About the American Advertising Awards
The American Advertising Federation (AAF)’s American Advertising Awards are one of the industry’s largest creative competitions attracting nearly 35,000 professional and student entries each year through local club competitions. The mission of the American Advertising Awards is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in advertising.
The AAF Black Hills (western SD’s local chapter) American Advertising Awards competition is the first of a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the AAF alongside 200+ other clubs around the country. Entries that receive the coveted Gold ADDY for being recognized as the highest level of creative excellence are automatically forwarded onto the next tier of the competition. Other entries deserving of recognition for their outstanding level of excellence are awarded a Silver ADDY, and also have the opportunity to be forwarded on to the next level of competition.
Entry into the American Advertising Awards supports our entire industry; the AAF and its local and district memberships use the proceeds to enhance advertising through programs such as internships, advocacy groups and advertising education.
THANK YOU TO THE 2026 GALA SPONSORS
2026 american advertising awards gala
2026 ADDY recipients • official booklet coming soon
Student Gold
Ponder Magazine Issue 4, Magazine Design, Ponder - BHSU
Living by the Fly, Book Design, Caddis Robinson - BHSU
Ponder Magazine Issue 3, Magazine Design, Ponder - BHSU
Orangi Tea, Sales Promotion - Packaging, Quill Lent - BHSU
The Staff, Publication Design - Editorial Spread/Feature, Noah Westergaard - BHSU
Ink & Asphalt, Publication Design - Cover Editorial Spread/Feature Series, Cole Marquez - BHSU
Izakaya Three Fish, Still Photo Campaign, Alec Butterfield - BHSU
Never Late, Cinematography Single, Alec Butterfield - BHSU
Sea In The Sky - Book Design, Jenna Bondegard - BHSU
BHSU Athletics Trading Cards - Art Direction - Campaign, Josh Hall - BHSU
Ponder Illustrations, Illustrations Campaign, Rae Hanzlik - BHSU
Area ‘76, Publication Design - Cover Editorial Spread/Feature Series, Alec Butterfield - BHSU
Breast Cancer Kills, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign, Shyanne Potthoff - BHSU
Beware The Dryer Dwellers, Book Design, Rae Hanzlik - BHSU
STUDENT SILVER
Where We Belong, Still Photography - Color, Alec Butterfield - BHSU
Waiting & Wishing, Still Photography - Color, Alec Butterfield - BHSU
Sasquatch Baseball Pocket Schedule, Special Events Materials, Amber Aymar - BHSU
Digitized Encaustic Exploration, Illustration, Atlas Goodall - BHSU
Northern Lights in the Black Hills, Still Photography - Color, Ava Elliott - BHSU
Reflections, Great Salt Lake Marina, Still Photography - Color, Brooke Lammle - BHSU
Playing Cards, Illustration, Caddis Robinson - BHSU
HOMIES Sock Packaging, Sales Promotion - Packaging, Cole Marquez - BHSU
Frayed Fates Branding, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign, Noah Westergaard - BHSU
Rune Cards, Illustration, Grant C Koenig - BHSU
Have a Coke, Cinematography, Noah Westergaard - BHSU
Feature Designs, Cover Editorial Spread/Feature Series, Hunter Clay Davis - BHSU
PONDER Business Cards, Stationery Collateral, Hunter Davis - BHSU
Canyon Roads, Classic Muscle - Still Photography Campaign, Jaydn Anderson - BHSU
Incoming Storm, Illustration, Jenna Bondegard - BHSU
Rooted Coffee Company Packaging, Sales Promotion - Packaging, Jesse Powers - BHSU
Rooted Coffee Company Logo, Logo Design, Jesse Powers - BHSU
BHSU Softball / Under Armour, Still Photography - Color, Josh Hall - BHSU
Marker on the Green, Sales Promotion - Point of Purchase, Julia Wilson - BHSU
Basement Revolution Tilte Sequence, Animation/Special Effects, Nathan Feller - BHSU
Metamorphosis, Book Design, Nathan Feller - BHSU
Because this, honey, is DRAG., Still Photography - Campaign, Noah Westergaard - BHSU
How Unusual!, Cover - Publication Design, Jillian Lent - BHSU
Run, Your Way, Magazine Advertising Campaign, Sierra Hopp - BHSU
Maten Er Halve Føda, Publication Design - Spread/Feature, Taylor SanFilippo - BHSU
Don't Cry Over Spilled Corn, Still Photography - Color, Taylor SanFilippo - BHSU
RISE, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign, Torrance Brown - BHSU
Oh, Honey, Still Photography - Digitally Enhanced, Zakary Cina - BHSU
Watch This, Still Photography - Color, Zakary Cina - BHSU
PROFESSIONAL GOLD
Strike of the Sacred - Ellen’s Collection - Still Photography, Color
Your Home Campus - Fresh Produce LLC / Black Hills State University - Integrated Advertising Campaign (Regional/National)
Connecting Across Time - Fresh Produce LLC / Badlands National Park Conservancy - Branded Content (Non-Broadcast)
Decoding the Madness - Sturgis Buffalo Chip - Publication Design, Editorial Spread/Feature
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Copywriting
Sturgis Rally 2025 Aftermovie - Sturgis Buffalo Chip - Branded Content (Online Film), Over :60
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video, Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Sound Design
Your Home Campus - Fresh Produce LLC / Black Hills State University - Out of Home Outdoor Boards (Animated/Video)
RESPEC Safety Cards - RESPEC - Specialty Advertising/Direct Mail
LinkTech Brand Identity - Liv Hospitality / LinkTech - Integrated Brand Identity Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Catalog - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Art Direction
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Voiceover Talent
Find Your Way - Fresh Produce LLC / Black Hills State University - Illustration Series
Loam Yoga Brand Identity & Logo - Vela Creative Co. / Loam Yoga - Integrated Brand Identity Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Video Editing
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Brand - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Still Photography Campaign
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Catalog - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Sales Promotion Catalog
Love Where You Live/ Work Recruit - Jackalope / Monument Health - Cinematography Campaign
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Catalog - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Art Direction
PROFESSIONAL SILVER
Love Where You Live/ Work Recruit - Jackalope / Monument Health - Integrated Branded Content Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Sturgis Rally 2025 Aftermovie - Sturgis Buffalo Chip - Cinematography
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Animation, Special Effects, Motion Graphics
Find Your Way, Fresh Produce LLC / Black Hills State University - Animation, Special Effects, Motion Graphics
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Video - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Audio/Visual Sales Presentation
RESPEC Annual Report 2024 - RESPEC - Printed Annual Report
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Brand - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Integrated Branded Content Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Decoding the Madness - Sturgis Buffalo Chip - Branded Content & Entertainment (Print)
Sustainability Report - BH Energy - Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report
Loam Yoga Brand Identity & Logo - Vela Creative Co. / Loam Yoga - Logo Design
Vital Conversations Podcast - Monument Health - Logo Design
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Brand - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Art Direction
MX Summit - Property Meld - Single Event
MAX Intelligence - Property Meld - Digital Creative Technology Element/s
Love Where You Live/ Work Recruit - Jackalope / Monument Health - Branded Content & Entertainment Campaign
Love Where You Live/ Work Recruit - Jackalope / Monument Health - Branded Content & Entertainment (Non-Broadcast)
MAX Intelligence Microsite - Property Meld - Microsite
RESPEC Get Tanked Campaign - RESPEC - Direct Mail (3D/Mixed Single Unit)
Winter Service Special - Floyd’s Truck Center - Consumer Advertising Campaign (Local)
Mediathon - Monument Health - Consumer Advertising Campaign (Local)
Community & Family Services Rebrand - Black Hills Special Services Cooperative - Integrated Brand Identity Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Breadroot Co-op Vendor Spotlights - Breadroot Natural Foods Co-op - Digital Publication/s
SURF Die-cut Brochure - Sanford Underground Research Facility - Public Service Print Advertising
Season of Giving - BH Energy - Public Service Marketing & Specialty Advertising Campaign
Ro•Sham•Bo Creative - Rebrand - Ro•Sham•Bo Creative - Consumer Website
SURF Die-cut Brochure - Sanford Underground Research Facility - Branded Content & Entertainment (Print)
Security First Bank Annual Report - Security First Bank - Printed Annual Report
2026 Rapid City Visitor Guide - Visit Rapid City - Brochure
Prairie Twilight Beer Can Design - Midwest Marketing / Firehouse Brewing Company - Illustration
Prairie Twilight Beer Can Design - Midwest Marketing / Firehouse Brewing Company - Sales Promotion Packaging
Millstone to the Rescue - Homeslice Media Group / The Millstone Family Restaurant - Integrated Brand Identity Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Black Hills Ammo 2026 Catalog - Jackalope / Black Hills Ammunition - Copywriting
Schulte Powerline Construction - Redline Design Company / Schulte Powerline Construction - Logo Design
Visit Hill City SD Website - Ro•Sham•Bo Creative / Hill City Chamber / Consumer Website
Community & Family Services Rebrand - Black Hills Special Services Cooperative - Consumer Website
Hopocalypse Shirt - Homeslice Media Group / Mountain West Beer Fest - Specialty Advertising (Apparel)
Shop Downtown Keystone - Homeslice Media Group / Keystone, South Dakota - Still Photography (Color)
BlackHills Pediatrics Brand Refresh - Midwest Marketing / Black Hills Pediatrics - Integrated Brand Identity Campaign (Local or Regional/National)
Community Heart Hub - Monument Health - Logo Design
Tin City Saloon in Hill City - Riverfront Broadcasting / Tin City Saloon - Audio/Radio Advertising / Local (Single, over :30 seconds)
past winners
There are some pretty outstanding creatives in the Black Hills area who now have a little extra street cred to add to their name. Check out the past winners booklets below!
