Cincy Ad Club's annual ADDY competition honors best and brightest in advertising world

Over 400 showed up to watch as 40 Gold and 62 Silver ADDY Awards were dispensed at this year's ADDY competition, held February 7 in Paul Brown Stadium. The awards honor the most creative in local, regional and national advertising.


Local agencies cleaning up at the event included: Barefoot Creative scoring 20 ADDYs, Openfield Creative earning 14, and both Focus/FGW and Bridge Worldwide securing 12 each.

The award-winning work moves on to the regional ADDY competition, with the hope of advancing to the national adjudication.


This year's ADDY awards revealed interesting trends taking root in today's advertising landscape, namely the growing stature of interactive advertising, according to Todd Jessee, senior art director at Barefoot Creative and chairperson of the local ADDY competition.

"This year saw a big increase in awards given to interactive work, providing yet more evidence that the digital space is a hotbed of creativity,” Jessee says.

In total, over 500 pieces of work entered the show to be evaluated by the eyes of seasoned creative professionals from outside markets.

Recognition also came for works chosen by individual judges in the form of "Judge's Choice" and "Best of Show."

"Best of Show" winners included an interactive website created by Bridge Worldwide for Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers,  a series of traditional outdoor ads created by Focus/FGW for Cincinnati Yellow Pages and a branding award for the logo Barefoot Creative created for the Phodographer, who specializes in photographing pets.

In addition to professional level competition, the event showcased student work as well.  Mike Wolfram, of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, won the student Best of Show for his Frisbee golf course website. 

Judge's Choice honors were given to Bridge Worldwide, Brand Image, Barefoot Creative and Northlich, for work created for Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, CSMG Sports Management, Mickeys and Good Samaritan Hospital, respectively.

To learn more about the ADDY competition, visit here.


Writer:  Jonathan DeHart
Source:  Cincinnati Ad Club, Judy Thompson, Todd Jessee

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