FORT WORTH ADVERTISING INDUSTRY REWARDED FOR ITS CONFESSIONS

Agencies Receive Forgiveness And New Hardware For The Trophy Case

Fort Worth’s advertising elite gathered at The Ashton Depot February 28, 2009, to celebrate the 2008 ADDY® Gala and awards show.

The Best of Show honor for the 2008 ADDY® Awards went to Balcom Agency for a patient education game called, “Oh My! Pink Eye!,” developed for Fort Worth-based pharmaceutical company, Alcon. Pictured below is the Balcom team celebrating with the coveted crystal trophy.

As Best of Show, Balcom will assume the role of campaign creator for the 2009® Addy Awards. Concussion Advertising and Public Relations handled the previous two years’ creative. Balcom was among four Fort Worth advertising and public relations firms to clean up at the awards show of the American Advertising Federation of Fort Worth.

Concussion received a total of 63 ADDYs – the most presented to any agency – including 21 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze awards. The agency also received the Best of Show Award for its television broadcast campaign done for Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino. Concussion also was recognized for its outstanding creative work done for the 2007 ADDY® Awards themed, “Dominate The Competition.”

GCG received the second-highest number of awards, taking home 36 ADDYs in total – 5 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze.

Algo+Rhythm received the Best of Show Award in the print category for a campaign created for Ellington Fans, in addition to 34 ADDYs – 14 gold, 13 silver and seven bronze.

Balcom Agency also won the Best of Show Award in the interactive category for a Web site created for Real School Gardens, and 23 ADDYs – 9 gold, five silver and nine bronze.

In total, the four agencies took home an unprecedented 156 of the 194 ADDYs present at the event. The contest drew 735 entries. Gold ADDY winners will now compete in the Tenth District ADDYs on April 24 in Houston. Winners at the district level will move on to the National ADDYs in June in Washington, D.C.

In addition to agency awards, 35 student ADDY awards were given out to students displaying outstanding creative work from Texas Christian University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas and Westwood College.

The American Advertising Federation of Fort Worth, formerly known as the Advertising Club of Fort Worth, exists to elevate the ethical standards and practices of advertising and foster the development of more effective advertising methods. It is Fort Worth’s oldest continuously operating community service organization, founded by the legendary Amon G. Carter in 190X. Visit the AAF-FW website at www.adclubfw.org.