Legislative News To You

ICANN Proposal on Top-Level Domains   

In response to ICANN’s recent announcement to launch a new program to increase the number of generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD), a coalition of corporations and associations have asked the International Corporations for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to delay the launch until safeguards have been enacted to protect businesses, brand owners and consumers.

Cited concerns regarding the immediate launch of the program include:

• Protecting consumers across the new gTLDs;
• Protecting companies and brand-owners across the new gTLDs; and
• The effect of the new gTLD program on ICANN and the Internet.

More information regarding the ICANN program launch and corporate/association comments can be found here.

Top-Level Domains (gTLD) are the portion of the Internet address to the right of the dot (.com, .org, .gov, etc.) The ICANN proposal would allow individuals, corporations or groups to purchase new gTLDs that could include any word or phrase, including company or brand names (i.e. .google, .sunshine, .cocacola.) More information on the ICANN proposal can be found on the ICANN website. (http://icann.org)

 

Huckabee and Associates, Inc. Hires Balcom Agency for New Website

Huckabee and Associates, Inc., an architectural design firm located in Fort Worth, has secured the Balcom Agency’s services for a new company website.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to work with a company like Huckabee,” said Stuart Balcom, the agency’s president. “Huckabee has designed some of the area’s finest educational facilities, and our goal is to develop a website that reflects the firm’s commitment to excellence and expansive portfolio.”

Huckabee is dedicated to providing innovative design, planning and management of educational facilities. Since its formation in 1967, the company has completed over 1,100 educational facility projects and delivered over $2 billion in construction costs. Named as one of the best firms to work for in 2008 by Zweig White, Huckabee is known for providing educational facilities that are sound, healthy and functional, as well as attractive and energy-efficient.

About Balcom Agency

Founded in 1993, the Balcom Agency has provided its clients with comprehensive creative, interactive, and public relations solutions to various business challenges. The agency’s roster includes such local, regional and national clients as Alcon Laboratories, the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, Huckabee and Associates, Inc., Justin Boots, Justin Original Workboots, the Neeley School of Business at TCU, Norman Regional Health System, REAL School Gardens, Samsill, Southwest Bank, Texas Health Resources, Tony Lama and Weather Decision Technologies. Learn more by visiting www.balcomagency.com <http://www.balcomagency.com> .

Concussion Honored for Outstanding Web Creative

Concussion’s interactive department has received Silver W3 awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts for creative designs developed for clients AAF-Fort Worth and Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center.

Concussion’s interactive Web designs for the ’07 Fort Worth ADDY Awards and Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center were recognized as outstanding Web creatives. Concussion received a total of three Silver W3 awards: one for the ‘07 ADDY Awards and two for Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center.           

Bariatricfortworth.com came away with two Silver statues in the Health and Health Care Services categories. Concussion’s third W3 was awarded in the Strange and Unusual category for the ‘07 ADDY Awards. Submitorbedominated.net is an interactive piece that helped increase ‘07 ADDY applicants by more than 37%.

Douglas Cox, Interactive Director at Concussion, said, “We are pleased to be recognized for our creative endeavors among so many great interactive agencies. Web design is a growing industry in our community, and representing Fort Worth in this competition is an honor.” The Concussion submissions were among more than 3,000 entries.

The W3 Awards honor superior Web creativity and recognize the individuals behind award-winning Web sites, Web advertising and Web video. The W3 is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, interactive, advertising and marketing firms.           

The W3 Awards seek to recognize both small and large firms alike, honoring excellent creative, user-friendly sites. Award recipients can be found on the Web at www.w3award.com.

Concussion is a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. The agency has 55 professional staff members and bills approximately $23 million annually. Concussion handles a client list that includes casinos, commercial and residential real estate development, energy and natural gas, and consumer packaged goods.  For more information, visit www.concussioninteractive.com.

News To You

PhRMA Announces Changes to DTC Guidelines

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) board of directors has adopted changes to its Guiding Principles on Direct to Consumer Advertisements about Prescription Medicines (Click to see PhRMA Guidelines PDF.)

The voluntary guidelines provide direction on ways to ensure that DTC advertising is accurate, accessible and useful to patients. Among the changes are principles of identifying whether people appearing in ads are actual health care professionals, compensated celebrity endorsers or paid actors.

The revised guidelines state that DTC television or print advertisements with adult-oriented content should be placed only in media where at least 90 percent of the audience is expected to be at least 18 years old.

The new guidelines go into effect March 2009. A full list of the changes is available on the PhRMA website (Click to see PhRMA Press Release.)

AAF Shows Support for Automobile Industry

The downturn in the national economy has had an impact on advertising in both obvious and subtle ways. The domestic automobile industry-Chrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation-accounted for $4.6 billion in advertising spending in 2007, or 3.3 percent of all measured advertising spending. This spending supports countless jobs in the advertising industry at local, regional and national levels.

Because of the direct correlation between the Automobile and Advertising industries, the National AAF sent letters of support to members of Congress urging them to enact a federal assistance package for the industry. A copy of the letter is available here.

 

FTC Proposes Changes to Endorsement Guides

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it is seeking comments on proposed revisions to its endorsement guides. In its filing, the FTC said that proposed revisions will address endorsements by consumers, organizations and experts, and the material connections between advertisers and endorsers. More specifically, the proposed changes call for clearer disclosures when consumer endorsements do not reflect typical experience.

Last updated in 1980, the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising provide advertisers with examples and interpretations of the FTC Act.  Comments will be accepted through January 30, 2009. The full register notice is available here.

ICANN Proposes Nearly Unlimited Top-Level Domain Options

A proposal to drastically increase the number of generic top-level Internet domains could have serious implications for companies operating and advertising online. In laymen's terms, top-level domains are those that exist on the right side of the dot. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names of Numbers (ICANN) currently issues domain names for individuals and groups within a limited number generic top-level domains, such as .com, .org, .net, as well as country codes such as .us, .ca, and .uk.

ICANN plans to create and sell over 1,000 new top-level domains over the next three years, offering virtually unlimited options. Anticipated top-level domain names include business names, (for instance, .aaf, .google, .cocacola), product names (.corvette, .frostedflakes), and more generic terms (.soda, .newspaper, .television).

ICANN plans to set application fees for the new top-level domain names from $190,000 to $250,000 each. Critics are concerned that the change could cause unprecedented consumer confusion, abuse, fraud and disputes, "cyber squatting" and the problems associated with profiting from other companies' brands and trademarks. Organizations critical of the changes are banding together to urge ICANN to delay the rollout of this program until sufficient safeguards are in place to protect businesses, brand owners and consumers.

Rep. Waxman Named House Commerce Committee Chairman

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., will chair the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee when the 111th Congress convenes in January. Waxman, the current chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Committee, has long been a strong critic of advertising. Of note, he has called for stricter regulation of direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals, tobacco advertising and product placement. Waxman challenged longtime Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., who was ousted in a 137-122 vote. While Waxman has not yet set an agenda for the upcoming congressional term, it is anticipated that many advertising issues will face increased attention.

 

2008 Christmas Party

Christmas party has come and gone but it was fun! If you missed it, check out our photos.

Balcom Agency Launches Presence in Austin-Travis County

The Balcom Agency has expanded into the Austin, Texas market with the addition of Luisa Piette, a senior account executive in charge of business development and customer relations. A multilingual communications executive with more than two decades professional experience, Piette will represent the Fort Worth creative services agency in the Austin-Travis County region, one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country.

“We are thrilled to have someone as savvy and experienced as Luisa join the Balcom team as we grow and expand into central Texas,” said Stuart Balcom, the agency’s president.

A seasoned communicator and business development expert, Piette began her career as a journalist and radio broadcaster for the BBC, and later worked for Radio France International and the Voice of America, covering current affairs and economic development.

Piette founded LHP Communications, Inc., a marketing communications and public relations consultancy, nearly 10 years ago, working with national and international clients such as The WAP Forum (now Open Mobile Alliance), Sprint, Webtiss Technologies, Ztango and Advanced Micro Devices. Earlier, she served as marketing manager for Nortel, a communications technology corporation.

Piette holds a Master’s degree in International Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Government from the University of Essex.

Brochure Created by Balcom Agency Wins Juried International Design Competition

A donor brochure designed by the Balcom Agency for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth has emerged as a winner in one of the world’s most prestigious juried competitions for creativity in graphic design.

Titled “What Are the Odds?,” the brochure will be published in the November 2008 Communication Arts Design Annual, the showcase publication for the 49th annual Communication Arts design competition.

Balcom’s senior design director, Cassie Kruemcke, created the brochure as a provocative set of stories about real teens who defied the odds and turned their lives around thanks to their involvement in the Boys & Girls Clubs. For example, the opening “story” shows a kitchen knife on a stark black background, and the wording “10 Bad Decisions Led to Alex’s Involvement with Gangs.” Open the flap and you see the knife again, but this time next to a smiling Alex as a sous chef, standing in a commercial kitchen with the new message: “1 Good Decision Changed Everything.”

The brochure is being used for the Boys & Girls Clubs’ capital campaign for a new club facility in Fort Worth. “It is an honor that Cassie and the agency’s work is being recognized as among the best in visual communications in the world,” said Stuart Balcom, agency president. “More importantly, we’ve designed a brochure that’s highly effective -- helping raise money for an organization that helps so many disadvantaged kids in North Texas.”

Concussion Work Gains Global Recognition

Two creative designs developed by Concussion, a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm, here, will be published in prestigious design trade journals.

A logo for the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame will be included in LogoLounge 5 and a Christmas card developed for Clampitt Paper Company will be featured in PRINT’s Regional Design Annual 2008.

“It is extremely gratifying to know that our work is not only considered some of the best in Fort Worth, but also in the world,” said Andrew Yanez, chief creative officer and partner at Concussion. “This is further proof of the high caliber of creative work being produced right here in Fort Worth.”

According to Bill Gardner, founder of LogoLounge, “…there were 33,000 logos submitted for consideration and the caliber of work was exceptional. Each judge reviewed thousands of logos from around the world. The final collection is not only an excellent point-in-time examination; it is full to the brim with inspiration, higher thinking, and craftsmanship.”

Rockport Publishers will release LogoLounge 5 in early Summer 2009. The goal of this book, its predecessors, and the Web site is to continue feeding minds, inspiring creativity and further developing a sense of community among designers and peers around the globe.

The results of PRINT’s annual competition for the best work in the United States will be showcased in late fall when the Regional Design Annual 2008 hits the stands. Creative designs selected where among more than 20,000 entries from almost every state.

American Advertising Federation Announces First-Ever Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame Luncheon

On Tuesday, November 11, the AAF's 10th District will honor the inaugural class of The Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame. The event is hosted by the Dallas Advertising League and AAF - 10th District and will be held at 11:00 a.m. at CityPlace in Dallas. To honor inductees, James E. Datri, incoming President of AAF, Washington D.C., will make his first appearance at the local level.

The first inductees to the Hall of Fame are:

• Ray Ackerman, Ackerman-McQueen, Oklahoma City
• Sam Bloom, The Bloom Agency (Now Publicis), Dallas
• Wayne Cranford, Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, Little Rock
• Roger Enrico, PepsiCo, DreamWorks SKG, Dallas
• David B. Keith, Past Chairman, American Advertising Federation
• Fred J. Korge, Baxter & Korge, Savage Design, Houston
• Earl Littman, Goodwin, Dannenbaum, Littman & Wingfield, P.O.P. Broadcasting, Houston
• Morris Hite, Tracy-Locke, Dallas
• Stanley Marcus, Neiman Marcus, Dallas
• Stan Richards, The Richards Group, Dallas
• Lowe Runkle, Lowe Runkle Company, Oklahoma City
• Liener Temerlin, Temerlin McClain, Temerlin Consulting, Dallas

Sam Bloom, Roger Enrico, Morris Hite, Stanley Marcus, and Liener Temerlin are men from our region who have already achieved membership in the national Advertising Hall of Fame, hosted by the AAF.

The mission of the Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame is to honor men and women from our region who have distinguished themselves in their careers, who have contributed to the betterment of advertising and its reputation, and who have made volunteer efforts outside the workplace. Nominees are not required to be members of an AAF club and may represent all disciplines within the advertising industry.

For more information or to RSVP for the event, click here.

Legislative News to You

Legislative Committee Chairman - Casandra Brown

Florida Supreme Court Removes Tax Swap Proposal From Ballot
The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that a proposed "tax swap" constitutional amendment must be removed from the November ballot because of misleading language. Amendment 5 would have cut the property tax by an average of 25 percent—an estimated $9 billion in 2011—and would have directed the legislature to seek new ways to offset the revenue. The amendment suggested the possibility of raising the sales tax and eliminating existing sales tax exemptions, including advertising. Polling data indicated that the amendment was far from reaching the 60 percent approval rate it would have needed to pass. AAF Fourth District lobbyist Jack Hebert and the Florida advertising federations played an instrumental role in educating the public and lawmakers as to the potential harmful economic consequences had the amendment been approved.

CPSC Bill Signed Into Law
On August 31, President Bush signed the Consumer Products Safety Commission Reform Act into law. H.R. 4040 was ultimately approved without the requirement that onerous cautionary statements be included in many advertisements for children's products. The enacted law requires a cautionary statement in advertisements only when the ad provides a direct means to purchase the toy—such as Internet or catalog advertising. Opponents argued that the proposed commercial speech requirements would likely violate the First Amendment guarantees of commercial free speech and that warning language on packaging is appropriate and sufficient.

Senate Aging Committee Holds Medical Device DTC Advertising Hearing
At a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on direct-to-consumer advertising of medical devices, Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., who chairs the committee, suggested the need for an advertising moratorium on new medical devices. The hearing was heavily stacked with surgeons and opponents of advertising. The panelists appeared primarily concerned that surgeons will be pressured by patients who have seen ads to perform unnecessary procedures to install stents and other devices. The only other senator to attend the hearing, Ken Salazar, D-Colo., asked witnesses whether the advertising should be banned. The First Amendment implications of such a proposal were only briefly mentioned in passing. Witnesses from the FDA and the medical device manufacturers association discussed the "underutilization" of many devices but did not discuss the role of advertising in educating patients and encouraging them to talk with their physicians. According to Chairman Kohl, no legislation has been introduced or is under consideration. The AAF will work to educate members of the committee about the impact advertising can have and the First Amendment implications of restricting advertising.

Identity Theft Bill Heads to President
The House and Senate have approved provisions of the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act as part of H.R. 5938. As passed, the bill will provide law enforcement agencies with new resources for investigating and prosecuting online crime, including cyber extortion, use of malicious spyware, key logging and identity theft. Moreover, the bill allows identity theft victims to seek restitution. Rather than target new technologies, the legislation appropriately provides improved law enforcement tools for targeting criminals and fighting crime. The bill now heads to the White House for the president's signature.

Balcom Agency Takes Home Silver for Norman Regional Health System Ad Campaign

The Balcom Agency won three silver 2008 Aster Awards for an ad campaign created for Norman Regional Health System in Oklahoma. Winning entries included its urgent care and breast cancer television spots and orthopedic services radio spot.

Titled “Nothing to Sneeze at,” the television commercial created for Norman’s Urgent Care Centers features an animated girl who can’t stop sneezing. Tissues litter her desk and floor, and as a giant sneeze causes her to fly across the room, a narrator tells viewers that Norman’s Urgent Care Centers help “clear the way” to a fast recovery for flu season sufferers.

The second winning television spot, titled “Nurse Navigator,” visually and verbally conveys that those diagnosed with breast cancer are not alone, and at Norman Regional, a nurse navigator serves as educator, advocate and guide during the journey.

The award-winning radio spot, titled “Basketball,” opens with a basketball player crashing into the stands after scoring a goal. The narrator then tells listeners that everyone, athlete or not, can benefit from Norman’s latest technologies in orthopedic and rehabilitation services.

The Aster Awards is an elite competition recognizing the nation’s most talented marketing professionals for outstanding excellence in advertising.

Former Harrah’s Group Account Director to Lead Casino Marketing Group

Former Harrah’s advertising agency executive, John Kiker, has joined the staff of Fort Worth, Texas-based casino marketing firm, Concussion, it was announced today by Allen Wallach, president.

Mr. Kiker, who oversaw a staff of 50 on the $60 million Harrah’s casino business while at TracyLocke - Dallas, will assume a similar role directing a stable of regional casino accounts at the $23 million Concussion.

“John carries a big stick in the casino branding space. He’s been to the mountaintop on one of the world’s most respected and successful brands, which we intend to leverage to maximize success for our clients,” said Mr. Wallach.

According to Mr. Kiker, the chance to be a part of a fast-growing shop was hard to resist. “Concussion has become a niche leader in casino marketing. My national experience, coupled with their approach and track record of success, will give clients a formidable marketing arsenal,” he said.

While at Omnicom’s TracyLocke, Mr. Kiker managed the Harrah’s Entertainment account –– including national corporate branding, as well as marketing for 20 Harrah’s casino properties –– Total Rewards, the World Series of Poker, Grand Casino Biloxi and Showboat Casino.

Prior to TracyLocke, Mr. Kiker managed the AmeriStar Casinos account while at The Richards Group in Dallas, and worked on the Six Flags and Leapfrog educational toys accounts at Ackerman-McQueen.

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Kiker holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with minors in Spanish, History and Business.

Balcom Agency Hires Parchman and Bond

Alan Parchman has joined the Balcom Agency as account director, bringing 28 years of professional sales experience to the agency. The Balcom Agency has also hired Kayla Bond as office manager.

In his new position, Parchman will be managing existing accounts as well as pursuing new business opportunities for the agency. Before coming to Balcom, Parchman served as an account executive at WBAP Radio in Arlington for 27 years. Earlier in his career, he worked as an account executive at Taylor Communications in Lewisville. Parchman earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

In her new position, Bond will provide administrative support to employees. Bond received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from TCU, with a minor in music. While at TCU, she served as the media channel and planning director for the TCU Campaigns Team and band office assistant. She was also a member of TCU’s symphonic, marching and basketball bands.

Legal administrators collecting supplies as Halo House drive for children begins

The Fort Worth Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is accepting donations until October 17 for its second annual HALO HOUSE, a project created by the HALO Society to assist Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the casework supervisors.

Donations assist children that have been abused and neglected and are going through the court process while parental rights are being determined. Many times, a relative is willing to give the children a safe, loving and permanent home. Some children return to their parents after a year-long process during which the parents must show stability and earn their children back to a “new” safe home. Donations also assist teenagers that are not adopted, that are in the foster system and have needs, but no parents or adults to stand up
for them and help them.

Donated items can be new or used and only non-perishable items. Ideal items include car seats, strollers, diapers, play pens, cradles, high chairs, baby bedding, blankets, comforters, towels and pillows. Gift cards to Target, Wal-Mart or other stores would allow advocates and supervisors to
purchase shoes, clothing and other specialized items for children of all ages. Toys and clothes are not needed.

Drop off sites are Cantey Hanger Plaza, 600 W. 6th Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, and CASA, Mallick Tower at Summit Avenue, Suite 505, Fort Worth.

For more information, contact Vickie Daniel at (817) 878-2910 or by email at vdaniel@canteyhanger.com.

The Hondo Group Looks to Austin for Expansion Opportunities

The Hondo Group, a Fort Worth-based marketing communications company, announced today that Sam Monreal has joined their team as a Business Development associate. Monreal will be working to expand the Hondo Group's successful national and Texas operations into the Austin, Texas market. Monreal has more than a decade of experience in sales and marketing, having worked extensively in the financial world as a stockbroker and most recently as a loan officer specializing in residential and commercial real estate lending.

“We are ecstatic to have Sam as the newest member of our team. Austin is a target market for the continued growth of our company, especially in the areas of real estate development, agribusiness and green marketing,” said Lynn Balinas, president of The Hondo Group. “We are confident Sam’s expertise will introduce the Hondo Group's key marketing strategies to companies that will benefit from a long-term relationship with our agency.”

Community-Outreach Event Benefiting Habitat for Humanity 10/4

The AAF-Fort Worth will have the chance to participate in a community outreach event benefiting Habitat for Humanity.

When: October 4, 2008 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m..
Where: home located at 2909 Burton Ave. in Fort Worth.
Who can participate? Anyone 11 years of age and older! (Children under 18 must have parent or guardian present)
Directions to home from I-35W.
• Take EXIT 48A toward BERRY ST/ TCU.
• Go East on E BERRY ST (Northbound I-35W turn right or Southbound I-35W turn left)
• Turn LEFT onto THRALL ST.
• Turn RIGHT onto BURTON AVE.

If you would like to participate in this community-outreach event, please contact Leigh Hickman of Warren Douglas for the necessary forms. You will need to bring the completed forms to the event on 10/4 in order to volunteer.

For forms or additional information, Leigh can be reached via email at: leigh.hickman@warrendouglas.com. Or, give her a call at 817.862.1400 (office).

Hondo Group Promotes Two, Hires Two

The Hondo Group, a Fort Worth-based marketing communications company, announced today the promotions of Liz Heck and Tina Hong, as well as the addition of Paul Conn and Sara Facundo to their team of innovative experts.

Liz Heck has been promoted to Account Supervisor and will be responsible for strategic planning and managing client relationships. Previously serving as an account executive at The Hondo Group for two years, Heck will continue to focus on commercial real estate and various professional service accounts including handling publicity and marketing efforts for the Museum Place development, Warner Stevens L.L.P. and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. In addition, she will take on the responsibility of developing and implementing public relations tactics, event management and media relations for all agency clients and the Hondo Group itself. Heck, a Fort Worth native and graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, is active in the community and serves as a member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth’s Panther Club, Vision Fort Worth, the Public Relations Society of America and is a volunteer for Jazz by the Boulevard.

Tina Hong was promoted to designer and will be responsible for providing clients with a variety of world-class creative executions. Previously serving as a junior graphic designer for the Hondo Group, Hong specializes in brand identity, publication design and corporate identity packages. Hong is an active member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and earned a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from Oregon State University.

Paul Conn has been hired as Interactive Designer for The Hondo Group and will be responsible for designing and implementing Web sites for agency clients. Conn brings more than 10 years of experience in the field to the company, his expertise includes Web site design, Flash, Internet marketing strategies and client relations. Prior to joining The Hondo Group, Conn worked for companies including Brown Foreman, Tommy Hilfiger and Insight Media Communications. An acclaimed interactive designer, Conn has received two Silver ADDY Awards for his design and Flash work on client Web sites.

Sara Facundo has joined the team as an Assistant Account Executive. Facundo will provide account service and public relations efforts for current clients including professional services, agriculture, western lifestyle and commercial real estate accounts. In addition to recently receiving a B.B.A. degree in marketing from the University of North Texas, she served as an intern at DFW International Airport in the Public Affairs Department and a summer intern for The Hondo Group prior to joining the agency full time.

“It’s an exciting time to be on our team,” said Lynn Balinas, president of The Hondo Group. “As our client list keeps growing, we get to hire and promote great talent like Paul, Sara, Liz and Tina.”

AAF-Fort Worth to Conduct Interactive Marketing Workshop

The American Advertising Federation-Fort Worth is conducting an Interactive Marketing Workshop. The day-long event is planned for Friday, October 17, 2008 from 9:00AM to 4:00PM at the International Plaza Building in Fort Worth.

Taught by area interactive marketing professionals, the workshop is a comprehensive seminar that will cover the basic components of interactive marketing, including social marketing, paid search, online marketing and emerging technologies and tactics. The workshop is geared towards marketing and sales professionals with segments appealing to information technology and support personnel. The workshop is open to the general public. Anyone interested in learning how to apply interactive marketing techniques to current marketing plans is encouraged to attend.

Participants in the workshop include The Balcom Agency, Branch Smith Printing, Concussion Advertising, Honeybee Graphics, Range Online Media, Rassai Interactive, and Warren Douglas Creative Branding and Marketing.

The workshop will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions with a roundtable discussion planned over lunch.

Tickets for the event are $90 for members and $140 for non-members. Student price is $50. Half day tickets are available for $50 for members and $75 for non-members. Lunch is available for $10.

Event Information:
Interactive Marketing Workshop
International Plaza Building
Ground Floor Training Room
4055 International Plaza
Fort Worth, TX 76109

For a full agenda. or to register, click here.

Two Cows and a Billboard: How Chick-fil-A Transformed Fast Food Marketing

Join AAF-Fort Worth on Wednesday, October 22, to find out what was behind the now-famous advertising campaign for Chick-fil-A. How and why did a company that sells chicken sandwiches get into the “cow business?” What have the cows done for the health of this fast-food chicken company - from building sales, to building goodwill within the company, to adding a fun and unexpected hook to all PR efforts?

You will get the inside scoop on the “Eat Mor Chikin” cow campaign as told by Greg Ingram, Chick-fil-A’s “Chief Cow Advocate.” It will be a fast-paced and fun presentation you will not want to miss.

To register, click here.

DFW AMA hosts luncheon: Overcoming the Challenges and Finding the Opportunities of Technology Marketing

Let’s face it. There aren’t many people who come into a specific industry with both technology and marketing expertise. You start with one or the other and either place you start, you will be deficient in the other area. How do you address both to be effective?

We’ll discuss ways to ensure the marketing is credible and embraced by the technologist in addition to the market you are addressing – especially if your market path ends with a non-technical consumer. We’ll also discuss the opportunities in technology marketing from career paths, to salaries, to job security.

You'll come away with:
• An understanding of your own skill set and how to cover your deficiencies.
• Ways to combine the value of marketing with the value of technology to ensure both view are effectively addressed adding credibility to your marketing.

Who should attend? Technology marketers or those interested in entering the field.

Thu 25-Sep-08
11:30 AM - to - 1:00 PM CDT
Fort Worth Club

Click here to register.

Golden Acres Genetics Selects The Hondo Group as Agency of Record

Golden Acres Genetics, a custom seed solutions company located in Waco, Texas, has selected The Hondo Group as agency of record. The agency will provide public relations services for the company.

“It’s an exciting time for Golden Acres Genetics. The world’s demand for food is increasing and we are at the forefront with the latest hybrid technology and product development," said Lou Buice, Golden Acres Genetics President. “We are confident The Hondo Group’s agricultural expertise will help us deliver our services and products to the market, while continuing to build our brand.”

The Hondo Group will be responsible for providing strategic public relations services to Golden Acres Genetics to build brand awareness and administer the introduction of new products to the market. The account will be under the direction of Vice President Susan Foster, who is based in The Hondo Group’s headquarters office in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to lend our expertise in agricultural marketing to Golden Acres Genetics,” said Lynn Balinas, president of The Hondo Group. “Golden Acres Genetics provides the latest in corn and sorghum seed technology to their clients, and we look forward to helping them enhance their brand recognition.” Located in Waco, Texas, Golden Acres Genetics is an independent, family-owned company. Formed in 1999, Golden Acres Genetics is focused on providing southern farmers with custom seed solutions. Product categories include corn, sorghum, seed treatments, packaging, agronomic tools and a variety of hands-on client programs. For more information on the company, visit www.GAseed.com.

Balcom Agency Hires Sarah Gordon as Junior AE

Sarah Gordon has joined the Balcom Agency as junior account executive for the public relations division. Her position will include supporting the public relations director in all public relations activities and assisting in account management.

Prior to working at Balcom, Gordon served as Fleishman-Hillard’s corporate intern for the summer at the agency’s Dallas office. Gordon has also interned at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Mayborn Museum Complex in Waco, Texas.

Gordon graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in December 2007

Maximize Your Magazine Know-How

Our speaker from last month's Magazine Day, Dom Rossi, of Magazine Publishers of America, asked us to pass along the following information and resources for those who are interested about magazine advertising.

Ad Impact: What You Don’t Know Could Hurt Your Bottom Line
To answer tough questions about magazines faced by agencies and magazines alike, MPA has created a new tool to bust a number of erroneous media myths.
http://www.magazine.org/advertising/myth_busters.aspx

Accountability II: How Media Drive Results and Impact Online Success
A compilation of accountability research, based on multiple independent studies, shows the strengths of magazines and their role alongside other media in:

-Performing throughout the purchase funnel from brand awareness to purchase intent
-Influencing consumer visits and searches on the web to drive online results. http://www.magazine.org/content/Files/AccountabilityII.pdf

How Media Drive Online Success: Increasing Web Traffic and Search
This document extracts the “drive to web” research from the Accountability Guide. http://www.magazine.org/content/Files/OnlineMedia.pdf

Creative Diagnostic Tool to Make Magazine Creative More Accountable
This diagnostic tool from MPA allows advertisers to assess engagement with magazine advertising creative and ultimately strengthen ad recall and action-taking. The tool, which is based on new and existing engagement research, delivers in-depth information on how consumers experience the magazine ads, beyond just scores. http://www.magazine.org/content/Files/CreativeDiagFull.pdf

Additionally, you can take a peek at the new Magazine Handbook, http://www.magazine.org/advertising/handbook/Magazine_Handbook.aspx as well as the recently updated African American/Black Market profile. http://67.192.45.82/advertising/categories/index.aspx

And don’t miss seeing who won the 27th annual Kelly Awards, where you can view the best ads of the year as well as the results they achieved at www.kellyawardsgallery.org.

On June 14 of this year, Paul Jerde, Creative Director of MasonBaronet in Dallas, was biking around White Rock Lake. It was a perfect spring Saturday, the day before Father's Day. On his way to meet his wife and son, he was hit by a truck and experienced a very traumatic brain injury. Although in a coma, he is progressing in his daily therapy and rehabilitation but his recovery will be slow, difficult, and very expensive.

To help defray costs, friends of the Jerde family present The Jerde Cup on Tuesday, September 23, at Tour18 in Flower Mound, Texas. To sign up to play click on the link below. Even if you can't play, you can go to this link and donate directly to the family. Or sponsor one of the marathon golfers during the morning round (John Hampton is one of the marathon golfers!).
https://www.miraclegolfconcepts.com/eventdetail.php?id=288

Paul has touched many lives, and from his hospital bed he continues touching lives. This is our chance to help a man and his family, to change a life or two and make a difference. The golf and fellowship are a bonus. Sign up to play, sponsor a hole or golfer, or just donate. The Jerde family appreciates whatever you can do or give.

To learn more about Paul, his wife Patty and their son Buzz and to follow Paul's recovery go to:
http://getwellsoonpaul.blogspot.com/

Contact: John Hampton, XpedX, (214) 244-7260 (cell) for more information.

AAF-District 10 Conference Offers Opportunities for Learning, Networking

The American Advertising Federation Tenth District Summer Leadership Conference will be held in Abilene, Texas, Sept. 18-20. Opening with a reception on Thursday evening, the conference will feature professional development speakers and workshops as well as club development workshops. About 120 people from the 4-state district of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana are expected to attend.

For more information on speakers, workshops, and how to register, visit http://www.aafabilene.com/conference08.html.

Legislative News

House Approves Tobacco Advertising Bill
By a 326-102 vote, the House approved H.R. 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The bill would grant the Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco advertising, rather than the Federal Trade Commission, and would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to publish an interim rule enacting several unprecedented advertising restrictions, resulting in a de facto ban on most tobacco advertising. Specifically, the bill would and require all tobacco ads to be black text on a white background, except in certain print media with an adult audience, and would ban all outdoor tobacco advertising within any elementary or secondary school or playground.

FTC Reports on Food Marketing to Children
The Federal Trade Commission released the results of a children's food marketing study, finding that the food and beverage industries have made significant self-regulation progress in the past three years. The FTC calculated that 44 major food and beverage companies spent $1.6 billion to promote products to American children under 18 in 2006 using integrated campaigns combining traditional media with packaging, point-of-purchase, sweepstakes and the Internet. The Institutes of Medicine had previously estimated that food companies spent $10 billion annually on advertising to children. The FTC has again lauded industry self-regulation; both the Children's Advertising Review Unit and the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative were cited as positive efforts.

Children's Food Advertising Initiative Working, According to Study
The Council of Better Business Bureaus has released its own report on its Children's Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative, announcing overwhelming compliance with companies' pledge obligations. Their review, based on advertising disseminated July–December 2007, found that the companies' involvement in the initiative has resulted in a substantial shift toward the promotion of better-for-you foods. Moreover, most of the companies who pledged a timetable for transitioning its advertising bested their schedule goals.

CPSC Bill Sent to President
The House and Senate have approved a bill designed to reform the Consumer Products Safety Commission and rejected a proposal to require onerous cautionary statements in many advertisements for children's products. The original Senate bill called for any advertisement for a toy, game, balloon, small ball or marble that requires a cautionary statement to include the statement in or immediately adjacent to the ad. Instead, the House and Senate approved the House version, which would require a cautionary statement in advertisements only when the ad provides a direct means to purchase the toy—such as Internet or catalog advertising.

Tandi Knight Promoted to Account Coordinator at Balcom Agency

Tandi Knight has been promoted to the position of account coordinator at the Balcom Agency. In her new role, Knight will be assisting the account management team on all projects.

Knight has worked at Balcom for three and a half years as the office manager.

“Legislative Priorities for 2009” is Topic for Texas Association of Business Luncheon

Bill Hammond, CEO & president, Texas Association of Business, will be the featured speaker at the Wednesday, Sept. 3, luncheon at the Petroleum Club in downtown Fort Worth. The luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is $25/person.

Contact Monna Miller at mmiller@txbiz.org or 214.868.8468 for more information or reservations.

Jim Stuart Enlightens Legal Group

Jim Stuart, former CEO of StuartBacon Advertising, spoke at the August 13 breakfast meeting of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. His topic was, “Even If No One’s Talking, Someone’s Listening.” The veteran adman led a discussion about audience, reach and persuasion in the brave, new world of law firm and legal services marketing communications.

DFW AMA Program to Offer Job-Hunting Tips

DFW AMA will be hosting a program titled – “Get Hired” – Insights to the Job Market in DFW on Thursday, August 28 from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Fort Worth Club.

Speakers include: Kelly Jensen, Director of Recruiting for Omnicom (global ad/marketing services company); Robert Waring, Monster.com, and Mike Overby, Owner and President. Express Personnel, a $2B recruiting firm with over 600 offices and headquartered in Oklahoma City.

Program costs: $28 AMA members; $38 non-members and guests; late and onsite registrations – add $10; for details and to register, go to www.dfwama.com.

Balcom Agency Hires Interactive Producer and Senior Art Director

The Balcom Agency has hired Emily Gordon as interactive producer for its interactive division and David Sims as senior art director.

Previously at Rassai Interactive, Gordon will be responsible for scoping and managing interactive projects for numerous clients from inception through completion. She also designs, programs, and manages e-mail marketing campaigns that meet clients’ goals.

Gordon graduated from the Art Institute of Dallas with an Associate of Applied Science, specializing in multimedia and web design. At the Art Institute, she was on the Dean’s List and honored as a Departmental Scholar. Gordon worked as Rassai Interactive’s creative designer and customer support manager before joining the Balcom Agency in July.

David Sims joined the Balcom Agency as senior art director, bringing 35 years of professional experience to the agency’s creative services division.

Previously Sims served as a senior corporate designer for five years for Jacobs (formerly Jacobs Carter Burgess), where he won numerous top design awards from the Society for Professional Marketing Services. Sims’ creative work has also garnered honors from the American Advertising Federation Fort Worth. Earlier in his career, he worked as senior art director for both Witherspoon and Stuart Bacon. His professional background also includes experience as senior art director for the magazine publisher, Magnolia Media Group, and for the former Fort Worth book publisher, Summit Group.

Sims holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Scott Nichols Hired as Balcom Agency’s Newest Interactive Account Executive

The Balcom Agency has hired Scott Nichols as an account executive for its fast-expanding interactive division.

Nichols works closely with interactive clients to provide support, strategy and project management. Previously, he served as an intern for the Balcom Agency’s interactive division.

Nichols received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations at TCU, with a minor in English. He also served as marketing team leader for the TCU Campus Recreation Center, a responsibility that involved supervising two graphic designers and an interactive designer and leading the center’s marketing program.

The T Receives Two Awards in IABC's Bronze Quill Program

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) received two awards from the Fort Worth Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for marketing programs developed in partnership with their agency of record, Concussion Advertising and PR.

The T was honored with an Award of Merit for the external communications campaign, The T Takes you Places, and an Award of Excellence for the direct mail portion of the campaign.

“The campaign developed by Concussion has been a win-win not just for The T, but for the historical landmarks, museums, restaurants and live music venues that have been featured,” said Richard Maxwell, assistant vice president of marketing for The T. “I’m pleased to see the recognition from the IABC because this campaign did exactly what we wanted – increased ridership.”

The campaign, The T Takes you Places, features local destinations served by The T’s bus routes – such as Joe T. Garcia’s, the Medical District and Convention Center – spelled out on a bus marquee. The headlines are supported by a tagline explaining, “the T takes you places.”

The direct mail portion of the campaign enticed trial ridership with the hope of changing public opinion by communicating that buses can be used to access a variety of locations in Fort Worth, and The T is a reliable, affordable and eco-friendly way to travel throughout the city.

“We are very proud of what we do, and felt promoting the services of The T would not only help our client, but also benefit the members of the Fort Worth community who use public transportation out of necessity or choice,” said Allen Wallach, CEO of Concussion.

Every year, IABC sponsors three levels of communication awards programs for members and nonmembers: Bronze Quill awards, Silver Quill awards, and Gold Quill awards. Business communicators can choose to enter their best professional work produced the year prior in these Quill communications contests. The specific divisions and categories for each contest can vary, but typical divisions include writing and editing.

The Bronze Quill awards program is hosted by the Fort Worth IABC chapter, with the board of directors planning and executing the contest. The competition is open to business communicators working with a specific city and/or a small region of a state/province.

Shula's 347 Grill Makes Texas Debut at Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa

The hottest score this summer is 347 – Shula's 347 Grill at the newly opened Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa. A new restaurant concept for the area, Shula's 347 Grill is making its Texas debut and is now open for business, with a celebrity-filled, invitational grand opening planned for today.

The chic 5,385 square-foot space at 1701 Commerce Street in downtown Fort Worth just across from the Water Gardens exudes a casual, energized atmosphere and features a fully appointed 255-seat restaurant, high-impact bar and 24-seat private dining room. Dark hardwoods and pigskin covered walls complement the décor, with photographs that showcase local sports stars and legends as well as Fort Worth landmarks.

The restaurant’s namesake, Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history with 347 career victories, will join in festivities along with other sports personalities and local luminaries on July 30.

“Shula’s 347 has everything from gourmet salads to fresh specialty fish,” said Virginia Benke, head of food and beverage at the Sheraton. “Shula’s exclusively serves Premium Black Angus Beef burgers as well as the famous Shula Cut steaks, the best beef money can buy, using the same aging process as the legendary Shula’s Steak Houses.”

The Fort Worth Shula’s 347 Grill is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

AAF-Tenth District Announces Inaugural Inductees to Southwest Hall of Fame

It is with great pleasure the Tenth District of the AAF announces the inaugural class of The Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame.

• Ray Ackerman - Ackerman-McQueen, Oklahoma City
• Wayne Cranford - Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, Little Rock
• David B. Keith - Past Chairman, American Advertising Federation
• Fred J. Korge - Baxter + Korge, Savage Design, Houston
• Earl Littman - Goodwin, Dannenbaum, Littman & Wingfield, P.O.P. Broadcasting, Houston
• Stan Richards - The Richards Group, Dallas
• Lowe Runkle - Lowe Runkle Company, Oklahoma City

Five additional inductees to be included in the inaugural class are men from our region who have already achieved membership in the national Advertising Hall of Fame, hosted by the AAF.

• Sam Bloom - The Bloom Agency (Now Publicis), Dallas
• Roger Enrico - PepsiCo, DreamWorks SKG, Dallas
• Morris Hite - Tracy-Locke, Dallas
• Stanley Marcus - Neiman Marcus, Dallas
• Leiner Temerlin - Temerlin McClain, Temerlin Consulting, Dallas

The mission of the Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame is to honor men and women from our region who have distinguished themselves in their careers, who have contributed to the betterment of advertising and its reputation, and who have made volunteer efforts outside the workplace. Nominees are not required to be members of an AAF club and may represent all disciplines within the advertising industry.

The celebration honoring the 2008 Inaugural Class will be held in Dallas on November 11, 2008.

Nomination forms for the 2009 Class and the deadline to receive them will be announced later in the year.

Magazine Day 08 Sorts Out Role of Magazines in Down Economy

The AAF-Fort Worth's annual Magazine Day will be the focus of the August Meeting. In addition to our outstanding speaker, Dom Rossi of Magazine Publishers of America, we will have representatives from 12 area publications to provide sample copies, information about their publications and more. Be sure to join us EARLY - at 11:00 a.m. - on August 20 at Joe T. Garcia's for this always sold-out event!

About Dom Rossi's presentation: A soft economy changes a lot of the rules in media and marketing. “Marketplace momentum” which we all have benefited from for the last six years is no longer an ally as consumers re-trench. In their minds “What I need” begins to trump “What I want” and most recognized brands start to feel the pain.

Utilizing a “media neutral” format, this presentation looks at media mix in a soft economy, and what has to be done to help nudge consumers back into a “What I want” consumption frame of mind. In a typical purchase funnel we call that nudge the “Persuasion Red-Zone”. It’s driven by two critical performance metrics; “Purchase Intent” and “Drive to web”. Based on close to $10 million in advertiser funded “cross-media” ROI research that includes TV, Magazines and On-line, the presentation will examine what media play what roles in a purchase funnel, with special attention being paid to the “Red-Zone”. Because the numbers are allowed to speak for themselves, there are no media winners or losers, but there are some media mandates that will absolutely begin to emerge.

If you agree with the pundits that getting the mix right is the most critical aspect of media planning today, you will want to see this presentation.

We'll also get to see the Kelly Awards Video - the best in magazine advertising from last year.

Prior to (and probably after) the meeting, you'll have an opportunity to visit with our sponsors about the publications and opportunities they offer in their own magazines.

There will also be free Magazine Day t-shirts for the first 80 PAID registrants for this program, compliments of Rosa's Cafe - Texas.

Thanks to our sponsors for this program: Magazine Publishers of America, The Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas Magazine, Parker County Today, Fort Worth Key Magazine and Branch Smith Publications. Business Week - Austin, D Magazine and Meredith Publications.

AAF District 10 Summer Leadership Conference to Feature Outstanding Speakers, Workshops

The 2008 AAF-District 10 Summer Leadership Conference will be held in Abilene, Sept. 18-20. Attracting participants from the four-state region of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, the conference will feature both professional development and club development speakers and workshops.

Chad Rea, one of the featured speakers, began his award-winning career creating and designing for some of the world’s hottest creative shops where he worked on more than 100 iconic brands including Coca-Cola, Adidas and Hummer. Inspired by his world travels and past brand-building experience, Chad formed 86 the Onions, a prolific brand communications firm specializing in youth and entertainment brands. This company pioneered the industry’s movement to media-neutral problem-solving, creating innovative marketing solutions for several high-profile clients including Target, Mountain Dew, SoBe, ESPN X Games, Starbucks and Virgin Records.

In March 2007, at the height of his company’s success, Chad answered his true calling and created ecopop, an in-house incubator of intellectual property designed to instigate positive change. (For more information, visit chadrea.com or go to ecopop.com.)

Other speakers include Emmy Award-winning reporter Jeff Crilley, as well as professional development workshops on "True Colors," Goal-Setting and Attaining, Research, Trade Show Insights, and Jingles; and club development workshops on ADDYs and How to Host a Conference/Convention.

For more information on speakers and workshops - or to register for this conference - visit http://www.aafabilene.com/conference08.html.

AAF-FW Elects Board

Celebrating its 99th year, The Fort Worth chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), Fort Worth’s oldest civic organization, named industry heavy weights to its board of directors and swore them in at the sold-out July 16 meeting sponsored by Range Online Media and held at Joe T. Garcia’s.

The new officers are: President Mike Roundtree, Roundtree Advertising and Marketing, Inc.; Presidential Advisor Lynne Swihart, Balcom Agency; First Vice President Jason Parker, The Graphics Group; Second Vice President Keith Powell, Fort Worth Key Magazine; Secretary Treasurer Elisa Jackson, Kearley & Company; and Immediate Past President Kent Dean, Rosa’s Cafe – Texas;

Board members include Casandra Brown, Rassai Interactive; Amanda Gibson, Concussion; Leigh Hickman, Warren Douglas; Steve Higdon, Redstone Visual Impressions; Lindsay Lee, Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics; Joe Shankles, The Color Place; Tom Van Gunten, Lockheed Martin; and Rene Smith, Concussion.

“I am excited for everyone to get to know the new leaders of the AAF-Fort Worth,” said Roundtree. “They are experts in this industry and are focused on advancing the business of advertising as a vital and essential part of the Fort Worth economy.”

The new AAF-Fort Worth leadership is tasked with setting AAF-Fort Worth strategic direction, providing fiscal oversight, ensuring necessary resources, enhancing AAF-Fort Worth’s public standing and monitoring and strengthening AAF-Fort Worth programs and services.

While AAF-Fort Worth has a long history, its purpose remains the same as in the beginning – elevating standards and practices in advertising through peer review programs and through continuing training and education initiatives. Today, AAF-Fort Worth has almost 200 members and provides resources on many special projects relating to advertising. These include legislative, public service and educational activities.

For more information about AAF-Fort Worth and its upcoming events, visit www.adclubfw.org.

July Meeting Was Full of Excitement

The July Meeting of the AAF-Fort Worth was exciting - for a lot of reasons.

First, our speaker was David Dietze of Google. His presentation attracted a sell-out crowd of 135 participants.

Second, past District 10 Governor and past Central Region Chair and former AAF-Amarillo president Marc Eisenberg provided an amusing and yet responsibility-driven swearing-in ceremony for new and continuing board members and officers.

And finally, Mike Wood, professional in residence at TCU, thanked the Ad Club for its support of the TCU student team over the years. He noted that, for several years, the team has ranked highly at the district level in the National Student Advertising Competition. Last year, TCU's team won first place at district and went on to take 8th place at the National competition. This year, TCU's team came in second place at district, and was selected as the wildcard team to compete at the national competition. This year, TCU's team placed fourth at national, and he showed off the trophy that accompanied that win.

All in all, it was a very good meeting, packed with great advertising people and lots of good information.

Veteran Adman and Silver Medal Recipient Dies

Story and photo from the Star-Telegram

Story by Mark Agee

Stray dogs would tug at David Snyder’s heartstrings. If he saw one while driving, he couldn’t resist inviting the animal into his station wagon so he could find it a home.

His plan didn’t always work.

"We ended up keeping a lot of them," said Marriane Snyder, his wife of 62 years. "The most we ever had at one time was five. You’re not supposed to have more than three, but no one ever told on us."

Mr. Snyder, of Fort Worth, a retired vice president of advertising for the Star-Telegram, died Saturday afternoon. He’d had Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases for the last few years. He was 85.

He grew up in Fort Worth and graduated from Arlington Heights High School. He joined the Army Air Forces during World War II as a gunnery instructor and flight engineer in the Pacific Theater.

He met his future wife while delivering groceries for his uncle’s store, and the two married after he returned from the war. He got a job at the Fort Worth Press, where he worked his way up to advertising manager. In 1952, the Star-Telegram hired him as a retail advertising salesman. He became a vice president in 1981.

Mr. Snyder was also a fisherman and a gardener. He owned a racing boat, sports cars and a pecan orchard near Granbury, but he was all work on weekdays, a former co-worker said.

He won the prestigious Silver Medal Award from the American Advertising Federation. He not only didn’t take vacations but gently chided others who did, said former Publisher Wes Turner, who was hired by Snyder.

"He had a great heart, and he was a real father figure for a lot of us," Turner said.
Mr. Snyder was also a bit of a prankster, said Melinda Mason, who worked for him and is now community relations manager for the paper.

Mr. Snyder once convinced her that he cooked his Thanksgiving turkey each year over the chimney on his rooftop.

"It was really elaborate. He said his neighbors would watch, and he described a wire basket he would put the turkey in," Mason said. "He was making fun of my naivete, and I really fell for it."
His daughter, Kelle Snyder Hill of Houston, had not heard that story but she said she wasn’t surprised.

"He was so precious," she said.

Mr. Snyder is also survived by his son, Tracy Snyder of Benbrook.

Jim Stuart to Speak in Fort Smith

Jim Stuart, past president of AAF-FW and past AAF District 10 governor, will be the featured speaker at the July meeting of AAF-Fort Smith, Arkansas. His presentation, "Get it? Got it. Good!" is all about listening, learning, leading and loving - some of what it takes to succeed in the business of ideas.

For 15 years, Jim Stuart was chief executive officer of Stuart Bacon Advertising in Public Relations, the agency he founded with Randy Bacon in 1987, which served a variety of local, regional, national and international clients with full-service advertising and public relations capabilities.

In 1996, Stuart Bacon was named to the Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing private companies. The agency was selected 1998 Employer of the Year by the Downtown Fort Worth Rotary Club, 1998 Small Business of the Year by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, and in 2000, named by ADWEEK as one of the largest in the Southwest.

In an interactive presentation and discussion, this veteran adman, agency principal, university instructor and, briefly, Starbucks barista will share with the Fort Smith group some hard-knock wisdom, a handful of how to’s and a few secret recipes for success in creating, communicating and inspiring.

AAF-FW's July Meeting is a Sell-Out

Two days before the July meeting, the Ad Club's program, "Google's Digital Landscape: Ten Best Practices," featuring David Dietze of Google Marketing, is a sell out. Those who wish to add themselves to a waiting list may do so by clicking here.

Hondo Group Welcomes Three Summer Interns

The Hondo Group, a Fort Worth-based marketing communications company, is pleased to announce the addition of three summer interns to their Texas team. The interns will serve as assistants in various departments throughout the company expanding their knowledge of the creative and operational processes within the organization.

A diverse group of students from three schools were recruited to fill the summer internship positions. Hondo welcomed Sara Facundo (UNT), Tara Kuykendall (University of Central OK) and Jessica Lo (TCU) to the Fort Worth office.

"It is exciting to meet college students with such a profound interest in expanding their education," said Lynn Balinas, president of The Hondo Group. "We are eager to teach the interns what we know as well as learn fresh ideas from them."

Ad Club Hires New Executive Administrator

If you’ve attended the last few meetings of the AAF-Fort Worth, you may have noticed a new face at the door. Or, if you’re a long-time member of the Ad Club, you may have recognized a familiar face. Lori Campell was recently hired as the Ad Club’s new Executive Administrator.

While Lori is new to most of our members, those who were members in the 1980s will remember Lori from a time when she was the public relations and advertising manager at First National Bank of Fort Worth (now Bank of America), and was a member of our club.

Since then, Lori has been a lender at three banks – in areas ranging from private banking to Executive and Professional Lending to SBA Lending to Commercial Lending. In 2004, she elected to leave banking to pursue a less-structured worklife and became self-employed, offering bookkeeping services and Quickbooks advisory services.

With a career that has given her strong experience in all things financial, as well as in marketing, Lori is uniquely positioned to help our club move forward over the coming years. Join us in welcoming Lori to our team!

Legislative Updates

FCC Announces Embedded Advertising Inquiry and Rulemaking

The Federal Communications Commission has indicated it will conduct a Notice of Proposed Inquiry on simultaneous disclosure of embedded advertising and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on all other facets of product placement. The FCC is seeking comments on whether it should require broadcasters to include an on-screen "crawl" whenever there is an instance of product placement on television. The FCC decision is troubling to the advertising industry because it suggests that regulatory action is necessary. In 2005, the Federal Trade Commission considered and rejected a similar proposal, saying there was no evidence that product placement was unfair or deceptive or resulted in consumer harm.

Online Advertising Hearing Announced

House Energy and Commerce Committee Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman, Bobby Rush, D-Ill., and Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., the ranking member of the subcommittee, announced they will hold a hold a hearing this summer examining online advertising issues. The members of Congress said they are concerned about data collection and personalized Internet content, including behavioral advertising. They added that they are especially interested in recent online advertising partnerships and the risks such agreements pose to consumer privacy. No date for the hearing has been set.

New DTC Moratorium Bill Introduced in House

Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., and Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., introduced a bill that would require many of the same changes to direct-to-consumer advertising considered and rejected by Congress last year. The Responsibility in Drug and Device Advertising Act of 2008 (H.R. 6151) would impose a three-year moratorium on DTC ads and give the FDA authority to require companies to distribute "corrective materials" if they violate the moratorium. Additionally, the proposal requires prominent display of potential side effects and a federal public education campaign that describes the risks of certain drugs. DeLauro chairs the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee, and Emerson is a senior Republican member of the Appropriations Committee. The bill was introduced soon after a House Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on DTC advertising. At that hearing, subcommittee chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and full committee chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., criticized representatives from three pharmaceutical companies and asked if their companies would voluntarily agree to impose a two-year moratorium on DTC advertising and not to market prescription drugs until a valid outcomes study of the product is completed. A two-year moratorium was considered and rejected by the committee and Congress last year during consideration of the FDA Amendments Act of 2007.

Massachusetts Rep. to Introduce Online Data Collection Opt-Out Bill

Massachusetts Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett, plans to introduce legislation that would allow users to opt-out of data collection mechanisms on Web sites. The proposal mandates Web sites provide notice of what kinds of data are collected and provide specific data security for users who do not opt-out. Additionally, the bill would limit third-party advertisers to accessing tracking data no longer than 24 months after it is collected. Rep. Straus is seeking co-sponsors before he introduces the bill.

Luncheon Presentation from 6/18: Media Trends

The AAF-Fort Worth enjoyed a luncheon presentation last week from Scott Berg, Worldwide Media Director for Hewlett-Packard. We're happy to be able to share that information with those of you who were unable to attend.

The video clip Berg used to kick-off his presentation.



And the link to Berg's presentation.

Our sincere thanks to Berg for a terrific, fascinating presentation.

Here Comes the Sun Concert a Rousing Success

The concert featuring Beatles cover band A Hard Night's Day was a big hit with attendees, and lots of fun to boot! The final profit figures have not yet been determined, but chairperson Keith Powell estimates that the club's contribution to Limbs for Life will be at least $2500.

Thanks to Baker Orthotics for being the underwriting sponsor, and to Warren Douglas for their design and promotional work. Thanks, too, to Rosa's Cafe for bringing in Dana Bowman, to Curry Printing for their donation of printing tickets and posters for the event, and to sponsors Key Magazine, the Fort Worth Business Press, Fort Worth Cats Baseball, LaGrave Field, and Coors Light.

Longtime AAF-Fort Worth Member Chosen as Officer for Central Region

Susan Cook Adkins was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the AAF’s Central Region during the national AAF Conference in Atlanta June 8-10.

Each region collectively elects regional officers to work in the interests of clubs within their region. Traditionally, the Secretary-Treasurer position moves up to Vice Chair the following year, and to Chair the third year. The Regional Chair serves on the AAF board of directors and executive committee to represent the concerns of all the clubs and federations in his or her region.

As a result of her appointment to Secretary-Treasurer, Adkins is set to serve as Central Region Chair in 2010-2011.

About AAF Districts and Regions
Each AAF club belongs to a district within AAF. Each district falls within one of three geographic regions: Western, Central or Eastern. AAF-Fort Worth is part of District 10, which is one of the largest districts in the nation. District 10, along with Districts 5, 6, 8 and 9 make up the Central Region.

The Central Region Includes:
District 5: Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky
District 6: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
District 8: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin
District 9: Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri
District 10: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Northwest Louisiana