County’s resources.
Media/Materials Used: AAF-Emerald Coast executed the promotion of the event
through the utilization of a website, Facebook and MailChimp.
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Results Attained: The Habitat for Humanity Walton County Painting Party raised over
$500 in net profit, raised awareness for the cause by increasing Habitat for Humanity
Facebook likes by 15, and secured three additional volunteers.
CONCLUSION
The ultimate goal of promoting a better understanding of advertising by educating
current and future advertising professionals was certainly attained. Advertising
professionals learned about new creative ideas and how innovative techniques can
assist them in achieving their company’s advertising goals and objectives. From
teaching how branding relates to taking a non-profit to the next level or a fresh look at
the advertising industry, the AAF-Emerald Coast has and will continue to encourage
excellence by educating its members, the community it serves and the next generation
of advertising professionals.
Based on the tireless efforts of the club leadership, partnered with the AAF-Emerald
Coast re-brand, the club has grown in multiple ways and is looking forward to continued
growth. New, innovative, and relevant programs were produced to maintain current
membership, and more importantly, attract new members. This effort put the club at
a 45% increase in new memberships increasing from 39 to 56 as of March 2013, while
maintaining 90% of the existing membership. New forms of communication including
media press releases, Twitter, Instagram and postcard mail outs assisted in increasing
ADDY Entries by 51% and increasing the average attendance to monthly Professional
Development Luncheons by 30%. Building the membership through meaningful
programs, and achieving stated goals has strengthened AAF-Emerald Coast to become
an invaluable resource to the local community.
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DIVISION V:
AD 2 HONOLULU
Every year, Ad 2 Honolulu selects one nonprofit organization to receive a fully integrated
marketing campaign. This includes research, marketing strategies, production, media
planning, advertising, public relations and promotional events. With the hard work
and dedication of our members, we have been able to successfully develop marketing
campaigns for over 40 years. The public service team consisted of two co-chairs, one
director, one creative director three production assistants, three media buyers, a public
relations representative, one social media expert, two event planners, and two general
support team members.
Call for Applications and Selection Process
To notify the public that Ad 2 Honolulu was accepting applications for the 2012-13
Public Service campaign, a news release was sent out to the media and our database
of over 600 subscribers, featured on the Ad 2 Honolulu website, Facebook page, and
Twitter. The call for applications article was featured in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s
business column.
We received a total of 43 applications. After careful review, our team narrowed the
selection down to five finalists. During the interview process, we met with a nonprofit
representative from each of the finalists. After the interviews and much discussion, the
nonprofit organization that was chosen was the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic.
Situational Analysis & Organizational Background
The Aloha Medical Mission (AMM) was founded in 1983 as a Honolulu-based secular
501(c)(3) non-profit organization when a group of volunteer physicians and nurses
traveled to the Philippines to perform surgery on the poor and needy. The organization’s
mission is “Bringing Hope and Changing the Lives of the People We Serve.” Over the
years, AMM has traveled to 15 countries, performing 18,000 surgeries and treating
260,000 patients. In 2002, AMM created a vital local presence by opening the Aloha
Medical Mission Dental Clinic at the Palama Settlement, home of the former StrongCarter Dental Clinic. The Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic’s flagship presence is
Hawaii’s only free dental clinic; in 2012 they celebrated 10 years of hope, volunteerism,
and quality dental care.
The Dental Clinic is located in Honolulu’s low-income Kalihi-Palama district, where
patients come from all over Oahu for free interim dental care. Their target demographic
are local residents and new immigrants to Hawaii that have no dental insurance, are
below the poverty level, in-between employment, or awaiting insurance from their
employers. The goal of AMM Dental Clinic is to ensure patients find a permanent dental
home. Since 2002, AMM Dental Clinic has provided $4.5 million in dental services
including examinations, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, and extractions to more than 21,000
patients. They look forward to celebrating 30 years helping needy communities across
the world in 2013.
Project Description
In September 2011, the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic expanded operational
hours to full-time, resulting in hiring their first full-time staff dentist. Operational hours
are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with six evenings per month, one
dedicated to children. AMM Dental Clinic added a part-time dental assistant and second
volunteer dental hygienist to their dental team. The expansion was based on the Board of
Directors’ review of clinic operations resulting from the community’s growing need for
dental care. The Hawaii Dental Service (HDS) Foundation was instrumental in making
their dream a reality from the very beginning. Since expanding operational hours to 40
to 50 hours per week (previously 28 hours per week), AMM Dental Clinic has seen an
increase in patient traffic, treating an average of 200 patients per month compared to an
average of 120 patients in August 2011.
Of Hawaii’s population, 30% are unable to afford dental insurance. According to The Pew
Center on the States (2012), there were approximately 830,590 visits to the emergency
rooms nationwide in 2009 due to preventable dental conditions. The report also revealed
that among low-income patients who went to the emergency room for toothaches, 80%
needed follow-up care from a dentist.
Objectives
The overall objective of this campaign is to increase awareness of and participation in
Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic’s free interim dental program for the community.
The increase in awareness will help the organization strengthen their brand and
relationship within the community, differentiate them from other dental health-related
organizations, and increase participation in their free interim dental program.
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• Objective 1: Create and strengthen Aloha Medical Missions Dental Clinic
brand and relationship within the community.
• Objective 2: Increase awareness of and participation in Aloha Medical
Missions Dental Clinic’s free interim dental program.
Target Audience
The main target audience for the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic are individuals,
families and residents living in the housing shelters who have no dental insurance, local
residents and new immigrants to Hawaii that have no dental insurance, are below the
poverty level, in-between employment, or awaiting insurance from their employer. Our
goal is to spread AMM’s message to the community, as people are not aware of the
organization and what they have to offer.
Market Research—Omnibus Survey
Ad 2 Honolulu contracted Qmark Research to conduct a telephone survey in January
2013. A total of 504 interviews were conducted. Interviews were conducted on Oahu
(356) and on the Neighbor Islands (148 including Hawaii Island, Maui and Kauai
residents). The results conveyed that those interviewed associated the Aloha Medical
Mission as helping foreign countries, and that only 8% of those interviewed were aware
that Aloha Medical Mission provided dental care. This confirmed that there was an
overall lack of awareness of the Aloha Medical Missions Dental Clinic and their services.
Strategy & Execution
Logo Redesign: Because the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic is a part of the Aloha
Medical Mission, they did not have a logo to differentiate themselves apart from the overall
organization. In order to help promote their Dental Clinic and to focus on the services
provided by the clinic, a new logo was created to communicate “dental care” and to really
bring awareness to the services offered by the AMM Dental Clinic. The newly created logo
features five teeth that are placed together to create the five petals of a flower. The flower
represents aloha and their local Hawaii roots and the teeth represent the dental clinic.
Website: The Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic did not have their own website, so we
created a website that featured their new logo and made it easy for people to navigate through.
The website features the services they offer, contact information and hours of operation.
Television campaign: The strategy for the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic is “All
Smiles Welcome.” We wanted to create a campaign that would show all smiles and teeth
in all stages of life. In the television spot we see the many, countless ways we use our
mouths, smiles and teeth throughout our lives. At the end of the spot we ask the viewer
“what have you done for your mouth lately?” We wanted to create a campaign that was
positive and conveys a clear message that the organization offers free dental care for all
people who do not have dental insurance.
Radio campaign: In order to keep the message consistent with TV ads, a :30 second
radio commercial was developed with the same theme of “All Smiles Welcome.” In the
radio spot, the voiceover talks about the free services that Aloha Medical Mission Dental
Clinic offers.
Print Advertising: The print ad features individuals of different ages showcasing their
smiles, keeping with the same message “All Smiles Welcome” featured in TV and radio ads.
Social Media: A Facebook page and Twitter account were created for the Aloha Medical
Mission Dental Clinic as a way to expand their reach and keep the community informed
of the organization’s services and efforts. Currently, a member of our public service team
updates the social media pages daily. Eventually, the client with adequate training will
take over the social media program.
Promotional Materials: To help create buzz and awareness for the organization, we
created T-shirts, a vinyl banner, and branded a tooth costume for future events.
Events & Partnerships:
Street Team: To gain awareness, we had a Street Team event on Friday, February 22
from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. in the busy Downtown district area. The Street Team consisted of
8 volunteers, two dressed up in the AMM Dental Clinic branded Mr. Tooth costume.
Dental Day Event: In conjunction with National Children’s Dental Hygiene month, Ad 2
Honolulu and the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic held an event, Hawaii Dental Day,
at the Palama Settlement. The event offered people from a local shelter the opportunity
to get their teeth checked as well as to put together a treatment plan. The event featured
games for the keiki (children), educational booths, entertainment, and lunch.
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Media Execution
With the continuous support from the local advertising community, Ad 2 Honolulu is
fortunate to have been able to secure a number of media space donations for the Aloha
Medical Mission Dental Clinic campaign.
Television: The television spot will air on Hawaii News Now (KGMB–CBS Affiliate),
KFVE, and KHNL (NBC Affiliate); KHON2 (FOX Affiliate); and KITV (ABC Affiliate).
In addition, we received donations from Oceanic Time Warner Cable, along with local
multicultural stations KBFD and KIKU.
Radio: Oahu’s major radio groups have all donated media. This includes Clear
Channel Communications, Cox Radio, Salem Media of Hawaii, and Ohana Broadcast
Company, LLC on Oahu. Between the four radio groups, the commercials will air on
23 stations on Oahu.
Day, of those 10 were walk-ins and some coming in with flyers that were distributed by
the Street Team. In addition, during the event, we were able to secure food donations
from Alternative Services International and Kahumana Farms.
To date, Ad 2 Honolulu has secured over $750,000 in media donations and $85,000 in
production and public relations.
Conclusion
The maintenance of one’s dental health is an important personal priority. Many people
often overlook their dental health, either because dental health insurance is hard to come
by or because they simply do not prioritize dental care. We hope that with the AMM
Dental Clinic campaign, we can create awareness of the organization’s free dental care
services for low income and/or uninsured individuals.
Print: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Oahu’s only daily newspaper), MidWeek (Oahu
and Kauai’s free weekly newspaper with circulation of over 500,000 per issue) and
Chinatown Newspaper (monthly on Oahu) have all generously donated space in their
publications to help deliver our message.
Public Relations
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser supported our public relations efforts to help increase the
awareness of the Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic through editorial stories.
• Announcement of nonprofit selection in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser,
“Speaking of advertising,” July 9, 2012
• Public Service winner announced in Star-Advertiser, “Ad club aims to
spread word about free dental facility,” September 21, 2012
• Casting call in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Time for your close-up,”
January 11, 2013
Results
With the effort of our Street Team promoting the Hawaii Dental Day event, the Aloha
Medical Mission Dental Clinic has seen great response. As a result, they have doubled the
amount of patients they see on a daily basis. A total of 63 people attended Hawaii Dental
2 0 1 2 – 2 0 1 3 N AT I O N A L C L U B A C H I E V E M E N T C O M P E T I T I O N W I N N I N G E N T R I E S
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headquarters 1101 Vermont Avenue NW, 5th Floor, Washington DC 20005 P: (202) 898-0089 F: (202) 898-0159 www.aaf.org