Baltimore’s community of advertisers, marketers and creatives gathered virtually for a livestream event on March 4 to celebrate the 47th Annual American Advertising Awards Show, presented by the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore (AAFB).
The year’s preeminent advertising industry event, produced by Jeremy Martin, creative director at Novak Birch with the theme “Evolution of Industry,” highlighted the challenges and unexpected successes to come out of 2020. Fifteen gold ADDYs and 32 silver ADDYs were awarded to top agencies, production houses and in-house marketing teams in the Baltimore region. One student ADDY, a silver, was also awarded.
“As Darwin observed, it’s not the strongest that survive, but those most adaptable to change,” said Martin. “While the last year presented many challenges, it’s not all doom and gloom. The work that came out of the Maryland marketing community is proof of what we can accomplish when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds.”
“This is a year unlike any other. It was important to us that we pause and recognize the hard work of our local creative community this year,” AAFB president Courtney Black added. ”The quality of the work speaks for itself and we were able to pull off a great virtual event to celebrate together.”
TBC was the recipient of Baltimore’s first-ever Mosaic ADDY Award for advertising that best represents the market’s diversity and multiculturalism, in addition to a Judge’s Choice Award for favorite entry and two Gold and two Silver ADDY Awards from American Advertising Federation (AAF) Baltimore for its work with clients KT Tape, Tessemae’s and Visit Baltimore.
“It’s always wonderful to see the work appreciated, but in a year full of challenges, it means a little something more for us. I’m incredibly proud of our team,” says Creative Director at TBC, Jess Brown. “These awards are a moment to pause and celebrate the stellar accomplishments of the creative minds in Baltimore’s advertising community. We were all able to do some remarkable things for our clients this past year, focusing on connecting with audiences in meaningful and socially-driven ways as the world went virtual.”
Top honors included:
Best of Show: Marriner Marketing Communications for Regal Springs Photography Campaign – Regal Springs
Mosaic: TBC for We’re Ready – Visit Baltimore
Judge’s Choice: LMD agency for PGC Beautification Campaign – Prince George’s County Department of the Environment
Judge’s Choice: TBC for Pass the Tape – KT Tape
Judge’s Choice: ICF Next for Once Upon a Time – Baltimore Gas and Electric
At the ceremony, the AAFB announced the recipients of its prestigious individual achievement awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Dave Imre, CEO, Imre
AAF Silver Medal Award presented to Becky Smith, executive vice president of marketing and strategy for SECU Maryland and executive director of the SECU Foundation
Katherine Mahool Fowke Iconoclast Award presented to Linda Stanley, former director of American Advertising Federation Baltimore
AAF District 2 Patricia Martin Crystal Prism Award presented to Stephanie Bronfein, principal, Copper Ridge Consulting and chair, AAFB Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee
See the full list of winners here.
In addition to awarding 48 ADDYs, the interactive “Evolution of Industry” event included live piano bar emcee, Greg Offner, as well as special guests, including master mixologist Rachael Green, who kicked off the evening with a lesson in making the perfect drink. VIP ticket holders received a branded swag box with cocktail utensils, cocktail ingredients and snacks. Local restaurants Blue Pit BBQ (Hampden), Limoncello Baltimore (Federal Hill), Baby’s on Fire (Mt. Vernon), and El Bufalo (Canton), offered special discounts. A portion of the proceeds from this event were donated to the AAF Baltimore Foundation Student Scholarship Fund.
The American Advertising Awards competition is the industry’s largest and most representative competition — attracting more than 35,000 entries every year in local competitions. Gold winners at the local level move on to the district competition, competing with agencies from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C. A win at the district level earns a spot in the National American Advertising Awards Competition. National winners will be announced at the AAF’s national conference, Admerica, taking place June 7-11, 2021
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