Experience with AAF Columbus
Upcoming Events
Making Marketing Colorful: Solutions for solving the massive diversity problem in our industry
Thursday, May 9, 2024 @ Dawson
1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215, 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
This moderated panel event is designed to bring together the brightest workforce, education, and marketing professionals to help briefly analyze our industries’ history of DEI failure, while providing actionable recommendations for decision makers in our industry. We want to dive into the source of this problem and provide ways for correction and long-term investment in diverse workforces.
Before the event, there will be a networking hour and after the panel discussion, we’ll leave time for a healthy Q&A session.
Proceeds benefit the Columbus Urban League Career Services Program, so your participation not only sparks change but also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives in our community. Join us for this event and be part of the solution.
MEET THE PANEL
Moderator: Drew Collins, Creative Director and Business Owner, bond creative + branding
Panelist: Dr. Osei Appiah, Communications Professor, The Ohio State University
Panelist: Molly Moses, Senior Talent Marketing Manager, JobsOhio
Panelist: Valerie Thompson, Designer//Owner of Leap Graphics & President of AAF Toledo
Panelist: Harvey Austin, SVP, Head of Content Production, BoldSky Creative Studio & Board Member of 100 Roses from Concrete - An NYC-based non-profit with the mission to help people of color and women thrive professionally.
Silver Series Awards
Thursday, May 23, 2024 @ Dawson
1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
You're invited to the Oscars of Advertising. This is not just an awards show; it's a tribute to the brilliance that drives the advertising industry forward. Don't miss your chance to be a part of this glittering celebration of creativity, innovation, and the people who make advertising an art form. Reserve your spot now for a night that promises to be nothing short of spectacular.
Voting is open until April 26th, 2024. Tap here to vote - it just takes a minute!
Agenda:
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Cocktail Reception
Networking and mingling with industry professionals
Welcome drinks and hors d'oeuvres
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Seating and Welcome Address
Opening remarks and welcome address
Brief introduction of the night's theme: "Celebrating the créme de la créme of Columbus Advertising"
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Awards Ceremony
7:30 PM: Year in Review
Honoring the current and incoming AAF Columbus Board of Directors, charged with helping our professional community thrive and prosper
Official "passing of the gavel" from the current AAF President Carolyn Price to incoming President Liz WhiteTap below to get tickets and learn more.
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SILVER MEDAL CAREER ACHIEVEMENT is the Lifetime Achievement Award of Columbus Advertising, recognizing an individual who has made outstanding contributions to our industry throughout the course of their career.
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DAVID SCHIRTZINGER STUDENT TO WATCH is awarded to a promising, talented student studying advertising or a related field in Central Ohio, in honor of the late David Schirtzinger and his passion for teaching.
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RISING STAR honors a talented young professional making their mark on Central Ohio’s advertising industry.
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MOSAIC AWARD honors a company or individual who shows commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through creative advertising work and advocacy.
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ACCOUNT-SIDE HERO recognizes an individual or agency demonstrating outstanding account management skills.
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AGENCY TO WATCH recognizes an agency, company, or group catching the attention of Central Ohio with their creativity, innovation and advertising excellence.
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UNSUNG HERO celebrates individuals often overlooked in our industry who deserve their day in the sun. Without them, brilliant work would never make it out the door.
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CREATIVE CHAMPION honors an individual or agency who acts as a beacon of creativity, pushing boundaries and contributing to the evolution of creative excellence.
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BEST PRINTING COMPANY is awarded to a Central Ohio company consistently delivering superior quality in the production, art, and craft of printed materials.
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BEST PRODUCTION HOUSE acknowledges achievement in photo, video or event production, honoring a company displaying excellence in bringing visual concepts to life.
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VENDOR VANGUARD recognizes a strategic partner (accountant, lawyer, staffing agency, or beyond) who goes the extra mile to support advertising professionals.
Past Events
Drag Queen Bingo
When: December 7th, 2023 from 5:30-7:30
Where: Columbus Brewing Company-
2555 Harrison Rd, Columbus, OH 43204
Dive into the dazzling world of Drag Queen Bingo, a spectacular event hosted by AAF Columbus that promises an evening filled with glitz, glamour, and endless fun. Charismatic drag queens will be your guides through this entertaining adventure, where attendees eagerly mark their bingo cards, hoping for that winning streak. Amidst the laughter and cheers, our event creates a vibrant atmosphere where creative minds come together, celebrating diversity and self-expression.
Get ready for an evening of laughter, cheers, and wicked humor from our fabulous drag queen bingo host. Plus, there are fantastic prizes up for grabs, making the night even more thrilling. Best of all, your participation in this event directly benefits the Columbus Humane Society, helping animals in need.
Admission:
$10 for non-members
$7 for members
A portion of the proceeds from this event will be dedicated to supporting animals in need at the Columbus Humane Society. Don't miss out on this unforgettable night—register now to secure your spot and join us!
Local Agency and Student Mixer
“It’s all about who you know.” Have you heard that phrase? It’s a common one—and for good reason! Because relationships are part of what opens doors.
That’s why we want to connect students with a bright future ahead of them with local agencies. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know local advertising leaders, learn about their organizations, discover what they’re looking for, and pave a path to future success.
When: October 13, 2023
Where: SpaceJunk
Time: 6pm-8pm
Dawson AdFun:
Oktoberfest Beer and Wine Tasting
Grab your bier stein and head on over to our häus... It’s Oktoberfest at Dawson!
Join Dawson for a Local Brewery Tour & Octoberfest Happy Hour!
When: September 26, 2023
Where: Dawson 1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 5:00-7:00 PM
Stop by our Oktoberfest happy hour to sample beer from six local breweries* and delicious German-inspired snacks, compliments of Dawson.
*Non-beer drinkers are also invited –
wine will also be served.
AAF Annual Meeting and Silver Medal Awards
When: June 14, 2023
Where: Dawson 1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 on June 22nd from 5:30-7pm.
As we bring our chapter year to a close, AAF Columbus invites you to our Annual Meeting, on Wednesday, June 14th, as we honor this year’s Silver Medal Award winner, Jim Lutz. Please join us as we celebrate all of that he has accomplished along with our Rising Start Award Recipient. We will also be giving out the Marvin Brown Scholarship to one up and coming student continuing his or hers study in the advertising industry.
Agenda:
5:00pm Networking (Beer and Wine Reception)
6:00pm Annual Meeting
- Recognize 2023 Silver Medal recipient, Jim Lutz
- Recognize 2023 Rising Star Award–given to a young professional who's making their mark on our industry
- Award Marvin Brown Scholarship recipient
- Honoring the current AAF Columbus Board of Directors
- Welcome the incoming AAF Columbus Board of Directors that is charged with helping our professional community recover, rebuild, and reward
- Official "passing of the gavel" from the current AAF Co-President Ansley Phillips and Lindsey Sanders to incoming President Carolyn Price.
Annual Drag Bingo
When: Thursday, December 1, 2022 from 5:30-7:30
Where: Columbus Brewing Company
Join AAF as we welcome the holiday season and give to a great cause! Our charismatic Queen is back - with Mary Nolan returning as this year's Drag Bingo host. Mary is no stranger to Drag Bingo - and is also a former Miss Gay Ohio America 2016, and Miss Gay Buckeye America 2018.
Our charitable organization this year is Growlers Dog Bones. Growlers serves individuals with disabilities through vocational training, employment and volunteerism. Growlers uses spent grains left over from local breweries to make their delicious dog bones - and you can find them at over 30 breweries across Central Ohio - including Columbus Brewing Company.
The event will be free with a donation for Growlers, and we’ll have great prizes for bingo winners and great beer from our friends at CBC!
Donation Ideas for Growlers:
- Gift Cards to Kroger, ALDI or GFS (this is where they get some of their supplies to make the dog bones)
- Jars of Unsweetened Applesauce (like this from ALDI)
Local Brewery Tour
When: October 13, 2022
Where: Dawson - 1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215
Join us at Dawson for FREE beer, snacks, and networking!
We're kicking things off at 5pm on Thursday, October 13th. Bring a friend and share this event with your network.
AD Fun: Garden Party
When: July 12, 2022
Where: Hunter Marketing office,51 N. Pearl St. Columbus, Ohio
You're invited to a Rosy Garden Party!
All are welcome at the downtown Hunter Marketing office for the next AAF Columbus ADFun! Bring your creative energy for a garden party-inspired happy hour, complete with pink drinks and rosy crafts.
Hunter is a dynamic, woman-owned, and led marketing communications firm that pushes boundaries to deliver fun and inspiring content for our brand partners. The Hunter team believes in nurturing connections across our industry and celebrating the creative spirit of advertising, and that's why we are thrilled to extend an invitation to the Rosy Garden Party happy hour. We hope to see you there!
AAF Annual Meeting and Silver Medal Awards
When: June 22, 2022
Where: Dawson 1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 on June 22nd from 5:30-7pm.
As we bring our chapter year to a close, AAF Columbus invites you to our Annual Meeting, on Wednesday, June 22nd, as we honor this year’s Silver Medal Award winner, Neil Mortine. Please join us as we celebrate all of that he has accomplished along with our Rising Start Award Recipient. We will also be giving out the Marvin Brown Scholarship to one up and coming student continuing his or hers study in the advertising industry.
Agenda:
5:30pm Networking (Beer and Wine Reception)
6:00pm Annual Meeting
- Recognize 2022 Silver Medal recipient, Neil Mortine of Fahlgren Mortine
- Recognize 2022 Rising Star Award–given to a young professional who's making their mark on our industry
- Award Marvin Brown Scholarship recipient
- Honoring the current AAF Columbus Board of Directors
- Welcome the incoming AAF Columbus Board of Directors that is charged with helping our professional community recover, rebuild, and reward
- Official "passing of the gavel" from the current AAF Co-President, Jackie Robles and Drew Collins to incoming Co-Presidents Ansley Phillips and Lindsey Kobelt
Reaching Audiences with TikToks and Snaps
When: June 1, 2022
Where: Land Grant in Franklinton
Take a dive into Snapchat and TikTok with us in a casual happy hour session with Local IQ. Learn about each platform’s audience, growth, and how you can help your clients advertise in meaningful, effective ways.
*****FREE to attend, and your first drink will be on us!
Bring your curiosity, your phone, and a friend to this fun, free interactive event - hosted at Land Grant in Franklinton. June 1st, from 5pm-7:30pm!
Presented by: Local IQ
Winning in the Economy of Attention
When: April 27, 2022
Where: Dawson Careers
The average person checks their phone nearly 100 times per day–and each time they are barraged by something trying to get their attention. Combined with computer usage, streaming media, and traditional advertising, there are thousands of messages per day vying for our attention. But our attention spans are finite and ever shortening–making it more challenging for advertisers to break through with meaningful impact for brands.
This has led us into a new chapter of measuring media quality, going beyond metrics like viewability and harnessing the importance of the attention economy.
In this session, you will learn how to plan and measure based on attention, using methods like eye tracking, and how this impacts outcomes and key drivers that will help your brand capture and increase consumer attention. We will also walk through data from one of the largest studies conducted on the subject of attention.
Behind the Work: A Winter Retail Wonderland w/ TENSPACE + Ban.do
When: January 18, 2022
Where: TENSPACE 930 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201
What’s the secret to creating an in-person retail experience that makes a brand shine while still driving clicks? As part of our Behind the Work series, TENSPACE will take us behind the register to talk about their approach to helping Ban.do sparkle in the Short North.
Rachel Friedman - Founder + CEO, TENFOLD and TENSPACE
Faith Huddleston - Director, Creative Activation, TENFOLD and TENSPACE
Amanda Raines - Creative Director, Brand and Culture, TENFOLD and TENSPACE
Drag Queen Bingo
When: Thursday, Dec 9th, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Columbus Brewing Company
Join AAF as we celebrate the holidays and give to good causes at the new Columbus Brewing Company. This year’s holiday party will feature Drag Bingo with host Mary Nolan. Mary is a seasoned Drag Bingo host in Columbus and is also former Miss Gay Ohio America 2016, and Miss Gay Buckeye America 2018. We’ll have loads of great prizes for bingo winners and admission is free with a charitable donation.
Prizes Include:
- 2 tickets to any PromoWest concert that isn't sold out at time of request
- 2 lower bowl tickets Columbus Blue Jackets for 12/23 vs. Buffalo Sabres
- 2 lower bowl tickets Columbus Blue Jackets for 1/4 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2 Tickets to 2022 Columbus Crew home opening match
- High Bank Distillery Gift Pack
- MORE TO COME!!!
AAF will collect canned food and new toys as a donation to a local Columbus food bank and Toys for Tots. We encourage you to bring any non-perishable canned food and/or newly packaged toys.
The 48-Hour Pitch!
In-Person Kick off: November 5th, 2021, 5:30pm (with weekend virtual events following)
Where: Dawson Careers, 1114 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215
You know you can create. But can you create under pressure? The 48-Hour Pitch event is a student competition that will test your real-world ability to create a campaign when time isn’t on your side. Participants in the 48-Hour Pitch will create a social media awareness campaign over the course of a weekend. Students can sign up as a team or individually. Each team will be assigned a non-profit client and a partner agency to help guide you along the way. Students' work will be featured on the AAF social channels, and the winner will be featured at a later AAF event!
Agency Interaction
A local agency will be present to help the team create a work plan for their weekend. We encourage the agency to guide a brainstorming session and consult via email over the weekend as time permits. We encourage agencies to invite students to participate in an on-site brainstorm, but we understand the limits of an evening/weekend event.
This year’s agencies:
Cost: $25 for student participation. This also enrolls the student into AAF membership for 1 year.
Judges & Winners: The AAF board will create a panel of three judges. They will evaluate the work, the strategy, and the creative brief to identify a winner.
Finding Balance by Finding Your Inner Child: Natalie Siston
Virtual - November 5th, 12pm-1pm
FREE for Members - $10 for Non-Members
Once we get to a certain level of success, we forget about the child inside of us.
That child is the one who was the first to hop into a game of pickup basketball, but now just picks up after others. The child who played the lead in the school musical, but now only sings in the shower. Who wrote their deepest thoughts in a journal, but now just writes emails.
Today, as more people grapple with successfully integrating professional life with personal, it’s more important than ever to embrace that inner child who knew how to squeeze joy out of every moment.
Natalie Siston joins AAF Columbus to discuss how reclaiming who you’ve always been can lead to more success, fulfillment, and happiness.
Beers & Best Practices
When: Wednesday, September 22 from 5:30-8pm
Where: Tafts, Land Grant, BrewDog (in this order)
This event will be a mix of bar crawl / networking meets Ted Talk. We will have a special guest speaker at each of the venues where they will give a 15 - 20 minute presentation about a topic of their choice. After each speaker is finished we will stick around to have a beer and network then move on to the next destination to hear from that guest.
We are leaving it up to the individual presenter as to what topic they would like to discuss based on their industry expertise. Our lineup of speakers come from diverse industries and careers which will provide for a unique perspective for our audience.
Behind the Work: Drop The Score from Root Insurance + Civitas Marketing
When: Thursday, September 2 from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Dawson Careers
Columbus company’s, Root Insurance and Civitas Marketing, are no strangers to shaking up norms.
These two creative award-winning powerhouse’s teamed up for a campaign that disrupts the car insurance industry by challenging its traditional fee-structuring practices as unfair and discriminatory.
Hear from Root, Civitas, and their partners in bringing this breakthrough campaign to life.
AdFun: Wolf’s Ridge
When: Thursday, July 27 from 5-7pm
Where: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
It’s been a long (LONG!) year and we’re excited to see our members, colleagues, and friends again. Join us at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing and let’s cheers to being back with each other–after all, that’s where they magic happens!
Silver Medal Luncheon
When: Wednesday, May 26 from 12-1pm
Where: The Vue Columbus
We're excited to announce The 2021 Silver Medal Annual Meeting will be AAF Columbus' first in-person event in over a year!
Agenda:
- Recognize 2020/2021 Silver Medal recipient, Lee Peterson
- Recognize 2021 Rising Star Award–given to a young professional who's making their mark on our industry
- Award Marvin Brown Scholarship recipient
- Honoring the current board that helped usher AAF Columbus through a tumultuous 2020
- Welcome incoming board that is charged with helping our professional community recover, rebuild, and reward
- Official "passing of the gavel" from the current AAF President, Angela Blum to incoming co-Presidents Jackie Robles and Drew Collins
Plated lunch will be served.
No registrations can be accepted after May 20th.
Virtual Event Pricing
Members
All virtual events are free to AAF Columbus members.
Corporate Members
As a thank you to our corporate members, we are also opening up our virtual events to all employees of corporate member organizations free of charge. Contact us for your access code.
Non-Members
Non-members will be charged $10/event or can purchase a Virutal Event All-Access Pass for $50.
Not a member but want access to events and our members-only Slack channel? A social membership is just $65. Learn more.
Professional Development
AAF Columbus is here to help you develop and improve your skills to better meet your needs in your career. We are here to provide diverse programming covering all assets of the advertising industry.
Networking
Virtual
AAF is a national organization, and many chapters are also hosting online events that are open to members and non-members alike. We will be sharing many of these opportunities with members as well to provide the best opportunities available for you all to expand your education and skillsets.
In-person
We hope to resume in-person events soon. Sign up for our e-newsletter to be the first to hear when our in-person events with be taking place. In the mean time, check out our virtual event series.
Get Involved
Great People Making Great Things Happen
We wouldn’t be as successful as we are without the talents and kindness of our volunteers. No matter what industry or discipline you come from, AAF has many opportunities to get involved at a grassroots level. Volunteering is also a great way to get a peek inside the organization to see how great people come together to make great things happen.
