ROANOKE, Virginia (Nov. 30, 2020) — AAF Roanoke will be honoring the best advertising created locally during 2020 and has issued its Call for Entries for the Western Virginia Advertising Awards.
The annual competition recognizes exceptional professional and student advertising created in Southwest Virginia. The American Advertising Awards honor advertising excellence in all media including online, non-traditional, print, broadcast and out-of- home. It is the first level of a three-level national competition that is the advertising industry’s largest.
Due to COVID-19, the American Advertising Awards competition rules, categories, and entry procedures for 2020-21 have been modified to allow online submission and judging. Additional creative materials can be uploaded for entries and there will not be an in-person take-in day.
In all categories, entrants will upload digital examples of an entry. This is intended to provide appropriate content virtual judging and display. For most categories, there has been no change from prior competition years.
Please carefully follow all online submission guidelines provided within the entry system, in order to ensure that your work is properly represented during all three tiers of the American Advertising Awards competition. Please note that online judging is approved for THIS YEAR ONLY.
Professional entries must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, January 8, through online submission at https://enter.americanadvertisingawards.com/a/Organizations/03-ROA/Home. Entry fees are $90 for members/$125 nonmembers for single entries and $100 for members/$135 nonmembers for campaigns. Entries will be judged Jan. 20 to 25.
Also new for 2020, is a new local-only category to honor work that wasn’t delivered or published due to COVID-19. Submit your best unpublished work for a chance to earn local kudos.
Student entries must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, January 15, through online submission at https://enter.americanadvertisingawards.com/a/Organizations/03-ROA/Home. Student entries are $25.
AAF Roanoke’s ADDY Award winners be honored during a virtual gala on Thursday, February 25, 2021. Creative work winning awards at the local level is then eligible to compete in the second level of competition, the District 3 American Advertising Awards, conducted in April. District winners are then eligible for entry in the National American Advertising Awards. National winners are honored at the American Advertising Awards celebration during the American Advertising Federation’s ADMERICA.
The local competition is sponsored by AAF Roanoke, a member association comprised of advertising and media professionals. Proceeds from the American Advertising Awards help support AAF Roanoke’s educational programs, public service projects and proactive government relations efforts.
Nominations are also open for AAF Roanoke’s special awards, including Ad Person of the Year, Vendor of the Year, Silver Medal, and the new Shine Award for public service.
The Advertising Person of the Year award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of advertising, marketing and design in Western Virginia. The recipient of this award embodies the professionalism, dedication and creativity that are at the heart of the advertising profession. This is NOT a lifetime achievement award, and is designed to recognize recent accomplishments within the LAST CALENDAR YEAR. Nominees may be in the creative, marketing, advertising management, media, or other relevant advertising fields. Membership in Roanoke Advertising Federation is not required.
The Vendor of the Year award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of advertising, marketing and design in Western Virginia. The recipient of this award embodies the professionalism, dedication and creativity that are at the heart of the advertising profession. This is NOT a lifetime achievement award, and is designed to recognize recent accomplishments within the LAST CALENDAR YEAR. Nominees may be in the creative, marketing, advertising management, media, or other relevant advertising fields. Membership in Roanoke Advertising Federation is not required.
The AAF Roanoke Shine Award is meant to recognize the outstanding work by an organization or individual in the area of community or public service. The award is limited to community service efforts completed in the past year. Nominations of an individual or organization is not limited to membership with AAF Roanoke.
The American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award Program was established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. Annually, our club bestows this honor upon outstanding members of the local advertising community. The award serves to enhance the image of advertising by recognizing a locally well-known person for his or her advertising and community involvement.