COOL STUFF And the ADDY goes to … By Naomi Spencer Make no mistake, the ADDYs—the Advertising Club of Buffalo’s annual awards show—are going to be an “Ego-Friendly” event this year. The Martin Group, the advertising agency based in downtown Buffalo, created the Ego-Friendly logo for the 2009 ADDYs. As awards shows naturally make the ego either swell or deflate, TMG decided that instead of ignoring this phenomenon, it should be embraced—at least for a few hours, anyway. The central image is an oversized head wobbling on a tiny neck and shoulders. It’s funny. It’s creative. It’s thoroughly appropriate for an advertising awards show. While keeping in harmony with the finicky ego, the mission of ADDYs 09 is to honor the work of local advertising industries by recognizing outstanding work when they see it. “Basically they’re our version of the Oscars,” says Tricia Barrett, president of the Ad Club. “It’s tons of fun, lots of energy—a great night to celebrate the best of the best in the industry.” But the awards show is more than just a glitzy affair; it’s an expression of spirit that unites and enhances the creative culture in WNY. And on March 20, at the newly remodeled Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Buffalo, this creative expression will commence in the form of the 2009 ADDYs. Five judges from around the country are flown into Buffalo for the weekend. Agencies and individuals choose around 500 entries for nomination. (The ADDY competition accepts entries from college students, freelancers, anyone who so desires; not just those who work for big agencies.) These entries illustrate a commitment to excellence, show the broad range of work within the field of advertising, and must be published pieces from the past year. The judges study all 500 entries and evaluate them based on criteria by the American Advertising Federation, the mothership of the whole competition. “It’s a really fun, fancy affair. It’s our gala,” says Barrett. Scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m., the evening begins with a cocktail hour and is followed by dinner. Then comes the ego-swelling part: the awards. One hundred twenty to one hundred fifty of them are given out. One is best of show, four are special awards named in honor of people and organizations. And, of course, there are the classic gold and silver awards. The lucky gal or fellow who wins the gold award gets to move on to District, the next level of the three-tier competition. After that is National, where the fourteen district ADDY winners compete.The Ad Club is proud to have had two local agencies, Crowley-Webb and Associates and the Martin Group (the agency that developed this year’s theme), win silver national ADDY awards last year. Left: Michael Reynolds, account executive, CHAKRA Communications; with Tim Lafferty, vice president of sales, CHAKRA. Right: Jon Weiss and Linda Nagle Weiss, New Buffalo Shirt Factory. Photos by Cheryl Jackson from 2007 ADDYs. The ADDY concept started in 1968 as a national competition. Since then, it has evolved into the advertising industry’s largest such contest. It attracts over 50,000 entries every year in local ADDYs like Buffalo’s. To host ADDY awards, organizations must be a part of the AAF, a national organization that features 220 professional Ad Clubs around the country. Interestingly, the Ad Club has evolved much from its formative years. Until the summer of 2000, it was named “Brainstorm.” Before that, it was two separate organizations: Professional Communicators of WNY and the Art Directors/Communicators of Buffalo. Today, it is the premier advertising and marketing concern in Buffalo, and it continues to grow each year. The Ad Club even welcomes student members. It offers them a special discounted rate (only $20) and invaluable benefits such as internships, scholarships, portfolio reviews, networking opportunities, and the chance to rub shoulders with the best of the best in the advertising field. To download a student or regular membership application, visit www.buffalocommunicators.org. For questions about the Ad Club, call 693-3807. And remember, no need to leave the ego in check on March 20. Naomi Spencer is a Spree editorial intern. SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top