Read the AAF Blog to find out more about what West Michigan's creative class is thinking, doing and learning.
2/10/2010
AAF West Michigan Selects 2010 Silver Medal Award Recipient
The American Advertising Federation of West Michigan (AAF West Michigan) has named Frank Blossom—co-founder of the Polishing Center, visiting professor at Grand Valley State University and strategic director of Frank Communications—the 2010 recipient of the Silver Medal Award.
The Silver Medal Award will be presented to Blossom on Thursday, February 25, at AAF West Michigan’s annual ADDY Award ceremony, the highlight of AD Fair 2010, to be held at The Intersection in downtown Grand Rapids.
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AAFWM
2/1/2010
AAF West Michigan Announces AD Fair ‘10
Third annual event celebrates the region’s award-winning advertising and design industry
To celebrate the world-class advertising and design products created in West Michigan, American Advertising Federation of West Michigan (AAF West Michigan) launches AD Fair ‘10, a series of social, educational and celebratory events slated for February 23-25.
AD Fair is West Michigan’s version of New York’s Ad Week–celebrating the best of what the advertising and design industry brings to West Michigan.
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AAF West Michigan
12/22/2009
Sad News Regarding our Friend Bruce Hansen
Bruce Hansen passed away Monday, December 21 at the age of 60 after a 6 month battle with lung cancer. Bruce has been serving the West Michigan Graphic Arts community since the late seventies with Burch, The Etheridge Company, SVH and MPS. He has been respected and heralded by his customers by his never-ending commitment to service and quality. Bruce was instrumental in creating some of the finest printed pieces for many customers including Steelcase, Herman Miller, Tiara Yachts, Wolverine Worldwide, Amway and many others. His biggest fans were his customers who loved his 24/7 service, sense of humor, and knowledge of this very complex industry. Bruce was responsible for many awards in the community for Printing excellence. I know that anyone in the printing business in Grand Rapids knows Bruce and the outstanding reputation he built over 30 years.
Bruce will be missed and the positive impact he left on this community will be felt forever.
Services are to be held Wednesday 3PM at Frederik Meijer Gardens.
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Bruce Hansen passed away Monday, December 21 at the age of 60 after a 6 month battle with lung cancer. Bruce has been serving the West Michigan Graphic Arts community since the late seventies with Burch, The Etheridge Company, SVH and MPS. He has been respected and heralded by his customers by his never-ending commitment to service and quality. Bruce was instrumental in creating some of the finest printed pieces for many customers including Steelcase, Herman Miller, Tiara Yachts, Wolverine Worldwide, Amway and many others. His biggest fans were his customers who loved his 24/7 service, sense of humor, and knowledge of this very complex industry. Bruce was responsible for many awards in the community for Printing excellence. I know that anyone in the printing business in Grand Rapids knows Bruce and the outstanding reputation he built over 30 years.
Bruce will be missed and the positive impact he left on this community will be felt forever.
Services are to be held Wednesday 3PM at Frederik Meijer Gardens.
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AAFWM
11/6/2009
Special Discount for AAF West Michigan members to attend AMA Nov. 12 Program
Peter Shankman will address American Marketing Association members and guests at a special gathering of the AMA at One Haworth Center in Holland on Thursday, November 12.
Peter Shankman will discuss social networking, viral marketing and all the fun ways to use them and perhaps most important, why sometimes not using any of them is your best bet.
AMA will honor the our member registration fee ($25) for any AdFed member.
Click here for more details.
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Peter Shankman will address American Marketing Association members and guests at a special gathering of the AMA at One Haworth Center in Holland on Thursday, November 12.
Peter Shankman will discuss social networking, viral marketing and all the fun ways to use them and perhaps most important, why sometimes not using any of them is your best bet.
AMA will honor the our member registration fee ($25) for any AdFed member.
Click here for more details.
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AAF West Michigan
10/22/2009
Job Posting: Marketing Assistant
Immediate opening for an entry level marketing assistant position at a Grand Rapids-based marketing consulting company with multiple client types.
Click here for complete details
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Immediate opening for an entry level marketing assistant position at a Grand Rapids-based marketing consulting company with multiple client types.
Click here for complete details
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AAF West Michigan
10/22/2009
Job Posting: Account Director
Account Director role at a B2B marketing agency in Grand Rapids.
Click here for complete details
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Account Director role at a B2B marketing agency in Grand Rapids.
Click here for complete details
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AAF West Michigan
10/12/2009
Job Positng: Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park Membership Coordinator
Click here for complete details
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Click here for complete details
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AAF West Michigan
10/8/2009
GRAVITY SIX “MADE IN MICHIGAN” CAMPAIGN FOR CHEMICAL BANK TAKES TOP BRANDING HONORS AT ABA FINANCIAL MARKETING AWARDS
Campaign aims to change economic conversation in Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 5, 2009 – The Chemical Bank “Made in Michigan” campaign, created by the Gravity Six Alliance Alliance, earned the top Brand Campaign award in the $1 billion to $5 billion asset category at the 2009 American Bankers Association Financial Marketing Awards in September and was named runner up for the Financial Marketing Excellence Award, the top honor in the competition.
Chemical Bank, which has operated exclusively in Michigan for over 90 years, launched “Made in Michigan” in July 2008 to help change the economic conversation in the state. The campaign used statewide print, outdoor, radio, in-branch marketing, and a dedicated website – www.savingmi.com – to show pride in Michigan and remind people that there is business being done here and more opportunity lies ahead. Imagery includes iconic Michigan lighthouses and silos wrapped in money rolls with the tag “Made in Michigan.”
The ABA Financial Marketing Awards recognize bank marketing professionals and their agencies for creative excellence in six categories: annual report, brand, customer acquisition and retention, financial education, humor, and impact. Awards are broken out based on bank asset size. The Financial Marketing Excellence Award is a “best of show” award and crosses all categories.
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Campaign aims to change economic conversation in Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 5, 2009 – The Chemical Bank “Made in Michigan” campaign, created by the Gravity Six Alliance Alliance, earned the top Brand Campaign award in the $1 billion to $5 billion asset category at the 2009 American Bankers Association Financial Marketing Awards in September and was named runner up for the Financial Marketing Excellence Award, the top honor in the competition.
Chemical Bank, which has operated exclusively in Michigan for over 90 years, launched “Made in Michigan” in July 2008 to help change the economic conversation in the state. The campaign used statewide print, outdoor, radio, in-branch marketing, and a dedicated website – www.savingmi.com – to show pride in Michigan and remind people that there is business being done here and more opportunity lies ahead. Imagery includes iconic Michigan lighthouses and silos wrapped in money rolls with the tag “Made in Michigan.”
The ABA Financial Marketing Awards recognize bank marketing professionals and their agencies for creative excellence in six categories: annual report, brand, customer acquisition and retention, financial education, humor, and impact. Awards are broken out based on bank asset size. The Financial Marketing Excellence Award is a “best of show” award and crosses all categories.
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AAFWM
10/5/2009
Bylaw Changes
This past spring, the board of AAF West Michigan began examining the future of our relationship with AD2 West Michigan.
After three years of support from AAF West Michigan, AD2 had not yet reached the point of fiscal solvency, nor membership goals. We concluded that AAF West Michigan could no longer financially support AD2 – especially in these tight times.
We offered an option that would encourage young AD2 to become more directly involved with AAF West Michigan, without the local AD2 chapter.
The AD2 board instead chose to strike out on their own. As a result, changes are required to the AAF West Michigan bylaws which will end the affiliation between the two clubs. We ask you to review these changes and place your vote to approve them.
Members of AAF West Michigan have been contacted to review and vote on the language required for the bylaw change. If you have questions or would like to post a comment, please go to the bottom of our home page and create an account. Then, return to this page to post your comment or call the office at 616.459.9196 for assistance.
Click here to review the bylaw changes
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This past spring, the board of AAF West Michigan began examining the future of our relationship with AD2 West Michigan.
After three years of support from AAF West Michigan, AD2 had not yet reached the point of fiscal solvency, nor membership goals. We concluded that AAF West Michigan could no longer financially support AD2 – especially in these tight times.
We offered an option that would encourage young AD2 to become more directly involved with AAF West Michigan, without the local AD2 chapter.
The AD2 board instead chose to strike out on their own. As a result, changes are required to the AAF West Michigan bylaws which will end the affiliation between the two clubs. We ask you to review these changes and place your vote to approve them.
Members of AAF West Michigan have been contacted to review and vote on the language required for the bylaw change. If you have questions or would like to post a comment, please go to the bottom of our home page and create an account. Then, return to this page to post your comment or call the office at 616.459.9196 for assistance.
Click here to review the bylaw changes
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AAF West Michigan
9/29/2009
Pure Michigan puts AAF’s season opener in the news
“Michigan is like Alaska – only closer.” That’s what research results told the ad agency that would eventually create the award-winning Pure Michigan campaign.
Instead of a roadblock, that just fuels the problem-solving talents of a great creative firm. When you watched the pitch by McCann Erickson (Birmingham, Mich.) that won the Travel Michigan account – Majestic, Mythic, Magical – it was evident they had already discovered “The Road to Pure Michigan.”
AAF West Michigan’s season started September 23 with a crowd of 100+ at the BOB and our speaker, Dave Lorenz from Travel Michigan (also a West Michigan native), who provided insight about the hugely successful Pure Michigan campaign. “There’s only 30,000 mornings to wake up to,” he said. “This campaign is about living life to the fullest.”
The Pure Michigan campaign already ranks 6th on the list of Forbes Magazine’s 10 all-time best travel campaigns. (http://tinyurl.com/klokpx). And according to Travel Michigan, for each dollar Michigan spent on out-of-state advertising from 2004 through 2008, new visits to Michigan stimulated by that advertising created more than $40 of spending at Michigan businesses and generated $2.86 in new state tax collections.
Timing is everything. The campaign’s future hinges on what happens during the state’s budget process now underway in Lansing. And the September 23 AAF event also coincided with the opening day of ArtPrize (www.artprize.org), which puts another positive spotlight on the state of Michigan. Both topics piqued the interest of local reporters who attended. See their coverage here:
Shandra Martinez, Grand Rapids Press
Michigan tourism official warns successful ‘Pure Michigan’ ad campaign facing budget ax
Liz Slowik, Grand Rapids Business Journal
ArtPrize ‘brilliant.’ state tourism official says
Tony Rubleski, owner of Mind Capture and blogger on mlive.com
Pure Michigan Campaign = Pure Common Sense
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Clare Wade
