Tickets to the American Advertising Awards are SOLD OUT!
If you’re interested in attending, please get your name on the waitlist. We will contact you if a seat opens up.
Please email info@aafblackhills.org with any questions.
SAVE THE DATE – FEB. 16, 2024
Recognizing the best of the best at the 2024 American Advertising Awards Gala
Venue: HOliday Inn Rapid City Downtown
time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday, February 16, 2024
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS
Black Hills Energy
Black Hills State University
Fireweed Photography
Jackalope
Matt Burdit Photography
Midwest Marketing LLC
Northstar Productions
Reed Lindbloom, BHFCU
RESPEC
Simpsons Printing
The HomeSlice Group
SCHEDULE FOR THE EVENING
5:00-6:30 PM Social Hour
6:30 PM Dinner
Awards Ceremony to Follow
BOOK A ROOM
Want to make the evening into a staycation? Grab a room at the Holiday Inn for a discounted rate through the AAF Black Hills Room Block.
$84 Room Rate
(Single King w/ Sleeper Sofa OR Double Queen)
Upgrade to a Double Queen Executive (Double Queen with w/ sleeper sofa) for $10 more
Rate cannot be guaranteed after 1/31/24
Reserve your room today!
Call 844-516-6415 anytime:
Reference 2024 American Advertising Awards or group code AAA
Follow this link to book online: 2024 American Advertising Awards
(does not work with mobile devices)
MEET THE JUDGES
Michael O’Cana
Neon Pig Creative, Partner, Director of Web
While dad jokes are a huge skill set of Mike’s, his true skill lies within the web world. With Mike, you really do get the best of both worlds. As the development team leader he is organized and can solve any website problem that comes our way. He’s been known to crack the whip, but never without a smile on his face. With a Bachelors Degree in Visual Communications, Mike is also a strong creative designer and can really narrow in on user experience in both print and web.
A native to Colorado, Michael has embedded into his mission to see his community and colleagues in small business reach their highest potential. When he’s not slaying it in the office, he enjoys camping, cycling, and dabbling in turntablism.
Michael has also served as past-president of the AAF Colorado Chapter.
Jane Goldman brings 25 years of Copy, Content, and Creative Direction experience in advertising, brand, digital, and communications strategy. She spent the first 15 years of her career at integrated and digital agencies in Boston, MA, developing award-winning campaigns for Fortune 500 clients and household names like Dunkin’, BMO Harris Bank, LoJack, Keurig, Marshalls, NFL, and UNICEF. Ten years ago, she moved client-side, helping to build in-house creative and content teams. She was the first in-house Global Creative Director at Au Bon Pain and then spent six and half years at Citizens Bank as Head of Content, building out the in-house content team and then establishing a content strategy practice as Head of Enterprise Corporate Content Strategy. In May 2022, Jane joined Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance as Creative Director for the Berxi Small Commercial brand to build and oversee creative, brand, and content. Jane gives back to the creative community through mentoring young marketers and award show judging (local, regional, and global), in addition to other volunteer work. Born in Los Angeles, Jane graduated from Boston University and resides in the Greater Boston area with her husband and rescue dog, River.
Jane Goldman
Berxi-Berkshire Hathaway, Creative Director
Jason Corbin
Big Communication, Director of Creative Development
Currently working as the Director of Creative Development at Big Communications, headquartered in Birmingham, AL, Jason Corbin is a conceptual, multi-disciplinary, award winning, creatively driven human who enjoys creating content that influences people to buy stuff and do things they may or may not want to buy or do. As he likes to say, “Make them laugh. Make them cry. Make them feel alive. Jason’s work has been recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Communication Arts, Lürzer’s Archive, The American Advertising Federation, Ads of the World, AIGA and Graphis.
COMPETITION RULES, TIPS & FAQs
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To purchase a table at the American Advertising Awards Gala, please purchase individual tickets OR reach out to a commitee member here: contact us.
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The expressed intent of the American Advertising Awards competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in the legitimate everyday workplace of advertising.
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Judging will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines found on the AAF website.
Entries are NOT scored against each other. Entries are judged against requirements of each category with judge expertise. Therefore, even if you are the only entry in said category, it does not mean it is an immediate win.
See scoring information for more details.
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A scoring range of 40–100 is required by AAF National. Entries are NOT scored against each other. Entries are judged against requirements of each category with judge expertise.
90-100: Excellent! The best of the best Top of its category. Gold American Advertising Award material.
80-89: Above average work for the market or category, good Silver American Advertising Award material.
Anything less than 80 is not eligible for an award.
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You will be directed to the competition site to register as an entrant. Review the category list in this document or on these websites to find where your work should compete, and follow the simple drop-down menus to enter your information. Make sure you credit the members of your creative team, so that they will be recognized properly in press releases and other AAF winner publications.
NOTE: Trophies are personalized based on information submitted at time of entry. Please make sure all fields are accurate.
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All work entered in the American Advertising Awards competition must have first appeared between January 1, and December 31, 2023.
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If your entry wins a Gold ADDY at the local chapter competition, it will be automatically forwarded to the district competition with fees paid by the local chapter. Should the entry win Gold again at the district level, it will be forwarded to the national competition with fees paid by the district.
If your entry is awarded a Silver ADDY at the local or district level, you have won the right to compete at the next level of competition and may choose to pay the applicable entry fee in order to be forwarded. You will be contacted with information regarding your entries that qualify to be forwarded to the next level of competition, including entry fees, due dates and how to submit payment.
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• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institution.
• All worked entered into the competition must have been created between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
• Work may be developed specifically for this competition or submitted from previous projects or competitions.
• Work must be created while entrant is a student not employed in the advertising industry. Student intern work is eligible if it is not used by or paid for by a client. Work developed for paying clients will not be accepted
COMPETITION ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED
PROFESSIONALS
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Note: All work entered in the American Advertising Awards competition must have first appeared between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
No physical copies are needed as the 2024 competition is completely digital.
STUDENTS
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Note: All worked entered into the competition must have been created between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
No physical copies are needed as the 2024 competition is completely digital.
DEADLINE TO ENTER
All entries will need to be submitted by Friday, January 5, 2024. Entries submitted after January 5 will be charged an extra $25/entry fee. No entries will be accepted after 12 PM (noon) on Friday, January 12, 2024.
PRICING INFORMATION
AAF Black Hills Members: $65–$85/entry
Non Members: $125–$145/entry
Students: $35/entry