Ad Day in Tallahassee Lunch and Learn
One of the most impactful (and coolest) things AAF District 4 does each year is spend a day meeting with our legislators in Tallahassee. Ad Day is part of a nationwide network of AAF government relations efforts to create a strong future for the advertising industry.
Few areas of your membership in our local club are as important as government and legislative affairs. No other activity can so directly affect the way each and every one of us does business. Everything from compensation to content to creative execution can be impacted, positively OR negatively, by government action.
In spite of, or perhaps because of its importance, however, many members can be intimidated by the thought of government affairs involvement.
Join us to learn more and help reduce any anxiety you many feel when dealing with lawmakers! Be part of the team to make connections with our Senators and Representatives as citizen advocates for our industries.
Ad Day Lunch & Learn October 13, 2021
11:30 am to 12:30 pm
(Zoom link Emailed ahead of Event)
SAVE THE DATE: This year’s Ad Day in Tallahassee and AAF District 4 Fall Conference will take place November 14-16. Attendance is open to all active AAF-Space Coast members; cost to participate is nominal.
Legislative Update 2020/2021
Due to limitations on in-person meetings because of Covid-19, almost all our legislative contacts were done virtually. Significant planning went into these virtual meetings, which included two Zoom preparation meetings January 22 and January 29, with the first meeting focused on information and advice important to being an effective citizen lobbyist. That was followed by District leaders hosting Zoom meetings with Senators with members from clubs, local to the senators, joining in on the meetings. This allowed members new to being a citizen lobbyist to see and participate in the process. That was followed by local club leaders making appointments with House members to have discussions regarding issues that the AAF District 4 was supporting.
At or following our meetings with each legislator we presented a single page document that was provided to all AAF District 4 members to virtually leave with each legislator or legislative aide visited that summarized our position of issues we discussed.
We expressed our support for passage of the Entertainment Targeted Rebate Program (SB 704 & HB 757) and continued funding of $50M in the Governor’s proposed budget for Visit Florida. Unfortunately, the Entertainment Targeted Rebate Program only made it through one Senate committee and was not passed this year. Visit Florida funding has been preserved at $50M.
In the last several weeks of the legislative session AAF National expressed opposition to the “Consumer Data Privacy” legislation contained in SB 1734 and HB 969. The AAF District 4 took a position in opposition to this State legislation; it was thought that this issue was better to be resolved with national legislation rather than differing legislation throughout the country. The House bill passed 118 to 1. It ultimately did not pass through the legislative process in the Senate and did not become law.
Planning has begun for in-person meetings with legislators in Tallahassee on November 16, 2021 during a week of committee meetings in preparation for the 60-day legislative session beginning in January 2022.
Silver Medal Award Social 2021
The Silver Medal Award event has been postponed due to COVID. I guess networking isn’t back just yet.
The American Advertising Federation Space Coast is pleased to announce that Networking is BACK BABY!
Please join us as we toast the Space Coast’s newest Silver Medal Honoree on August 26th from 5:30-7:30 at the Landing Rooftop at Hotel Melby.
The Silver Medal Award was established by the American Advertising Federation in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern.
This award is the most prestigious award that the AAFSC can bestow upon a local community member. Silver Medal recipients are selected by a panel of judges from past Silver Medal winners.
Previous Silver Medal Award Recipients include:
We are so excited to celebrate the achievements of our newest member to this elite club. Please join us in celebration and networking with the best advertising peeps in town!
Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Cash bar available on location.
We would like to thank our corporate sponsors for providing each attendee with 2 drink tickets:
A Cut Above Video Productions, Inc.
Sky Advertising
Your Logo by Geiger
Event Pricing:
AAFSC Member Registration $35
The AAFSC will be adhering to standard COVID-19 protocols, and an outdoor space will be available for networking.
Criteria to be selected for a Silver Medal:
- Contribution to His/Her Company – The recipient must have achieved success in one of the following areas of work: advertising agency, advertiser, media or advertising service
- Creative Ability – The recipient must have shown a consistent, high degree of original thinking in their field.
- Contributions to the General Advancement of Advertising – The recipient must have worked to increase the stature and raise the standards of the advertising profession.
- Contributions to the Community – The recipient should be someone who has been active in civic, religious, or other groups dedicated to human or social welfare.
American Advertising Federation Space Coast Welcomes New Board Members for 2021-2022
American Advertising Federation Space Coast Welcomes New Board Members for 2021-2022
Club focus on Renewing Community Connections post COVID-19 with a special emphasis on a New Collaborative Mental Health Awareness Campaign.
Melbourne, FL | June 17, 2021 – AAF, the American Advertising Federation, represents the voice of the advertising industry and its Space Coast Florida chapter announces its new board.
Known world-wide for the American Advertising Awards, the local club has a 30+ year history serving Brevard County’s business community.
Members of the association volunteer their time and talents to plan and execute community events for the benefit of local charities, contribute to the success and growth of local professionals, and promote ethical advertising in our community.
New board members include:
- President: Keri Goff, Brevard Achievement Center
- President-Elect: Jeremy Gerster, Sky Advertising
- Immediate Past-President: Stephanie Byrd, The Viera Company
- Secretary: Shamika Chamberlain, The Custom Ladybug
- Treasurer: Kim Africano, Viera Builders
- Historian: Jeremy Gonzalez, Spectaculoso
- Director: Scott Eller, Rock Paper Simple
- Director: Madison Conradis, Your Logo by Geiger
- Director: Dr. Steven Hicks, Viera High School
- Director: Adrienne Roth, Brevard Business News
- Director: Tracy Stroderd, Everything Brevard
- Director: David Jones, Diversity of Thought, Inc.
Thank you to the following non-board member Committee Chairs:
- AAF Awards Chair: Stephanie Herndon, Florida Tech
- Government Relations Chair: Bill Williams, A Cut Above Video Productions
- Government Relations Co-Chair: Susan McGrath, Brevard Achievement Center
- Technology Chair: Jennifer Pokorny, Rock Paper Simple
- Social Media & Communications Co-Chair: Brian Wallace, The AD Leaf
The operational expertise of the club was recently honored at a district and national level, receiving “Club of the Year” from the American Advertising Federation’s District 4 Governance committee, and national recognition for club achievement and public service for fiscal year 2020-21.
“Every moment of last year was historical and our club rose to each challenge and exceeded expectations. We kept safety in mind as we modernized our internal operations, volunteered and donated time, resources, and items to several local charities, and honored our founding member by reestablishing our scholarship opportunity. The board and the membership are honored to be awarded for the district Club of the Year and at the national level for both Club Achievement and Public Service,” stated Stephanie Byrd, immediate past president.
Looking forward, the club’s focus on renewing community connections for the 2021-22 year will include volunteering at beautification events, hosting a collaborative multi-agency and multi-platform mental health awareness campaign, supporting local charities through supply drives, and hosting several unique networking events with leading advertising and marketing professionals in the area.
“I am honored to lead the club as we come out of what has become the ‘COVID-19 normal.’ With many of our community members vaccinated and so many amazing Space Coast venues that have outdoor spaces available, we are able to safely resume networking activities,” stated Keri Goff, club President, “Our first major event this fiscal year will take place on August 26th at Hotel Melby, where we will be honoring a community member with the highest award our club gives, the aaf Silver Medal award. Networking is back, baby!”
The Silver Medal Award is nationally recognized as the most prestigious award a local aaf chapter can bestow upon the recipient. It was established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence, and responsibility in areas of social concern.
“We are well aware that we are not ‘out of the woods’ yet with COVID-19, and one of the biggest impacts we will be dealing with for a long time to come is the impact on mental health,” continued Goff. “Our club has big plans to create a multi-agency, multi-platform collaborative mental health campaign as part of our public service initiative. We will be reaching out all through the fiscal year to help create content and gain placements for a month-long awareness campaign in May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. This campaign will culminate with a broad awareness of local resources to aid those in crisis or experiencing mental health deterioration.”
“I have some big shoes to fill this year, Stephanie Byrd, our immediate past president, was able to accomplish some truly amazing things in the midst of the pandemic, including winning national recognition for our club,” Goff continued. “I am privileged to to build on the foundation she laid, and with the amazing group of people on our board of directors along with our committee chairs, I know this club will continue to push the needle forward for the advertising community here in Brevard.”
From tools, trends, and best practices to behind the scenes look at media, advertising and digital marketing innovation, aaf is the only club of its kind that features people from every facet of the industry. If you are in business, you are in advertising.
For more information on upcoming events, networking opportunities, and how to become a member of the best group of marketing peeps in town, visit aafspacecoast.org
About American Advertising Federation
The American Advertising Federation of the Space Coast is a local club and part of a nationwide network of 40,000 members, promoting positive awareness of the advertising industry while fostering professional growth for its members. The club continually provides unique opportunities for members to share ideas, engage with experts and give back to the community while protecting the advertising industry on all levels.
AAF AdCamp 2021
