Dateline Award Luncheon

From left to right:  Mike Roundtree, AAF-FW president, presents the 2008 Dateline Award to Tom Starr, executive director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Wins Dateline Award

The American Advertising Federation – Fort Worth (AAF-FW) recognized the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl with the 2008 Dateline Award for the Bowl’s success in promoting Fort Worth on a national level.

“Outside of positioning Fort Worth in the national spotlight, we greatly appreciate the notable names, football fans, families and players the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has brought to Fort Worth, not to mention the charitable events and opportunities provided by the organization,” said Mike Roundtree, president of AAF-FW.

As noted in the Bowl’s name, the military has tremendous influence in the Fort Worth event.  Since the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl’s inception six years ago, a host of representatives from every branch of the military have come to Fort Worth to participate. 

“We are humbled by this honor,” said Tom Starr, executive director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.  “Our success can be attributed to our staff, volunteers, the military, and not only our title partner, but our friends, Bell Helicopter.  They are the reasons we’ve won this award.”

Second only to the game itself is the charitable component of the Bowl.  Thanks to corporate sponsors, more than 8,000 tickets were distributed to active military and their families to attend the game for free.  During the spring and summer, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was proud to donate portions of ticket proceeds to the USO and the Children of Fallen Soldiers fund.  

This year’s Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl featured a New Years Eve match up between the University of Houston and Army.  The game catapulted Fort Worth into the national spotlight when General David H. Patraeus took the field for the coin toss and again during half-time where he was presented with the 2008 Great American Patriot Award for working tirelessly to make the United States a better and safer place for all of its citizens.

Starr also took time to address the rumors of a move to Dallas for the Bowl.  He acknowledged talking to venues such as the Cotton Bowl, Cowboy’s Stadium and SMU, but only as back up venues – should something happen at the Amon G. Carter stadium at TCU.  “Fort Worth has been very good to us and this is our home,” Starr said. 

Previous Dateline Award recipients include the North Texas Speedway, the Van Cliburn Competition and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.  Last year’s winner was Chef Tim Love, who won recognition on television for his victory over Iron Chef Morimoto in 2007, as well as acclaim for his restaurants Love Shack and Lonesome Dove.

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Join us for the AAF-FW Dateline Award Honoring the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Each year, the American Advertising Federation-Fort Worth recognizes an individual or organization that has brought positive publicity to Fort Worth or Tarrant County during the previous calendar year. AAF-Fort Worth is proud to announce Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl as the winner of the 2008 Dateline Award.

The December 31st Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl catapulted Fort Worth into the national spotlight when General David H. Patraeus took the field for the coin toss and again during half-time where he was presented with the 2008 Great American Patriot Award for working tirelessly to make the United States a better and safer place for all of its citizens.

Previous Dateline Award recipients include the North Texas Speedway, the Van Cliburn Competition and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Last year's winner was celebrity chef Tim Love, who won recognition on television for his victory over Iron Chef Morimoto in 2007, as well as his restaurants, Love Shack and Lonesome Dove.

WHEN

January 21, 2009 

11:45 AM  - 1:00 PM

 

WHERE

Joe T. Garcia's

"La Puertita"

2201 N Commerce St

Fort Worth, TX 76106

RSVP

by 5:00 p.m. TODAY, on www.adclubfw.org

HOW MUCH?

Executive Member - Included in Dues

Non Member - $35.00

Professional member, or member of another AAF Club - $20.00

Student - $15.00

 

Concussion Receives Global Design Recognition

Creative designs developed by Concussion, a Fort Worth-based full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm, received a Branding 5 Gold award from Graphis and will be published in the Branding 5 book that will hit the stands in February of this year.

Hailed as the design industry’s premier showcase and publication for graphic communications worldwide, Graphis honored a suite of logos and casino collateral designed by Concussion for FireLake Grand Casino.

“Graphis is like the Academy Awards of graphic design and one of the biggest honors any designer or firm can receive. I am honored that Concussion has again been recognized by this prestigious organization,” said Andrew Yanez, chief creative officer and partner at Concussion.  “I am extremely proud to see our work consistently being considered among the best not only in Fort Worth, but also in the world.”

Earlier this year, Concussion received six Graphis Gold awards for its design work for Hello Labels, Quicksilver Gas Services, Fort Worth Zoo’s Arachnitopia exhibit, N3, FireLake Grand Casino and Treehouse Foods.

For more information on Graphis, visit their Web site at graphis.com.

Concussion is a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. The agency has more than 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.concussion.net.

COME FOR THE KNOWLEDGE, NOT A SALES PITCH

Skyline DFW to Hold Free Trade Show Seminars January 28

Marketing professionals from across north Texas will unite on Wednesday, January 28, for free and educational seminars hosted by Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics. The two sessions, “Successful Trade Show Marketing Strategies” and “Better Booth Staffing,” will take place in their new facility at 900 Ave. S in Grand Prairie.

These sessions are free of charge and will enlighten trade show and event marketing newcomers and seasoned veterans alike. Attendees will learn statistics such as 79% of show visitors will be new contacts for the exhibiting company and those visitors tell, on average, 6 other people about their experience at the show.

The first session, “Successful Trade Show Marketing Strategies,” is from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and will explain how to set measurable objectives, how to measure performance, show and space selection, exhibit design and how to promote participation.

The second session, “Better Booth Staffing,” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. discusses how trade show selling is different, who makes the best booth staffers, how to turn attendees into leads and how to make promotion dollars work smarter.

Seminar attendees will receive a complimentary Trade Show Marketing Kit and Booth Staffing Guidebook.

Skyline is the largest manufacturer of custom modular exhibits in North America, specializing in helping clients increase their ROI through effective trade show and event marketing. Skyline DFW works with more than 1,000 local clients and advertising agencies, including American Airlines, Chesapeake Energy, Nokia, Texas Rangers and Virbac.

Registration is available at www.skylinedfw.com or by calling (972) 522-0500.

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.”