AKRON, OH (May 2, 2013) – The Akron Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) will host a social and networking event on Tuesday, May 7 at 12 p.m. at Musica in Downtown Akron. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. There will be a presentation by Amanda Butts, VP + Creative Direction of Leo Burnett in Chicago on “How a Project Lifecycle Differs at Small and Large Agencies.”

With 15 years under her belt, Amanda Butts has earned her two titles with a resume full of art direction and creative strategy experience at various sized agencies. Butts has worked on a range of diverse brands and is eager to share her broad perspective of the process differences from small to large agencies.

Admission is open to the public. Cost to attend the event is $20 for members, $35 for non-members and $15 for students. Lunch will be catered by Urban Eats and valet parking is included. The RSVP deadline is Friday, May 3. More information is available at http://www.aafakron.com/events/frombrieftopress.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

# # #

Contact:
Leigh Greenfelder, Communications Chair
330-996-4140, communications@AAFAkron.com

Lenny Spengler, Programs Chair
330-701-6277, events@AAFAkron.com

AKRON, Ohio (April 15, 2013) – The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) is proud to announce that three of its member organizations and three student members were recognized in the 2013 District 5 ADDY^® Awards competition, winning a total of six awards. Three Professional silvers, one Student silver and two Student gold awards were awarded to the following club members:

• 427 Design, Flite Test Poster, Silver ADDY® Award
• WhiteSpace Creative, If These Trees Could Talk Art Poster, Silver ADDY® Award
• design x nine (The University of Akron), AAF-Akron Event Poster Series, Silver ADDY® Award
• Melissa Turi, The University of Akron, Cleveland Botanical Garden Identity, Student Gold ADDY® Award
• Ryan Sprowl & Kimberly Smolkowicz, Kent State University, 2013 Letterpress Calendar, Student Silver ADDY® Award
• Charlie Bailey, The University of Akron, Meyers and Associates, Student Gold ADDY® Award

“The Greater Akron area continuously puts up a great showing at the District ADDY® Awards, which speaks to the quality of marketing and advertising work we offer locally,” said Cecilia Sveda of Minx Design, who serves as AAF-Akron’s president. “In addition, each year, our students are proving that they are prepared to contribute in a big way to the creative field in Northeast Ohio.”

The prestigious ADDY^® Awards event is a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The ADDY^® Awards, considered the world’s largest advertising competition, honors creative excellence and cultivates the highest creative standards in the industry. Awards are given in 15 categories, including sales promotion, collateral, direct marketing, interactive and broadcast.

The AAF-Akron awards ceremony was held on Friday, March 1, 2013 in the President’s Hall at the Akron Urban League. Gold award winners from the Akron awards were automatically forwarded onto the Fifth District to compete in those awards.  The Gold winners from Districts will be forwarded onto the national ADDY^® Awards.

“We are all rooting for Melissa and Charlie from The University of Akron as they vie for a national award,” Akron ADDY Chair Dan Kearsey of October Research said.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

# # #

AKRON, OH (March 29, 2013) – The Akron Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) will host a Lunch and Learn event on Thursday, April 4 at 12 p.m. at Musica in Downtown Akron. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. There will be a presentation by Christy Belden, VP Media + Marketing from LeapFrog Interactive in Louisville, Ky. on “Digital Marketing in 2013: What your team needs to know to make an impact.”

With seven of her 12-year career spent in digital media, Belden will share how staying in touch with the latest trends and strategies has helped her gain a deep understanding of audience and brand interaction to create successful media campaigns for clients. LeapFrog Interactive is a digital agency, with an integrated philosophy, providing services in web design, web technologies, SEO, PPC, branding and social media.

Admission is open to the public. Cost to attend the event is $20 for members, $35 for non-members and $15 for students. Lunch will be catered by Urban Eats and valet parking is included.  The RSVP deadline is Monday, April 1.  More information is available at www.aafakron.com/events/digital-marketing-2013.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

# # #

Contact:
Leigh Greenfelder, Communications Chair
330-996-4140, communications@AAFAkron.com

Lenny Spengler, Programs Chair
330-701-6277, events@AAFAkron.com

With nearly 200 professionals and students from the greater Akron advertising community in attendance, 60 professional awards and nine student awards were given for work completed in the 2012 calendar year.

Three judges from outside the area were brought into Akron in mid-January to score and judge each of the 194 entries. Special thanks to judges Emily Dorr of Jean Peterson Design (Frederick, MD), Barry Klipp of Brunner (Atlanta, GA) and Joseph Mayernik of Brandtatorship (Webster, NY).

Golds have been forwarded to District 5 judging which takes place in Rochester, NY March 22-23. Good luck everyone!

Best of Show was awarded to 427 Design for the Flite Test Poster produced for Flite Test.

Judge’s Choice Awards were given to:

• Kent State University for the Mobius Fashion Guide produced for the Kent State University Fashion School
• design x nine for the AAF–Akron Event Poster Series produced for AAF-Akron
• Kent State University for the Title IX Poster created for Title IX Sexual Assault Response Team

Check Out Photos from the Event!  Special thanks to Todd Biss Photography and Maguire Photo for the great shots!

Maguire Photo shots from the Motorcycle – view and download here

Todd Biss Photography shots from the event are below

[Show as slideshow]

1234...101112►

Tuesday Musical 125th Poster by TRIAD/Next
Level and 427 Design

Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Having spoken on several occasions about collaborating on a project, creative directors of two award-winning local design agencies, Justin Tokos (427 Design) and Joe Nemeth (TRIAD/Next Level) discovered the perfect opportunity with a project for Tuesday Musical Association.

In December 2011, Tuesday Musical Association was selected as a recipient of pro bono design services through TRIAD/Next Level’s Design4Good program, whereby providing design and production services for a poster celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the organization.

After reaching out to 427 Design, it was decided the two agencies would work together to produce an original, limited edition silk-screen poster, and the artwork would also be featured on the cover of Tuesday Musical’s programs during its 125th Season (2012-2013).

Creative teams at TRIAD/Next Level and 427 Design met with Barbara Feld and Jeneé Garlando from Tuesday Musical in March 2012 to gain background information on the organization. Concepts developed individually by both agencies were presented in July 2012.

“It’s such a beautiful poster, and it really commemorates our 125th anniversary,” said Barbara Feld, executive director of Tuesday Musical. “We will have our artists sign several copies which we’ll give to the foundations, organizations, business owners and individuals who have been so generous in supporting us.”

“When we were making our initial selections for Design4Good, we immediately thought this would be a great project and the perfect opportunity to collaborate with 427,” said Joe Nemeth, director, design + visual communication at TRIAD/Next Level. “We have such respect for their work and are glad we were able to come together to produce such an amazing product.”

“This has been such a great collaboration. We’ve always wanted to work with another area design firm on a project and we’re glad that we were able to do so with TRIAD/Next Level,” said Justin Tokos, creative director at 427 Design. “The poster turned out remarkably well and we couldn’t be happier.”

The selected design celebrates the rich history of the organization while looking ahead with excitement to the next 125 years. The four-color design reflects the beauty, elegance and boldness of the performances, and thanks Tuesday Musical’s patrons for their support and their love of music. Both teams worked at the 427 Design offices, along with Barbara Feld and Jeneé Garlando to complete the silk-screen process in early November 2012. One hundred and twenty five original posters were created for limited distribution and sale to benefit Tuesday Musical. Watch a video on the making of the poster here: https://vimeo.com/53362755

About the Agencies:
427 Design is one of the fastest growing, full-service, multi-media, creative agencies in Northeast Ohio. The agency is in the business of creating innovative audience experiences that deliver an immediate and sustainable impact for our clients. They position and reposition growing and mid-size businesses and organizations through web development, advertising, brand support, and film/video/audio production. For more information visit 427design.com.

TRIAD Communications, Inc. was established in 1994 and serves clients from two locations: Cuyahoga Falls and downtown Akron. Together, TRIAD and Next Level Interactive – the agency’s digital interactive studio — provide full-service advertising and communications support for a range of marketing needs including: traditional print and electronic media, interactive media, social media, public relations and online advertising. TRIAD has won over 150 awards in the advertising and marketing industries. Each year TRIAD | Next Level provides free design services to many organizations through our pro bono program, Design4Good. Over the last 18 years, these efforts exceeded $300,000, making a difference in the community in which we live and work. In 2012, 15 organizations throughout northeast Ohio received free design services including logo and identity system design, marketing collateral, website design and video production. For more information visit triadadv.com or nextlevelinteractive.com

About Tuesday Musical:
Tuesday Musical Association celebrates its 125th Anniversary during its 2012-2013 Concert Season. Tuesday Musical has grown in breadth and scope since its founding in 1887 and, today, not only presents one of the finest concert series in the country, but also has an education outreach component that is a model others follow. This Anniversary Season is dedicated to the memory of Clara I. Knight, mother of John S. and James L. Knight and long-time supporter of the organization – then known as Tuesday Musical Club. It is because of individuals like Mrs. Knight, and the hundreds before and after her, that Tuesday Musical has been able to serve this community. For more information visit tuesdaymusical.org

AKRON, OH (Nov. 23, 2012) – The Akron chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) will welcome Lee Zelenak, senior designer at Obama for America, at its Lunch & Learn event on Thursday, Dec. 6 at Musica in downtown Akron. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 12:00 noon. The topic of the presentation is “Design and Politics: Do they mix?” which will not have a partisan theme, rather a focus on the design and communications aspects of working for a political campaign.

Zelenak is a graphic designer born and raised in the Akron area and is currently living in Chicago. He attended Kent State University pursuing a master of fine arts degree in visual communications with a focus on branding and environmental design. After leaving Kent State, Zelenak took a full time position at Twist Creative in Cleveland, leading branding efforts for Ohio City, The West Side Market and The Cleveland Health-Tech Corridor. At the end of 2011, he joined the Barack Obama Campaign as a senior designer. Zelenak is part of a team of around 20 employees, five of whom have Ohio roots. In this role, his work ranges from web design to t-shirts and door hangers, to communications pieces and infographics.

Registration is available at www.aafakron.com until Monday, Dec. 3. Registration is $20 for members, $35 for non-members and $15 for students, which includes lunch catered by Urban Eats, valet parking and admittance to the speech.

AAF- Akron’s Membership Drive is taking place now through Dec. 31 and those who register by that date will receive 2012 rates. Members have access to great networking opportunities, educational Lunch & Learn events and valuable discounts. The group is comprised of professionals from all disciplines of Greater Akron’s marketing communications industry.

The Akron Chapter of AAF offers multiple levels of membership to suit any need. Individual, Student and New Professional levels offer a range of benefits for any professional. Silver and Gold Corporate Memberships are fitting for any size company. Interested professionals or companies can join at www.aafakron.com.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

###

AKRON, OH (Oct. 24, 2012) – The Akron chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) and The University of Akron announced the fifth-annual Agency Tours event will take place Friday, Nov. 2 from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. at four advertising agencies in Akron.

The popular annual event is an opportunity for students and professionals to visit local advertising agencies and design studios through an open house format in which they can tour the facility, see samples of each agency’s work and meet some of the staff at each location.  The event is free and open to the public, and design, advertising, marketing and communications students are encouraged to attend.

“The agency tours provide a unique opportunity for students and professionals alike to sneak a peek at local agencies and learn more about their clients, work and office space,” said Cecilia Sveda of Minx Design and the current AAF-Akron president. “The event is casual and there’s no set schedule, allowing visitors to come and go as they please.”

This year’s hosts are Outerbox Design, JWT Action, hfa and design x nine.  Each agency will welcome visitors anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Further event information can be found online at www.aafakron.com or by emailing Lenny Spengler at events@aafakron.com.

The agency tour hosts’ address and website information is as follows:

• Outerbox Design - 323 South Main St., 3^rd Floor, Akron 44308 - www.outerboxdesign.com
• JWT Action - 388 South Main St., Suite 410, Akron 44311 – www.jwtaction.com
  
• hfa  – 500 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Akron 44311 – www.teamhfa.com
  
• design x nine – University of Akron, Folk Hall Room 101, 150 East Exchange St., Akron 44325 –   www.designxnine.com                                 
  

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

###

AKRON, OH (Oct. 8, 2012) – The Akron chapter of the American Advertising Federation
(AAF-Akron) will welcome Paul Kepple, principal and creative director of Headcase Design, at its
Lunch & Learn event on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Musica in downtown Akron. Doors will open at
11:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 12:00 noon.

Kepple, a self proclaimed “board-certified specialist skilled in designoscopy,” will discuss
the development of the Headcase illustration style, as well as the process and experience of
designing for large pop-culture properties like the HBO series Game of Thrones, Deadwood and
The Sopranos, and the Broadway hits Wicked and Spring Awakening. Kepple received his
degree from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, where he now teaches.

Special pricing is available for this event only, as a kick-off to the fall AAF-Akron
Membership Drive. Anyone can attend the Lunch & Learn at member rates: $20 for
professionals; $15 for students. Registration is available online at www.aafakron.com through
Monday, Oct. 15. Free valet parking and lunch catered by Urban Eats are included in the ticket
price. All attendees will have a chance to win The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead with
deck and instructions by Paul Kepple and Stacey Graham.

Headcase Design is a two-man design/illustration studio located in Philadelphia which
specializes in publishing. Its work has been recognized by AIGA’s 365 and 50 Books/50 Covers,
American Illustration, Communication Arts, Graphics, How and Print.

About AAF-Akron:
The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded
as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that
educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of
members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and
promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the
Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of
AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at
www.aafakron.com.
###

AKRON, OH (Sept. 7, 2012) – The Akron Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) will host a social and networking event on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 6:00 p.m. at The Eye Opener in Akron. There will be a presentation by Janet VonGunten, Business Development at xpedx, to “shift your thinking about paper”.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Appetizers will be provided and a cash bar will be available. Ms. VonGunten has worked for xpedx for more than 20 years and in her current position she advises and provides support on paper selection. xpedx is a leading business-to-business distributor of packaging, facility and printing supplies in North America. Among her many accomplishments, the Northeast Ohio Craftsmen Club named VonGunten the 2012 Graphic Arts Person of the Year.

The Eye Opener is a gourmet breakfast restaurant located at 1688 West Market Street in Akron. There is additional parking available behind the building.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.

AAF-Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

# # #

AKRON, OH (August 3, 2012) – The Akron chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Akron) announced its new term of Board Members at its Annual Meeting and 1st Annual Darts Tournament on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at the Barley House in downtown Akron.  Each of the positions are volunteer-based and filled by some returning and some new members to the board.

“The service that each of these board members provides is invaluable to the entire advertising community served by AAF,” said Cecilia Sveda, President, of Minx Design. “Each of the board members bring diverse expertise to the group and help drive the mission of providing networking and education opportunities to our members who work in the communications, marketing, printing, design and advertising fields.”

AAF-Akron’s 2012-2014 Board Members are:

Officers:

o   President: Cecilia Sveda, Minx Design

o   Vice President/Programs Co-Chair: Scott Kessler, Zeto Creative

o   Treasurer: Michael Houseman, Trendesign

o   Secretary: David Dellosa

o   Past President/Chairman: Jen Snider, WhiteSpace Creative

Committee Chairs:

o   Membership Chair: Mike Campana, Hitchcock Fleming & Associates

o   Membership Co-Chair: Meghan Mathews, Greater Akron Chamber

o   Programs Chair: Lenny Spengler, Hitchcock Fleming & Associates

o   ADDY Chair: Dan Kearsey, Design Owl

o   ADDY Co-Chair: Steve Govern, Kleidon & Associates

o   Communications Chair: Leigh Greenfelder, Highland PR

o   Partnership Chair: Danielle Hupp, University Park Alliance

o   Education Chair: Tim Mock, The University of Akron

AAF-Akron is a membership-based organization, but non-members are invited to all events as well.  The organization offers membership levels for individuals, students and two levels of professional membership for companies. AAF-Akron offers popular Lunch & Learn speaker events nearly every month, multiple social and networking events throughout the year and is host to the Akron ADDY® Awards. Members receive local discounts on programming and events as well as discounted offers from the national arm of AAF.

About AAF-Akron:

The Akron Chapter of The American Advertising Federation (AAF – Akron) was founded as the Advertising Club of Akron in 1945. AAF-Akron’s efforts today include programs that educate members and help them conduct business better, government relations on behalf of members, educational programs to help provide a more prepared and diverse workforce, and promoting recognition of the economic and social value of advertising as an industry.
AAF – Akron won two national Club Achievement Awards for 2010 – first place in the Communications category and second place for Club Operations. AAF-Akron is a member of AAF District 5 and the national AAF. Further information on the club is available at www.aafakron.com.

# # #