Larger Footprints Welcome

By Diane Arseneau When the Board of Directors of the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts began to discuss possible affiliation with the American Advertising Association a couple of years back, the debate was layered and lively. At issue was the Ad Club membership, which is local, not to mention the merits of affiliation set against an increase in membership fees. "We weren't convinced at first that a national association headquartered in Washington D.C., would have any relative value to our members in Western Massachusetts," says Rick DeBonis, president of the Ad Club. "Turns out we made the right decision when we joined the AAF late last year. The affiliation has given us access to national networks, contacts and resources that have allowed us to play in a much larger field." Like so many other businesses, the Ad Club is discovering the countless perks involved in expanding its compass. For one, the Ad Club is in the midst of collecting and judging entries for the The American Advertising Federation's (AAF) ADDY Awards, which will allow Ad Club members to compete at the local, regional and national levels. Noted professionals from around the country have been selected as the judges. "Our association elevates the Ad Club to a new level of professionalism, networking and competition in the U.S. The creative work this area submits to the ADDYs can now have the opportunity to be judged against some of the best work in the nation. This will help us gauge the caliber of work produced locally and at the same time will raise the bar with respect to the overall level of work." Things in high places The AAF represents 50,000 professionals in the advertising industry. Its 130 corporate members are advertisers, agencies and media companies that comprise the nation's leading brands and corporations. The association also has a national network of 210 ad clubs and connects the industry with an academic base through its 210 college chapters. The upshot is the Ad Club of Western Mass has a link to some of the biggest names in the business. The AAF's award and recognition opportunities include the Advertising Hall of Fame, Advertising Hall of Achievement, ADDY Awards, Government Affairs Conference, Great Brands Campaign, Most Promising Minority Students Program and National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC). AAF offers weekly e-newsletters that feature trends, tips and up-to-date industry reports. The association also holds a national conference and lobbies for the industry at the regional and national levels. The resources and benefits of the affiliation are reciprocal. Local individuals and clubs provide the AAF with a network of hundreds of "geographic pulse points," a strong voice in local business communities and state legislatures, and a treasure trove of talent. The AAF, in return, provides the resources to make local clubs stronger. Passing along the clout Small and mid-sized companies in Western Mass can likewise grow their footprints by seeking industry affiliations of their own. That's not to say the AAF association with the Ad Club can't move them along. "The best advertising nationally and globally gathers its strength from the high quality of its strategic planning and creative schemes," says DeBonis. "They face an enormous amount of flux in the business, much of it brought on by the demands of global industries, challenges of return-on-investment and the flurry of trends in new media and fresh creative technology. "Those are the same forces that understood and utilized will elevate good advertising to great advertising," he adds. "With the AAF affiliation, we expect our local advertising agencies will fare very well. We're also confident [that] by acting themselves as catalysts for idea exchange, professional development and creative energy, they will pass the benefits onto their clients. The cooperation between the AAF and the Ad Club of Western Mass builds a stronger advertising and marketing community that can be tapped by the business community at large."