For the past year, I have been a member of the Orlando chapter of Ad2, a division of the American Advertising Federation. As I networked with young professionals in the advertising industry and those who, like myself, are interested in breaking into the industry, I have exposed myself to several facets of the advertising world that have ultimately helped me narrow the focus of my ultimate career goals. Through my involvement in Ad2, particularly with the Public Service Committee and the Membership Committee, I have had the opportunity to interact with high-level executives of Orlando’s advertising community. Through these connections that have been created, I have decided to volunteer for the ADDY committee this year.
According to the American Advertising Federation website, “the ADDY awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world.” This competition allows small agencies to showcase their creative abilities on a local, district, and national level. In this competition, the size of the agency, the budget for the campaign, or the size of the market have no bearing on the outcome of the awards. As a matter of fact, some of the best work often comes from the Student ADDY entries, where the only thing entrants are limited by is their own imaginations.
AAF serves to unite the advertising industry. The organization serves to educate agencies about technological innovations, protect the industry with regards to governmental regulations, encourages diversity within the industry, and recognizes the achievements of individuals within the advertising world. The American Advertising Federation is important to this professional community because it allows smaller agencies the opportunity to interact and learn from the power players, and also allows the entire advertising community to see the talent within the future of the industry.
Sources:
http://www.aaf.org/default.asp?id=13
http://www.ad2.org/
http://www.ad2orlando.org/
