ADDY Awards Shaping Up To Be Among Best Ever

The wheels are turning big time on preparation for the 2011 AAF-Knoxville ADDY awards.

To be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel on Saturday, February 26, at 6 pm, this year's event will celebrate the work of advertising professionals throughout East Tennessee, and recognize several distiguished members of the advertising community with special awards.

Judging of this years competition is complete, and word has been leaked that 30 companies will receive 287 awards at this year's festivities.

To make reservations for this year's awards ceremony, contact AAF-Knoxville Executive Director Karen Taylor at edirector@aafknoxville.com or 865.742.4838. Tickets cost $65 each or $600 for a table of ten.

And watch this blog for more updates as we learn more about people, music, special events, afterparties, and other elements of the gala.

ADDY Awards Top 10

Top 10 Reasons to Enter AAF-Knoxville’s 2011 ADDY Awards

Number 10: Ricky Gervais will not be hosting the awards show.

Number 9: When you win, your boss will have no more excuses for not remembering your first name.

Number 8: You look killer in eveningwear.

Number 7: 27 rewrites before you got it perfect. Somebody needs to know.

Number 6: 27 graphic variations before the copywriter gave you something you could actually work with. Somebody needs to know.

Number 5: Hugs from the people for whom you did the work.

Number 4: You can replace the “Hello Kitty” poster above your desk with your framed winner’s certificates.

Number 3: Professional accolades, promotions, beefier resumes.

Number 2: (If #3 isn’t enough.) Professional jealousy and braggin’ rights.

And the number one reason to enter the 2011 AAF-Knoxville ADDYs:

Number 1: You’ll be so close to Brian Potter that you could almost TOUCH him.

Addy entries are due Friday, January 21. Enter online here. Details on sample drop off for judging here.

Knoxify Wigs Out On Big Wig Awards

Check out this great post from Knoxify on our Big Wig Awards, which includes neat photos and our winners' list. http://knoxify.com/big-wig-jig-aaf-knoxville-celebrates-the-unsung-heroes-of-advertising/

Big Wig Award Winners

The behind-the-scenes people of the advertising and communications industry—printers, photographers, media reps, assistants and others—were honored Thursday night as AAF-Knoxville, the local advertising club, hosted its first annual Big Wig Awards.

AAF-Knoxville asked people within the East Tennessee communications community to submit nominations for the “unsung heroes” of advertising and marketing—professionals who may not be recognized at other awards programs like the ADDY Awards, but whose contributions to the field are invaluable. People tapped more than 100 individuals in 22 categories.

From there, more than 1700 votes were cast to select the honorees. Below are the finalists and winners for each category:

Best Online Rep:

· Gerald Adler- KNS

· Sarah Burton- WATE (Winner)

· Marina Prutskova – South Central Media

Best Printer Rep:

· Wendell Burkhart- Union Printer

· Brent Golden- Hart Graphics (Winner)

· Jerry Price – Union Printer

· Peter Ullrich- Ullrich Printing

Best Outdoor Rep:

· Bob Crossland, Lamar

· Jonathan Graviss, Lamar

· Carolyn Morton- Lamar (Winner)

Best Newspaper Rep:

· Barry Jarrell, Tennessee Press Service

· Marti Townsend- Knoxville News Sentinel (Winner)

· Diane Shannon, Farragut Press

Best Radio Rep:

· Michael Brody- South Central Media

· Cory Dickson- Citadel Broadcasting (Winner)

· Traci McKee- Journal Broadcasting

Best TV Rep:

· Maureen Bosch- WVLT

· Kristy Henderson- WBIR (Winner)

· Michael Hodges - WBIR

· Steve Parket – WATE

· Lynn Perella - WBIR

· Betsy Wood- WVLT

Best Exhibit Production:

· Hart Graphics (Winner)

· Skylines

· Print Edge

Best Large Format Printer:

· Hart Graphics

· PostNet

· Print Edge (Winner)

Best Printer:

· Hart Graphics (Winner)

· High Resolution

· Russell Printing Options

· Ullrich Printing

· Union Printers

Best Sign Company:

· Fast Signs (Winner)

· High Resolutions

· Signs-N-Such

Best Fulfillment /Direct Mail Category:

· Direct Mail Services (Winner)

· National Mailroom

Best Talent Agency:

· 18Karat

· Talent Trek (Winner)

· Gage Model and Talent

Best Photographer:

· Charlie Brooks (Winner)

· Dudenbostel Photography

· Andrew Gresham- Asen Advertising

· David Luttrell- Astral Atelier Photography

· Jack Parker

Best Video Film Post Production:

· Elastic Pictures

· HP Video

· KARMA (Winner)

· Radiant Media

· Red Arrow Industries

· Sam Moore. WBIR

Best Sound Person:

· AMG Media

· Sam Moore- WBIR (Winner)

· Chris Robbins- Ursa Major

Best Media Buyer:

· Cindy Mincer – Mincer Media Management

· Amanda Osborn- Media Directions Advertising

· Nina Brown Reineri – Ascertainment Marketing, Inc.

· Cynthia Wells- Tombras (Winner)

· Nancy Turner Wilson - Wilson Group Advertising

Best Traffic/Production:

· Barry Bostedor, Scripps

· Jessica Brown, Rivr Media

· Valerie Lamb- Tombras (Winner)

Best Retouch Artist:

· Brian McWilliams

· Mark Perriguey, Asen Advertising

· Kiera Tippitt, 5 Monkeys Design (Winner)

Best Illustrator:

· Cindy Day

· Andrea Truan (Winner-tie)

· Danny Wilson (Winner-tie)

Best Web Programmer:

· Pablo Alejo, Tombras

· Darryl Ballard, Intensity

· Paul Gibson-VIEO (Winner)

· Michael Pryfogle, Designsensory

· Lee Tankersly, Active Dimension

Best Assistant:

· Hollie Bivens- Hart Graphics (Winner)

· Ellen Brewer- Tombras

· Sheri Dobson- WBIR

Best Up & Comer:

· Drew Dill- Shelton Group (Winner)

· Rachel Kennedy- Tombras

· Sarah Malak – Ackerman PR

Most Like to be My Boss in 10 Years:

· Josh Loebner- Design Sensory

· Meredith Priest- Shelton Group

· Dooley Tombras- Tombras (Winner)

AAF-Knoxville congratulates all the finalists and winners. To learn more, visit www.aafknoxville.com.

Big Wig Awards Thursday!

Program Celebrates the “Unsung Heroes” of Communications Thursday, October 28, at Latitude 35; All Communications Professionals Welcome To Attend

KNOXVILLE (October 25, 2010)—They’re the behind-the-scenes people—printers, photographers, media reps, assistants—that make great advertising happen. And they don’t get the recognition they deserve.

But on Thursday, October 28, they’ll get their turn in the limelight, thanks to the “Big Wig” Awards Program hosted by AAF-Knoxville, the local advertising professionals’ club.

AAF-Knoxville asked people within the East Tennessee communications community to submit nominations for the “unsung heroes” of advertising and marketing. People tapped more than 100 individuals in 22 categories and finalists were chosen. From there, more than 1700 votes were cast to select the honorees. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Latitude 35 on Thursday, October 28, from 6 to 8 pm.

A list of the finalists can be viewed www.aafknox.com/bigwig.

“These are immensely talented, creative, dedicated people. They don’t have the celebrity of some folks in our business, but their roles are vital,” said Brian Potter, President of AAF Knoxville. “And I think it’s very exciting that their peers have selected them to be honored for their great work.”

The awards ceremony is open to all people involved in advertising and communications—including students at local colleges and universities. Cost is $35 per person for professionals; $20 per student. Reservations can be made at www.aafknox.com/bigwig or by visiting AAF-Knoxville on Facebook.

BigWig Voting Begins

For the last few weeks, we've been soliciting nominations for AAF-Knoxville's first annual Big Wig Awards. The nominations are in--more than 100--total, and the finalists have been selected.

Now it's time to make your voice hear.

Cast your vote for your favorite Big Wig Award nominees by visiting http://aafknoxville.wufoo.com/forms/big-wig-online-nominations/. We'll tally the results, and on October 28 at Latitude 35, we'll celebrate with an awards ceremony and a great pre-halloween party.

Get more details at www.aafknox.com/bigwig.

September 23 Luncheon: Building and Selling a Brand Image

"Unfortunately, the concept of 'branding' has been diluted into meaningless business jargon," says Chris Houchens, our September speaker. But that doesn't mean that sound branding fundamentals are any less important.

The author of Brand Zeitgeist, Houchens will showcase the importance of developing and maintaining a brand for marketing supremacy. His lively session will feature several real world branding hits and misses.

Houchens is a marketing speaker and author. He has spent years working in both media and marketing including as the operations manager of a radio group, as the online director of a newspaper, and as the marketing director of a healthcare organization.

In addition to speaking to groups around the world about common sense marketing, Chris has been blogging his insights on marketing since 2005. The Shotgun Marketing Blog has been listed as a top marketing blog by several ranking lists. Read it at http://ShotgunConcepts.com