Local advertisers showed off their best work Saturday at the industry’s biggest night of the year — American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge’s 59th annual ADDY Award Show.
Hunter Territo, president of the Baton Rouge chapter of AAF, said there were more than 300 submissions from advertising professionals and students this year. The top 20 percent of entrants won awards Saturday and will proceed to the Southeastern District show, where they will vie for a chance to compete at the national level, he said.
The judges look for ads that challenge the status quo, Territo said.
“Maybe it was a piece of outdoor advertising for a law firm. What made it different for outdoor? Did it set a trend?” Territo asked.
Territo, who is also associate creative director of local firm XDesign, said advertising professionals know an ADDY represents high-caliber work.
“This isn’t just a Baton Rouge thing. Other markets understand the value of that ADDY,” he said.
University advertising seniors Jesse Barnett, Lacye Beauregard, Johnny Sciortino and Joe Wanko entered their campaign for Boudica, a fictional tea company, to the ADDYs. Barnett said the idea of the campaign is to foster a universal connection to tea because it is the most widely consumed beverage in the world.
The most important part of making an ad campaign is building a team that can produce strong work, Barnett said.
“I came up with the idea for our ads on a train ride home from Arkansas, but it’s always amazing to see how the other people in your team change your idea and make it into a real ad,” said Sciortino, who also serves as president of the University’s AdFed chapter.
Wanko, who was responsible for Boudica’s online campaign, said advertisers have traditionally aimed to create work with staying power. Because the Web changes so frequently, the focus has shifted to always being able to offer something new, he said.
“You have to try to kind of set yourself out there and be different before different happens,” Wanko said.
Brian Rodriguez, president-elect of the Baton Rouge AAF chapter, said local ADDY shows help those areas’ advertising
communities. Submitting work is not just about winning an award, he said; it also supports AAF, which provides professional development for advertisers.
The shows also give student entrants a chance to network and compete on a level field with professionals, Rodriguez said.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to leave a big mark on the industry before they even graduate,” Rodriguez said.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to leave a big mark on the industry before they even graduate.”
