American Advertising Federation Houston RSS Feed

The Nielsen IAG results are in, and the Snickers ad featuring Betty White and Abe Vigoda was the "most-liked" of all Super Bowl spots. Doritos dominated the "most-recalled" rankings, with its ads taking the top three slots. This Super Bowl was the most viewed show ever and the New Orleans Saints have lots to celebrate.

This past weekend was busy with other types of celebrations.The AAF-Houston presented the 48th annual Addy Awards, the Winter Olympics started in Vancouver, and we enter the "Year of the Tiger" as the Chinese New Year begins. Another possible reason to celebrate are the results of a survey from the Association of National Advertisers. There was a significant drop in those predicting budget decreases from 39% last summer to 22% in the current survey.

AAF-Houston is developing a "Creative Thought Leader” series. Speakers for upcoming luncheons include: Hank Blank, Search Consultant, Dan Hill, CEO, Sensory Logic, Guy Bomberino, Former Creative Director of GSD&M, and Patrick Coyne, Editor, CA Journal.

As always, if there is something you want to share, drop me a line at rtrel@rtmarcom.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next month, thanks for reading!

Rita Trelewicz
Editor
AAF Houston AdSmart

Create-Or-Die: Thriving In The Create-On-Demand World

Join us Wednesday, February 17 at the monthly luncheon and hear how Todd Henry Managing Director, Accidental Creative discusses how to thrive in the create-on-demand world. He will talk about practical disciplines that creative people and teams can use to stay brilliant over the long-term.

Todd is the founder of Accidental Creative, a company dedicated to helping creative teams thrive in the "create-on-demand" world. He helps those who work in a creative environment develop the practices they need to be prolific, brilliant and healthy over the long-term.

Accidental Creative’s website, AccidentalCreative.com, has quickly become the destination of choice for thousands of “create-on-demand” pros wanting to improve their long-term creative viability and productivity.

Todd is regularly featured as an expert on both personal and team creating. He is also a frequent speaker at conferences and to creative organizations wanting to learn how to thrive amidst the pressures of the create-on-demand world.

Register now for this event.

PR, Web and Media Support Needed for Public Service Campaign

The AAF-Houston Public Service committee is busy planning for the release of a new campaign for Friends of BARC, the volunteer arm for the City of Houston’s Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care. “We are currently refining creative concepts and moving forward with executions for TV, Radio, Print and Outdoor” says campaign director and AAF Board member Dwight Douthit.

The committee is seeking out partners who might help revamp the Friends of BARC web site and a public relations team to help with the campaign launch. “We are also calling on all media outlets to support the campaign with donations of space and time” adds Douthit. The campaign, being produced in both English and Spanish seeks to bring awareness to the group and their plight against the homeless pet over-population problem in the greater Houston area. Plans for a fundraiser are underway to help cover the hard costs of the campaign which is anticipated to launch in April. If you would like to help, please contact Dwight Douthit via email.

Lopez Negrete Hispanic Marketing Education Fund Scholarship

Lopez Negrete Communications, Inc. is encouraging students to apply for the company’s scholarship fund. This is the third year that the Advertising Education Foundation of Houston has awarded the Lopez Negrete Hispanic Marketing Education Fund Scholarship. Applicants must be bilingual and have a specific interest in Hispanic marketing and advertising.

“We consider the establishment of the Fund an investment in the youth and an investment in our industry,” says Alex López Negrete, president, CEO and CCO of Lopez Negrete Communications, Inc. “The availability of a rich and varied talent pool, bolstered by the winners of the scholarship, can guarantee that the business of Hispanic marketing remains fresh and innovative, while benefiting students facing rising tuition costs.”

“The Lopez Negrete’s are principal supporters of the local ad federation and of education,” said Jay Hagins, AAF-Houston President. “We’re fortunate to have such a generous community of businesses in the Houston area, businesses like Lopez Negrete.”

Download the scholarship application and apply by the March 1, 2010 deadline.

Member News

To help break the ice if you see any of these members at an upcoming event, we profiled a few. If you have any news you want to share with the group or want to include a short profile in future newsletters, please contact Rita Trelewicz. Let the Houston Ad Crowd know what is going on with you!

Mark Adams enjoys any book by William Gibson, who writes vividly twisted tales with precise, eloquent prose. His heroes include Douglas Adams for being such a mad genius in writing the “Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy” and Stanley Kubrick for his striking vision, cinematography, and love of Futura. He polled 100 people and results indicate that 60% describe him as a copywriter, designer, dork and standup comedian.

Laura Ashley is a native Houstonian. She received her undergraduate degree from UT and attended UH grad school. She loves teaching and coordinates the School of Communication's internship program and is an Instructional Professor at UH teaching advertising and public relations. In her free time she plays tennis, reads books, goes to the movies, and spends time with her husband and three children.

Kristen Sherwood likes building strong customer relationships and delivering the desired results. She enjoyed reading The Da Vinci Code because of its combination of thriller and conspiracy genres. The movie, The Blind Side, is one of her favorites due to its inspiring message of helping people. In her free time she runs along Buffalo Bayou, discovers new Houston restaurants and travels. She likes Houston’s diversity, our many professional sports teams and especially the Rodeo!

14-Feb-10 9:45 PM

Matt’s Portfolio Class adds new Account Executive/Project Management course.

Jay Hagins — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Matt’s Portfolio Class, a Houston-based advertising school offering classes for undergraduates, interns, junior-level employees and small business owners, has added a third course to its lineup. The new class, called “The Account Side,” is designed to give students a taste of what it’s like to be an Account Executive or Project Manager in an advertising or marketing agency. Students will learn everything from project management techniques and habits of great Account Executives, to dealing with different kinds of clients and getting the best work from Creatives.

Matt’s Portfolio Class tapped Jenn Cox to teach the new class. Cox, a veteran of the advertising and marketing industry, has spent the last 17 years working on both the client and agency sides of the business. She is currently Account Manager at IDEA, one of the largest digital creative agencies in Texas, overseeing the HP account.

In addition to the new course, Matt’s Portfolio Class offers two other classes geared toward the creative side of advertising. “The Big Idea,” taught by IDEA Copywriter Matt Walsh, teaches students what it takes to generate concepts for ads and gives an overview of the advertising industry—working as a creative, how to build a portfolio and how to get into the business. “The Execution,” taught by Art Director Chris Hungate, also at IDEA, helps students take their ideas to the computer, giving them the technical know-how to execute ads and the design sense to do it well. “Taking these kinds of classes gives anyone who wants to work in advertising an edge. It’s an over-saturated market and anything helps to make you stand out,” Hungate says.

Walsh likes to keep things informal in the classes, adding, “We don’t give out grades, but all the work is relevant and we try to give students the same kind of work we do at the agency.”

In addition to providing students with hands-on projects, instructors bring in guest speakers from the advertising and marketing industry. Walsh notes, “We bring as many guests as we can, since what students really need is honest feedback from all perspectives. We bring in art directors, writers, creative directors, account executives, designers—anyone who we think can help and inspire our students. And it never hurts to make connections in the business.”

Matt’s Portfolio Class seems to be doing something right, since many of its former students have landed jobs or internships in Houston and around the country. Former student and current President of the UH AAF Chapter, Mariam Mouna, gives credit to Matt’s Portfolio Class for helping her land an internship at Houston agency, Love Advertising. “When the Creative Director found out I took courses outside of my undergraduate course load, she immediately knew I was serious about working in advertising,” Mouna notes.

Walsh started Matt’s Portfolio Class in the Spring 2008 and has held three sessions since then. “Our goal is simple—to train and keep talent in Houston, which, ultimately, will help Houston become a top-tier ad market,” he says.

The Spring session of Matt’s Portfolio Class starts Febrary 8^th and registration is now open. Students can register and pay online at www.mattsportfolioclass.com. The classes are held in the evenings at the Courtyard on St. James, a favorite location for Houston advertising and marketing events.

26-Jan-10 1:00 PM

AAF-Houston AdSmart January - Revolutionary Opportunities in Branded Entertainment

Rita Trelewicz — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:45:00 GMT

January 2010, Issue 10

In This Issue...

Introduction
Revolutionary Opportunities in Branded Entertainment
MIX. MINGLE. BE COOL. MADMIXER.
Advertising Hall of Fame® to Induct 8 Members
Member News

Introduction

Happy New Year! Last month we had snow and this past weekend we had a blast of arctic air. It was a great weekend to sit by the fire with a good book and sip hot chocolate. The year is starting off fantastic! While some people might not agree, I enjoy the cold weather. But as they say in Texas, if you don’t like the weather just wait, it will change.

This may hold true for the economy as well. There is some encouraging news in CareerBuilder’s recently released 2010 Job Forecast. Twenty percent of employers plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2010, up from 14% in 2009. Only 9% plan to decrease headcount in 2010 which is down from 16% in 2009. The remainder of employers say they are unsure or don’t plan to make any changes to their headcount this year.

American’s love for celebrities is strong and music stimulates emotional reactions unlike any other advertising component. Marketers work hard to find the perfect celebrity partnership that transfers value from the celebrity to the product they endorse. As recent news illustrates, this can be risky. At our upcoming luncheon, Kevin McKiernan will talk about how to align and integrate yourself with a celebrity whose own brand reflects similar traits to your brand and objectives.

As always, if there is something you want to share, drop me a line at rtrel@rtmarcom.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next month, thanks for reading!

Rita Trelewicz
Editor
AAF Houston AdSmart

Revolutionary Opportunities in Branded Entertainment

Join us Wednesday, January 20 at the monthly luncheon and hear how Kevin McKiernan uses branded entertainment for communicating marketing messages.

Kevin McKiernan is founder and CEO of Creative License, having founded it in 1999. Kevin's mission has always been to champion the best possible entertainment solutions for any host of brand marketing challenges.

Today, his company stands as one of the leading independent music and talent supervision companies in the industry, serving as both the creative and strategic architects behind some of the most recognizable partnerships between brands and entertainment.

Register now for this event.

MADMIXER...

Start out the New Year the right way by mingling with the best in the Houston Advertising Industry. Advertising is still cool and you can be too! Come to the Mad Mixer, the swankiest mixer in town on Thursday, January 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 at the Post Oak Grill – Galleria.

Free appetizers, a cash bar, discounted membership specials and prizes for the "coolest" Mad Men inspired attire!

Advertising Hall of Fame® to Induct 8 Members

The prestigious Advertising Hall of Fame welcomes eight industry pioneers into its ranks. Now in its 61st year, the Advertising Hall of Fame has grown to include 193 pioneers and legends of the industry. Beginning this year, the AAF will induct one corporation annually into the Advertising Hall of Fame.

Roone Arledge (1931-2002), ABC News, Roy Eaton, Benton & Bowles, Pat Fallon, Fallon Worldwide, Robert James, McCann Erickson Worldwide, Bill Lamar, McDonald’s USA, Gerry Laybourne, Oxygen Media, LLC, Wally Snyder, American Advertising Federation, and Proctor and Gamble.

"The Advertising Hall of Fame seeks to inspire us all by identifying the very best in our industry. Recognizing the companies as well as the people that shape our business expands that mission. P&G is a perfect choice to be our first corporate inductee. Their immensely positive impact on the art and science of advertising and our community is and has been profound and enduring" said Mike Kelly, president & CEO, The Weather Channel Companies and chairman of the Advertising Hall of Fame Committee.

This year's induction ceremony will be at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on March 25, 2010. The American Advertising Federation maintains the Advertising Hall of Fame on behalf of the entire advertising industry.

Member News

Ed Cantú recently joined Lopez Negrete Communications as Director of Consumer Insights. He will lead the agency’s Account Planning and Consumer Insights team and play a key role in strategic planning. His strategic planning background will help with analyzing existing data, designing and recommending methodologies, and identifying business opportunities for clients.

Emily Camille is originally a “Jersey Girl”. She got into creative recruiting because she loves people, loves helping them and loves the creative world. She enjoyed “Steel Magnolias” because she values friends & family, good laughs and good cries! She wished she learned earlier that not everyone is going to like you and that’s OK. She is bold, energetic and spontaneous and is proud to say she puts 100% into anything she commits to.

13-Jan-10 7:45 AM

Hispanic Marketing Veteran Ed Cantú Named as New Director of Consumer Insights at Lopez Negrete Communications

Jay Hagins — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON (Dec. 11, 2009) – Lopez Negrete Communications, the second largest independent, Hispanic owned and operated, full-service agency specializing in Hispanic marketing, announces the appointment of Ed Cantú to the position of Director of Consumer Insights. Cantú will lead the agency’s Account Planning and Consumer Insights team for the agency and will play a key role as a member of the Strategic Planning Team of the agency.

“I am elated to have Ed join the Lopez Negrete Communications family. I have known him from the beginnings of his career and have followed his path, which includes some of the finest agencies in the Hispanic arena and in the general market. He brings an extraordinarily well-rounded background and skill set that will help take our already established, first-class cadre of account planners to the next level,” says President, CEO and Chief Creative Officer Alex López Negrete. “I have tremendous respect for Ed and, while I have enjoyed having him as a competitor, I am certainly happier to have him as a friend and coworker,” he adds.

Already well-established in the marketing world, Cantú brings with him more than 15 years of strategic leadership in advertising and marketing. A sampling of the business relationships he has built includes Sears, Pillsbury, Anheuser-Busch, Burger King, Kimberly Clark, Bacardi, Dove, Miller Genuine Draft, Domino’s Pizza, H-E-B, Sprint, ESPN DEPORTES and Western Union.Cantú has as well held upper-ladder positions around the country at such esteemed firms as LatinWorks, Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett USA, Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar, NuStats International, and the Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m proud to be one of the newest members of the growing Lopez Negrete family. I’m confident my experience with blue chip clients in both the general market and Hispanic world will allow me to serve as both a consumer advocate and creative catalyst,” says Cantú. “My goal is to balance our clients’ business objectives with artistic expression in today’s consumer reality. I hope to help further the agency’s mission and bring a fresh consumer perspective to an already strong organization with the ultimate objective of inspiring effective, breakthrough creative,” Cantú adds.

As Director of Consumer Insights, Cantú will lead the team of Lopez Negrete Communications account planners who act as a “voice of the consumer” at the agency. His background in strategic planning will ensure the highest quality in writing creative briefs, analyzing existing data, working with the agency’s research team in designing and recommending methodologies, as well as working with the business analytics team to craft a complete view of the competitive set and the business opportunities for existing and prospective clients wanting to grow their brands within the Hispanic market.

About Lopez Negrete Communications, Inc.

Lopez Negrete Communications is an independent, Hispanic owned and operated, full-service agency specializing in Hispanic marketing. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a second office in Los Angeles, Calif., the company’s billings for 2009 are estimated at $161 million. Since 1985, Lopez Negrete Communications has offered a full range of advertising, marketing and public relations services to industry leaders such as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Tyson Foods, Bank of America, Microsoft Corporation, Kraft Foods (Kraft Singles), MillerCoors (Miller Lite), NBC Universal Motion Pictures Group, Azteca Milling L.P., Sonic Drive-Ins, Reliant Energy, and others. With more than 160 employees, Lopez Negrete Communications is a proven leader in providing fully integrated national Hispanic marketing and communications services.

11-Dec-09 11:00 AM

AAF-Houston AdSmart December - Mark Needs More Than Hair

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:00:00 GMT

December 2009, Issue 9

In This Issue...

Introduction
Mark is Bald and Needs Our Help!
Thar They Blow: ADDY® Awards Deadline
2009 American Advertising Federation Student Conference
Member News

Introduction

As I write this, I have a huge smile on my face. Mother Nature granted one of my holiday wishes. We had a snow day in Houston! Miracles can happen when you least expect them. The snow held off until after the 4th Annual HCA Holiday Mixer. It was an enjoyable event and the first week of December is off to a fabulous start.

There is a lot going on this week. Let's keep the good karma coming and plan to attend "The Mark is Bald" holiday fundraiser this Thursday at VT2 Studios. Mark Meyer and his family need your help in his battle with lung cancer.

And don't forget, the ADDY Award Entry deadline is this Friday. Members of AAF-Houston are eligible for a discounted entry fee of $95 per entry and non-members may enter for $140 per entry. The late fee is $100 per entrant, regardless of the number of entries.

As always, if there is something you want to share, drop me a line at rtrel@rtmarcom.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope all your holiday wishes come true. Until next month, thanks for reading!

Rita Trelewicz
Editor
AAF Houston AdSmart

Mark is Bald and Needs Our Help!

Mark needs more than hair - he needs money for drugs! Mark Meyer, the idiot savant of audio engineering at Soundworks, is battling lung cancer. The prognosis isn't as favorable as we'd like. So VT2 Studios is hosting a holiday party to raise money for him and his family.

Now, not only is Mark a genius at painting sound, he is also a master of not making a sound when needing help. To fight this battle, Mark is going to need more than just courage. He's going to need money and support. Not only for his medical costs but for the care of his family; his wife, Pam, Mark's youngest daughter, Caitlyn, who is a senior in high school, and his first grandbaby, Eli, who just turned two.

Please join us this Thursday, December 10 at VT2 Studios on from 5 to 10PM and help support Mark. Go to MarkIsBald.org and make a donation and RSVP for the holiday fundraiser party.

VT2 Studios is located at 2401 West Bellfort. Music by Hamilton Loomis, beer by Saint Arnold and catering by Acute Events.

RSVP and Make a Donation Now for this holiday fundraiser.

Thar They Blow: ADDY® Awards Deadline

The excitement continues to build as Houston's Media Community prepares for the 48th Annual AAF-Houston ADDY® Awards! The drop off deadline is this Friday, December 11.

Drop off entry submissions at Locke Bryan Productions (800 Bering Dr. Suite 101) from 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM. If you have any questions please contact the 2010 ADDY® Chair - Nicole Fellers at 713-977-5989, ext 215.

This year we’re doing some things differently, so please pick up your entry packets in advance of the drop off deadline. For your convenience, we’ve provided some links to help your entry process go smoothly. For instructions and guidelines please go to the Houston Addy website.

2009 American Advertising Federation Student Conference

AAF Houston proudly hosted the 2009 Student Conference Competition. The Conference is a real world, hands on experience for marketing and advertising students that not only provides outstanding educational opportunities for the students, but also allows professors the opportunity to keep up with changes in the industry and with current marketing trends with the fresh ideas that students provide.

Over 230 students and 25 professors from 14 universities from the AAF district 10 region participated this year. Their mission: To tackle the marketing objective assigned by this year’s presenting sponsor, Fiesta.

The participating students were broken up into teams of 10-12 and had only one day –which was in sync with this year’s theme “Accelerate Create”— to prepare a marketing plan, media plan, and a creative video. Judging of the work took place that night by different professionals of the Houston advertising community. They announced the winning teams the next day at an awards ceremony.

AAF-Houston continues their efforts to support the advertising and marketing community by supporting and promoting education with events like this.

Member News

Jessica Bennett has had a passion for art since she was a kid. She chose graphic design over painting because she wanted to be able to pay her bills. Jessica admires Stefan Sagmeister and recently saw a couple of his posters hanging in the MOMA. He really pushes buttons and has some amazing designs. She loves Houston’s art scene, especially the Art Car Parade and strange places like The Orange Show.

VT2 Studios won a Lantern Award for their Shell Oil video. They developed a series of video segments that told the story of Shell's new gasoline formulation. The team created special effects sequences, including placing the commercial spokes-persons inside an animation of the engine to demonstrate how the Shell nitrogen enriched molecules destroy the performance-robbing gunk and protect engine parts. Ninety-seven percent of the Shell network placed orders for the gasoline launch materials.

Lopez Negrete Communications received the Gold for its “El Santa Holiday Card” at the 54th Annual Art Directors Club of Houston Awards Show. The cover shows Santa wearing a Mexican wrestling suit ready to take on those on his “naughty” list while the inside continues with the wrestling theme on the Christmas jingle “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”. The ADCh Awards Show is not easy to win and it was even more meaningful to the Lopez Negrete team since the piece was one of the last pieces written by Brett Elliott.

8-Dec-09 7:00 PM

LOPEZ NEGRETE COMMUNCIATIONS GARNERS TOP HONORS AT THE 54TH ANNUAL ART DIRECTORS CLUB OF HOUSTON AWARDS SHOW

Jay Hagins — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON (Nov. 24, 2009) – Lopez Negrete Communications, the second largest independent Hispanic owned and operated agency in the country, earned the Gold for its “El Santa Holiday Card” at the 54^th Annual Art Directors Club of Houston (ADCh) Awards Show. The agency was also recognized with two Silvers and two Bronzes in the Advertising category for esteemed clients Bank of America, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Wal-Mart Stores.

“Houston has always had a world-class design community that has been recognized far and wide. As such, the ADCh Awards Show has never been easy to win in – but when you do, it’s a source of great pride and a sense of accomplishment,” said Alex López Negrete, president, CEO and chief creative officer of Lopez Negrete Communications.

The piece which won the ADCh Gold is the agency’s 2008 holiday card. On the cover it depicts Santa Claus with his flowing white beard, red suit and beaming eyes, but with a luchador (a Mexican wrestling suit) mask and cape, posed in a stance ready to take on those on his “naughty” list. The cover of the card reads like a throwback comic book: bright reds and blues, punchy catchphrases in 3-D text, and the kitschy use of apostrophes and exclamation marks. The inside re-imagines the old Christmas jingle “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” with wrestling slang, while wishing the recipient a happy holiday.

“It’s extraordinarily meaningful to us that the piece that won the Gold was one of the last pieces written by our esteemed friend and colleague, Brett Elliott. This piece has the impish wit that was his mark. It’s a sweet win. I know he’s smiling,” expressed López Negrete.

Along with the aforementioned Gold, the agency also brought home two Silvers and two Bronzes in the Advertising category. “The Sum,” winner of the Silver in Television (non-English) and “Step Up,” “Tango,” “Pickup,” and “School Dance” were Silver award winners for Television Series. All were created for long-time Lopez Negrete client Bank of America. The Bronzes went to Wal-Mart and to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, for the television ads “Wishful Thinking” and “Sevenísima,” respectively.

All winning work was overseen creatively by López Negrete as CCO with the creative department,as a whole, led by Vice President/Creative Director Javier Gonzalez-Herba. The “El Santa Holiday Card” team is comprised of Luis Gonzalez, executive creative director; Joshua Patron, associate creative director; Jorge Leza and Mimi Boneta, art directors; Brett Elliott, copywriter; and Miguel Rios, illustrator. The agency’s Bank of America team consists of Gonzalez; Patron; Art Director Gwendolyne Echenagucia; Copywriter Alonso Nuñez; Directory of Broadcast Production Marlo Baker; and Executive Group Account Director Marisol Cruz. The group responsible for Wal-Mart’s Vision Center Bronze award winner is Creative Director Miguel Moreno; Associate Creative Director Olga Reyes; Art Director Karen Kain; Copywriter Pablo Carpintero; Broadcast Producer Claudio Milczewski; and Executive Group Account Director Frank Sendra. And the “Sevenisima” Bronze honor can be credited to Gonzalez, Echenagucia, and Baker.

The ADCh Gold rounds off a successful award season for Lopez Negrete. In 2009 the agency was honored with 45 ADDY® Awards from the American Advertising Federation Houston, including its sixth consecutive Best of Show, later in the year, the agency was also awarded a coveted ARF David Ogilvy Award – the first multicultural trophy awarded in the history of these awards.

24-Nov-09 3:00 PM

AAF-Houston AdSmart November - Ignore Everybody and Other Keys to Creativity

Rita Trelewicz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:00:00 GMT

November 2009, Issue 8

In This Issue...

Introduction
Ignore Everybody and Other Keys to Creativity
4th Annual HCA Holiday Mixer
Another Threat to Advertising Deductibility
Member News

Introduction

Hugh MacLeod, cartoonist, marketer and Web pundit believes you should ignore everybody because nobody else can tell you whether your idea is worthwhile. Although people can offer advice, ultimately it's your decision. The more original an idea, the less helpful the advice will be.

Don't miss the AAF-Houston luncheon with Hugh MacLeod this Wednesday, November 18. His book Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, is for people with a creative bug who struggle with making a living with their creativity. His book compiles advice he learned the hard way after many years. You also have the opportunity to meet him on Tuesday evening at the Coffee Groundz.

The 19th Annual Houston Media Classic Golf Tournament is Thursday, November 19. It is 18 holes of fun for a great cause. Invite your clients, your friends and your co-workers to play and help make a difference! And put a Mixer on your holiday list. That is the 4th Annual HCA Holiday Mixer. It is December 3, 2009 at the Courtyard on St. James. It should be another fabulous event.

As always, if there is something you want to share, drop me a line at rtrel@rtmarcom.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next month, thanks for reading!

Rita Trelewicz
Editor
AAF Houston AdSmart

Ignore Everybody and Other Keys to Creativity

When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter, living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog – gapingvoid.com – and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures.

MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world? Where does inspiration come from? What does it take to make a living as a creative person?

Per Seth Godin, Marketing Guru, “Creativity is not a genetic trait, nor is it reserved for professionals. Everyone is creative sooner or later, but unfortunately, most people have it drilled out of them when they're kids. Hugh undrills it. He harangues and encourages and pushes and won't sit still until you, like him, are unwilling to settle. Go ahead. You deserve it. And we need your contributions. We can't wait!”

Please join us Wednesday, November 18 and learn that selling out is harder than it looks, to stop trying to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether instead and that an idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.

Register Now for this event.

4th Annual HCA Holiday Mixer

Celebrate with Houston's largest and most successful organizations and their members, December 3, 2009 at the Courtyard on St. James.

Listen to the Harbor Lights Chorus and Ezra Charles - The King of Texas Blues.

Brought to you by: AAFH, Ad2, AIGA, AMA, Art Directors Club, AWRT, HDMA, IABC, MIT Forum, OiH, PIGC and PRSA.

Another Threat to Advertising Deductibility

Senators Al Franken, D-Minn., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., have introduced legislation (S. 1763) to disallow the federal tax deduction for all advertising and marketing expenses for prescription drugs. The Senators have indicated they would like to have the proposal added to the health reform legislation and may offer it as an amendment when the measure is considered by the full Senate.

Contact your Senators and express your strong opposition to any effort to deny the deductibility of advertising expenses. Senators can be contacted through the Senate webpage or by calling the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Member News

To help break the ice if you see any of these members at an upcominmg event, we profiled a few. If you have any news you want to share with the group or want to include a short profile in future newsletters, please contact Rita Trelewicz. Let the Houston Ad Crowd know what is going on with you!

Katie Edgett arrived in Houston 9 months ago. She has lived in Minnesota, Georgia, Texas, California, New York, and Germany. Katie believes that it’s important to recognize the purpose for every person you encounter. You never know what you can learn and the benefit is that you can have hundreds of heroes. People describe her as laid back and always smiling. Her work ethic is strong, no matter what the project.

Jen Frazer has worked in constituent communications, newspaper consulting, and graphic design. She gets a thrill making clients happy. To her, advertising is the logical intersection between business needs and creative urges. Jen sings in her free time and is a semi-professional mezzo-soprano. She has performed with the Bach Choir and the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston. After decades of trying, she recently got into decent shape

Cathy Hayek is an Aggie. Whoop! Her father always told her, "You never know unless you try." She keeps that in mind every day. This year she enrolled in an acting class to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and is having a blast! Cathy holds the national rank as the 6th Best Mascot for 2000. Yes, you read that right. She was her high school's mascot and loved it. In her free time she plans parties.

Chris McClean is a web design and Flash specialist. He despises repetitive work and as a designer he gets to work on a variety of projects. His favorite movie of 2009 is Inglorious Basterds because it’s classic Tarantino with a humorous take on the WW2 movie. He likes Houston's vibe. People are friendly and there is a lot to do although you have to dig below the surface to find things. He recently started learning swordsmanship.

Mike Morgan went to Auburn University and wished he learned how to study sooner. While he might not have been a strong student, he was persistent. Perhaps that is why he does well as a sales rep for Vulcan Information Packaging. He spends his free time outdoors as much as possible, walking his dog, fishing, hunting or spending time with his family.

Rachel Villarreal is a recent graduate of UT Arlington. She took Intro to Advertising her freshman year and it was love. During school she was thinking of the now and not the future, focused on making money to pay for college. In retrospect, she wished she realized the importance of an internship and took on more loans. Her goal is to work at an Ad agency. She recently started doing Bikram Yoga. It is tough, but worth it.

15-Nov-09 9:00 PM

OiH Adds Obituary Link to Site

Lou Congelio — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:15:00 GMT

DEATHS

As a special remembrance to our colleagues who have passed before us, Only in Houston has added a new link to the site honoring our departed friends.

If you would like to add the name of a friend in the industry who is not listed below, please send information to Lou Congelio at lou@stanandlou.com.

Click here to view link

Bob Knowlton, October 21, 2009

Jim G. Hetherly, 1934 - 2009

Mary Elford, June 9, 2009

Dan Ammerman, May 11, 2009

Brett Elliott, March 30, 2009

Sabra Gill, 1941 -2009

Dawn Wolf, September 3, 2008

Ray Miller, September 27, 2008

Mike Kleinhenz, July 11, 2008

Mike Scott, June 7, 2008

Gary Easterly, May 25, 2008

Ron Stone. May 13, 2008

Tom Jones, May 12, 2008

Harry T. Rogers, 1924 - 2008

O. Joe Russell, April 11, 2008

Chuck Singleton, April 9, 2008

S. T. "Tom" Hensley, 1934 - 2008

Jim Anthony, 1924 - 2008

Ray Soto, January 19, 2008

Eugene Peter Kosmoski, 1932 - 2008

Joey Hernandez, 1971 - 2007

Mike Delahoussaye, Oct 20, 1949 -Nov 8, 2007

Charles Lutz, Aug. 28, 2007

Bill Griffin, 1940 - 2007

Brian Korshak, 1934 - 2007

Richard High, September 19, 2006

Adie Marks, 1914-2006

Steven Douglas Malito, 1955 - 2006

Amber Davis, 1980 - 2006

Bennett Seymour "Ben" Pearlman, 1942 - 2006

Frank Dobbs, 1939 - 2006

Jean William Brown, 1928 - 2004

Diane Walling, 2004

Tom Rogers, April 30, 2003

Lyle Metzdorf. 1935 - 2002

Bruce Henry Davis, 1948 - 2001

Jim Schell, Dec 22, 2001

Ken Polk, 1998

Aileen Bennett, 1997

Rikie McDaniels, July 31, 1995

Don Gordon, Jan 27, 1992

Doug Timm, 1960 - 1989

4-Nov-09 12:15 PM

Susan Saurage-Altenloh Elected to Board of Directors for Global Organization, Qualitative Research Consultants Assocation

Jay Hagins — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Susan Saurage-Altenloh, president of Saurage Research Inc., has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Qualitative Research Consultants Association for 2009-2011.

QRCA is a leading global organization focused on excellence in qualitative research. The 1,000+ members from around the world include focus group moderators, facilitators, interviewers, and planners in many types of qualitative research. Their expertise includes focus groups, individual depth interviews (IDIs), ethnography, observational research, usability research, idea generation, and other qualitative approaches in-person and online.

Saurage-Altenloh is the former Co-chair of QRCA's Creativity and Innovation Shared Interest Group. She has also served as Technology Chair and Webmaster for the group. Saurage-Altenloh is former governor of the Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation (2007-2008). She has served as president of AAF Houston (2002-2003) and served on the AAF Houston board for four years. She is also past president of the American Marketing Association, Houston (1999-2000); an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University; and an active member of the Marketing Research Association. Her professional awards include the Silver Medal Award in the American Advertising Federation and the Jaycees Outstanding Young Woman of the Year Award.

Saurage Research Inc. -- which stays on the early adoption curve of new techniques and methodologies -- has won several national and regional awards for its creative and unique research approaches to securing critical information for marketing and strategic planning. Notable clients include Tenet, Conoco, Cameron, the EPA, HP/Compaq, Chicago Board of Trade, BP, Exxon, Dow, Siemens, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and McDonald's.

More information http://www.saurageresearch.com or 800-828-2943.

27-Oct-09 5:00 PM

AAF-Houston AdSmart October - Thriving in Global Neighborhoods

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:00:00 GMT

October 2009, Issue 7

In This Issue...

Introduction
How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods
Friends of BARC Benefits from AAF-Houston's Initiative
Houston Media Classic Golf Tournament
Member News

Introduction

Our first cold front this past week was a welcome change and another is just around the corner. Come out and enjoy the weather and meet Shel Isreal the night before the luncheon at CoffeeGroundz, Tuesday, October 20th for an evening reception and book signing. Copies of Shel’s new book will be available for purchase. Mingle with the Houston social set from 5:30 – 8:00 PM. CoffeeGround is located at 2503 Bagby.

SmartBrief has a series of best-practices newsletters that are easy to read and provide quick rundowns on current news. I enjoy the SmartBrief on Leadership so was intrigued when I heard that they recently launched a SmartBrief on Social Media. This daily e-newsletter is designed for people who want to stay ahead of social-networking trends. Sign up for your free subscription.

The AAF is seeking nominations for the 61st Advertising Hall of Fame, which honors legendary individuals whose standard of excellence continues to define and raise the standards of the advertising industry. The Federation will accept nominations until November 9 with the recipients officially inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in March.

As always, if there is something you want to share, drop me a line at rtrel@rtmarcom.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next month, thanks for reading!

Rita Trelewicz
Editor
AAF Houston AdSmart

How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods

Shel Israel tells the stories of people he has interviewed in all aspects of business ranging from home office to global enterprise – including Houston’s own CoffeeGroundz and how Twitter helped them reach out and draw in the consumer. He will tell you about accidental citizen journalists who happened to be present when a plane landed on the Hudson River; when an earthquake devastated Szechwan, China; and how people with causes have raised money from thousands of people, sometimes in just a few hours and how government is starting to use Twitter to be both more efficient and responsive.

Please join us Wednesday, October 21 to hear Shel shares how so many people have succeeded with Twitter, so that YOU can get ideas on how it may help you and your company as well.

Shel Israel writes, speaks and advises on social media. He is Author of Twitterville, How Businesses can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods, co-author, of Naked Conversations--how blogs are changing the way businesses talk with customers, and The Conversational Corporation, a Dow Jones eBook.

He has contributed content on social media to various publications including BusinessWeek and FastCompanyTV. According to Ad Age, his GlobalNeighbourhoods.net blog is among the 50 most popular business blogs. Israel is regularly interviewed by traditional and online media.

Register Now for this event.

Friends of BARC Benefits from AAF-Houston's Initiative

The AAF-Houston selected Friends of BARC as the beneficiary for our annual public service initiative. The organization, dedicated to assisting the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) and the homeless animals at the City of Houston Animal Shelter, will receive a fully integrated, pro-bono advertising campaign created by professionals from several advertising agencies and marketing departments in Houston.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the recipient of this generous offer” said Ria van Dright, board member for Friends of BARC. “Working with AAF-Houston will help our group evolve by increasing our exposure to the citizens of Houston. The will enable us to maximize our support of the many animals that are taken in by the City of Houston Animal Shelter”.

"We were looking for just the right organization, not only one that provides a valuable service to the local Houston community but one in need of advertising help” said Dwight Douthit, President of Douthit Design Group and director of this year’s public service initiative. “No other organization presented a greater or more urgent need and we felt the timing was right to help Friends of BARC while BARC restructures."

The campaign is slated to launch in Spring 2010. There are open positions on the committee for ad club members wanting to get involved. Please contact Dwight Douthit.

Houston Media Classic Golf Tournament

Save the date for the 19th Annual Houston Media Classic Golf Tournament. It is 18 holes of fun for a great cause! Invite your clients, your friends and your co-workers to play in what has become one of the most successful and big time fun tournaments in Texas. If you’re in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi - wherever - come meet us in Houston. This will be the most fun you have ever had on a golf course!

Get your favorite foursome together and join us on Thursday, November 19 and help make a difference!! Player signup information at www.houstonmediaclassic.org

Member News

Leisa Holland-Nelson is Co-founder, President and COO of ContentActive, LLC where they make websites work. She was totally amazed by the CMS her partner created. Although she was terrified of the internet, he made it easy, even for her. Leisa has an amazing can do attitude. At a very young age she learned that you can do anything you want and you can survive anything, it is your choice.

Lisa Troy is on the marketing faculty at Texas A&M where she teaches advertising and marketing research. After working in Houston at Exxon for several years, she got her PhD in marketing. Although it’s been awhile since she lived in Houston she enjoyed its diversity and casual attitude. Although her current dog is retired, she hopes to get another dog soon so she can get back into her favorite sport – dog agility!

Nicole Fellers of Locke Bryan Productions was the named 2010 Addy Chair. She feels honored to be named to this position and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with so many talented people on this event. Mark your calendars for the “Call to Entries Mixer” on November 13th.

12-Oct-09 10:00 PM

Lopez Negrete Communications Launches Hispanic CRM/DM Unit, Appoints Director

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Lopez Negrete Communications, Inc., one of the nation’s leading and largest independent Hispanic owned and operated agencies, continues to expand its full-service capabilities by establishing a CRM/DM business unit and welcoming veteran Kathleen Jones as the new Director of Customer Relationship Management and Direct Marketing Initiatives. “Kathleen comes to us bearing a wealth of knowledge and talent honed by the 20-plus years of experience she has in her field. Several Hispanic marketing shops claim to have some form of direct marketing capability, but none have Customer Relationship Management abilities, knowledge and experience to the level we have now set in place,” said Alex López Negrete, president, CEO and chief creative officer of Lopez Negrete. “What Kathleen brings to the table is absolutely unique in our space: a clear understanding of the nuances that exist in applying CRM and DM strategies to the Hispanic segment and the enormous need...

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS AGENCY ANNOUNCES MOVE TO THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Shable & Associates, ranked among the top business-to-business marketing communications agencies in Texas, has relocated to new offices in The Woodlands Town Center. Headquartered for more than 30 years in Houston, the agency is now based at 10077 Grogan’s Mill Road.

A long-time resident of The Woodlands, Jim Shable has watched the area’s commercial development over the years and has looked forward to having his business located there. “There was a time when a major Houston marketing communications firm wouldn’t be located out of the city limits.” Shable said. “But today we don’t consider that an issue. Our clients are located in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. The time is right for us to make this move.”

Shable clients have included a variety of business-to-business categories, from oil and gas to navigational aids to heavy duty trucking, as well as new construction products, IT services and more. The agency’s client roster has listed industry and category leaders such as Aker Subsea; Alcoa Oil & Gas; CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Detex Corporation, Dragon Products, Shell Oil Company, and Weatherford International.

While the agency’s core services include advertising, sales support materials, websites, electronic capabilities, and media planning and buying, Shable & Associates is also uniquely qualified in helping companies develop their marketing strategy to support the business plan objectives. In turn, this provides the strategic direction for a focused and effective communication strategy.

“We designed our new offices with expanded meeting capabilities to accommodate our clients’ growing interest in the strategic planning process,” Shable added. “We’re ready to begin a new era for our company.”

Rockets Owner Leslie L. Alexander to be Honored by the AAF-Houston with the 2009 Trailblazer Award

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON (Oct. 14, 2009) – The American Advertising Federation-Houston will honor Leslie L. Alexander, owner of the Houston Rockets, with its prestigious 2009 Trailblazer Award. The annual award will be presented on November 5 at the 2009 American Advertising Federation-Houston Trailblazer Gala held at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The Trailblazer Award, established in 1997, recognizes an influential business leader for enhancing the overall image of Houston through advertising. Leslie Alexander assumed ownership of the Houston Rockets on July 30, 1993, and has since devoted his efforts to making his team a champion, both on the basketball court and in the community. Alexander’s dedication to winning has resulted in two NBA championships with the Rockets, giving Houston its first professional sports championships. In 2008, Forbes recognized Alexander’s role in building the Rockets into one of the most successful NBA franchises, by naming him the NBA’s best owner. He is the...

Lopez Negrete Communications Ranks Among the Leading Hispanic Companies in the US

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON (Oct. 9, 2009) – Lopez Negrete Communications, the second largest independent Hispanic owned and operated full-service agency in the country, was ranked in the top 50 percent of Hispanic Business magazine’s 500 directory. The Hispanic Business 500 is based on annual revenue and overall company size and this year Lopez Negrete Communications ranks 224. The Hispanic Business 500 is a prestigious list and we are honored to be recognized for our continued growth, said Alex López Negrete, CEO, president and chief creative officer of Lopez Negrete Communications. We, as a team, have worked diligently for our growth, but to be clear, it is the growth of our clients’ bottom line that we stay most focused on. In addition, Lopez Negrete Communications was ranked number one this year among the Top 100 Diversity Owned (Div100) businesses in Texas, and received national honors, ranking sixth among the top 500 Hispanic American Owned businesses in America, and 53rd overall...

American Advertising Federation-Houston Seeks Beneficiary

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Contact: Dwight Douthit
Public Service Director, AAF-Houston
713-526-2712
dwight@douthitdesign.com

American Advertising Federation-Houston Seeks Beneficiary
Announces RFP for Public Service Initiative

Houston, TX (August 11, 2009) AAF-Houston is now accepting proposals from Houston area non-profit organizations to be considered for their annual public service campaign. Each year the public service committee, composed of professionals from several advertising agencies and marketing departments in Houston, selects one organization to work with in order to create a fully integrated, pro-bono advertising campaign designed to increase public awareness for that organization.

“We are looking for non-profit organizations who provide valuable service to the Houston community and are in need of advertising, marketing and public relations support” said Dwight Douthit, President of Douthit Design Group and director of this year’s initiative. “It is our goal to showcase the skills of our membership while giving back to the community.” The campaign will come at little or no cost to the chosen organization.

Interested non-profit organizations are encouraged to download an application at www.aaf-houston.org. The deadline for applications is Friday, September 18, 2009.

About AAF—Houston
AAF-Houston (formerly the Houston Advertising Federation) is one of the oldest professional organizations in Houston. Formed in 1911 by a group of forward thinking business leaders to promote business and the advertising community. Former public service clients have included The Houston Food Bank, The Living Bank, Lighthouse of Houston and The AIDS Foundation Houston.

About AAF
The American Advertising Federation (AAF) acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF is the oldest national advertising trade association, representing 50,000 professional in the advertising industry. The AAF has a national network of 200 ad clubs located in ad communities across the country.

American Advertising Federation-Houston Seeks Beneficiary

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Contact: Dwight Douthit Public Service Director, AAF-Houston 713-526-2712 dwight@douthitdesign.com American Advertising Federation-Houston Seeks Beneficiary Announces RFP for Public Service Initiative Download Public Service Application Houston, TX (August 11, 2009) AAF-Houston is now accepting proposals from Houston area non-profit organizations to be considered for their annual public service campaign. Each year the public service committee, composed of professionals from several advertising agencies and marketing departments in Houston, selects one organization to work with in order to create a fully integrated, pro-bono advertising campaign designed to increase public awareness for that organization. We are looking for non-profit organizations who provide valuable service to the Houston community and are in need of advertising, marketing and public relations support said Dwight Douthit, President of Douthit Design Group and director of this year’s initiative. It...

DMN3 ANNOUNCES HIRING OF DIGITAL DEVELOPER

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

DMN3 ANNOUNCES HIRING OF DIGITAL DEVELOPER HOUSTON, TX (June 10, 2009) -- Michael Terry, Digital Developer/Designer Michael Terry joins the DMN3 team as the newest on-site digital employee. His work experience supports current and prospective clients’ shift to a higher allocation of budget dollars to online marketing. We are pleased to have Michael join DMN3, said Pamela Lockard, President and CEO. He will be an integral part of our growing digital business. Michael comes to DMN3 with an impressive digital and print portfolio, which was developed during his tenure at Pixel Creative and N-Gen Studios where he was responsible for website design, programming, optimization,...

Alex Lopez Negrete Recognized

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:00:00 GMT

National Minority Business Supplier Development Council Presents López Negrete with Leadership Award HOUSTON, May 19, 2009 – Hispanic marketing pioneer, Alex López Negrete, president and chief executive officer of Lopez Negrete Communications, was honored for his significant long-term achievements in minority business development at the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Leadership Awards in New York. López Negrete, co-owner of the second largest independent Hispanic owned and operated marketing agency in the country, received the distinguished NMSDC Leadership Award. Receiving this recognition from the NMSDC is extraordinarily meaningful to us, primarily because our status as a privately held, Hispanic owned and operated company is something we take very seriously, and because it is core to the values and vision which have driven our enterprise for the past 24 years: to bridge the gap between corporate and Hispanic...

Houston Crimestoppers Looking for Information in the Murder of Brett Elliott - $5,000 reward

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Photo of April 29, 2009 press conference, thanks to Jason McElweenie Brett Elliott, 54, was killed March 30 in his town home at 9850 Pagewood Ln in Houston. Elliott was a member of the Houston chapter of the American Advertising Federation. This morning, Crime Stoppers of Houston held a press conference with more details on the murder. According to Detective Abbey of the HPD Homicide department, the Houston Fire Department received a call at 5:45 a.m. on March 30 from a neighbor who saw smoke coming from Elliott's apartment. When police and fire officials arrived on the scene, they discovered Elliot's body. According to Abbey, there was no forced entry. He would not comment on the injuries or stolen items as not to compromise the ongoing investigation. Lisa Elliott, Brett's sister, spoke on the incident saying the family can't grasp how this could happen. She remarked on Brett's character and wide circle of friends saying, once you crossed paths with him, he stayed...

Larry Atherton elected to the GHP's EDAC

noemail@aaf-houston.org — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:00:00 GMT

(HOUSTON – October 9, 2008) The Greater Houston Partnership has elected Larry Atherton, President and CFO of VT2 Studios to the Partnership’s Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC). EDAC directs and supports the Partnership’s efforts to market Houston, recruit and expand business, create new jobs and improve our business image. This committee takes economic development positions, provides marketing assistance and shares information on market trends and issues. VT2 Studios serves as the Creative Partner for the Greater Houston Partnership for the second consecutive year, and added additional services as a Strategic Partner for 2008. The Greater Houston Partnership will benefit from having year-round access to VT2 Studios’ key personnel for strategic consulting, production and staging expertise, production and staging cost control ideas, alignment of deliverable creation across all GHP opportunities and events, assistance in related sponsor acquisition as well as VT2’s regular participation in high-level creative content development, event planning and continuous improvement dialogues to help ensure GHP’s short and long term success.

Atherton brings expertise in finance, administration, contracts, strategic planning and legal functions that have been instrumental to VT2's business success. With more than 20 years experience in international finance management and capital ventures, Atherton directs and manages VT2's worldwide sales and marketing functions, finances, administration, investor relations, legal affairs and is actively involved in operations and strategic company growth.

Graphic Artist

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Graphic Artist Description: 31 year old Houston Marketing Services firm is seeking full-time Graphic Artist to join our creative services team. Candidate must possess a strong sense of design and a professional work attitude. Moderate to heavy emphasis on production art Design B to B and B to C deliverables Prepare files for print Web design Solid file building skills, sensitivity to time lines, ability to work under pressure, and a can-do attitude are required. Required Experience: Minimum of 5 years experience. Print experience (Advertisements, mailers, posters, brochures, etc.) Experience prepping files for final collect and printing and managing quality control This Job Requires the Follow Skills: An eye for detail, and an independent, goal-oriented, fast-moving work style. Ability to provide support to the entire team, as well as managing individual workload Education Required: Minimum 2 years Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time...

Senior Account Executive

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Senior Account Executive
Description:

Senior Account Executive Position

You must be self motivated and have good people and new business development skills. A strong marketing background is preferred. Experience developing brands and a background in medical or optical is a real plus.

Some travel is required.

Required Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of ad agency experience
Education Required:
Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time
Position reports to: President

Contact info:

Felix Rhymes (Add to Contacts)
Fax (713) 871-0855

Rhymes Marketing and Advertising

5909 West Loop South Suite # 145

Bellaire, TX 77401

Account Executive

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Account Executive
Description: Love Advertising is seeking a highly motivated account professional with agency retail and/or automotive experience. This position will be responsible for the project management of their clients' campaigns and handle the day-to-day business for their accounts. Organizational and time management skills a must.

Applicant must be a college graduate and at least 3 years of experience is required.

Required Experience:

Applicant must be a college graduate and at least 3 years of experience is required.

This Job Requires the Follow Skills:

Education Required:
Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time
Position reports to: VP of Account Services

Contact info:

Shannon Moss (Add to Contacts)
Fax (713) 552-9155

Love Advertising, Inc.

770 S. Post Oak Lane, #101

Houston, TX 77056

Graphic Design Specialist

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Graphic Design Specialist Description: Since 1959, Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. (Universal®), the pioneer of international flight support services for corporate aviation, has been arranging, coordinating and providing complete services in support of a trip for corporate aviation operators worldwide. Services range from flight planning, permits and crew accommodations to online flight planning, a global ground handling network and a fueling card program. Universal has offices in over 20 countries throughout the world supporting clients that represent organizations that rely on corporate and private aircraft. Universal Weather and Aviation is seeking a Graphic Design Specialist to develop visual concepts to support the needs of divisional and Corporate/Regional marketing plans. This role will also provide input into the development of brand style, guidelines and templates for company-wide use. In addition, this position will participate from time to time in...

Senior Account Executive

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Senior Account Executive Description: It takes talent. We take pride in our award-winning print, outdoor, broadcasting, POP and interactive campaigns. But we know our success is measured by the results our solutions deliver to our clients; our growth is tied to theirs. Here’s your chance to prove you have that flair to impress. Responsibilities · Working directly with national and regional accounts (food and beverage, technology, insurance/financial service, and oil and gas industries) · Offering strategic direction and tactical execution for our clients · Collaborating with others in a team setting Requirements · 3-5 years of agency account management experience, plus valid references · Relevant experience in merchandising, print advertising, POS and interactive (Web sites and new media design/development) · Ability to coordinate multiple projects at once, working with all departments (writing,...

Flash Designer

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Flash Designer Description: • Would you like to work in an exciting, results‐driven environment? • Do you thrive in a fast‐paced environment and always make deadlines? We’re currently looking for a Flash Designer to join our intranet team at Clear Channel Radio Houston. This individual must possess strong graphic skills, have high standards, and share the ability to collaborate with a dynamic team of overachievers. The successful applicant will demonstrate the ability to quickly process themes and concepts and convert them into dynamic materials that inspire action from our talented employees around the country. If you are highly motivated to be an important part of the next decade of radio and online communications, you could be the one we are looking to hire! Job Description: Flash Designer Clear Channel Radio (CCR), based in Houston, Texas, is a corporate division of Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a leading global media and...

Graphic Designer/Production Artist

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Graphic Designer/Production Artist Description: Gilbreath Communications, a small advertising and graphic design firm located in West Houston, is looking for a production artist/entry-level designer to assist our team. Position will assist all members of the design team handling the production and output of a variety of print and web materials. The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to work on original designs. This is a great opportunity for a designer with a few years of experience to become further skilled and grow into a greater design role. Candidate should have 2-5 years of experience, a strong foundation in concept development and layout, comfort handling multiple projects, and excellent communication skills. Candidates should E-MAIL resumes and accompany with a PDF portfolio or link to an online portfolio. Suitable candidates will be contacted promptly. Please no phone calls. Required Experience: A bachelor's degree in graphic design is required....

KTRH (Full-Time) Producer/Board Op

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: KTRH (Full-Time) Producer/Board Op Description: KTRH-AM radio is in search of our next great full-time Producer/Board Op. Applicants must be able to multi-task, handle several different show hosts and elements – and make the station sound great. Working knowledge of digital audio systems a real plus. Send resume to Bryan Erickson, 2000 West Loop South #300 Houston, TX 77027; or email bryanerickson@clearchannel.com – No calls please. clear channel is an equal opportunity employer. Required Experience: Education Required: Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time Contact info: Irene Herrera (Add to Contacts) ); document.write(ireneherrera); document.write(@); document.write(clearchannel.com); document.write(); // end hiding contents --> Clear Channel Radio 2000 West Loop South, Suite 300 Houston, Texas, 77027

Administrative Assistant

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Administrative Assistant Description: Responsible for operating a multi-line telephone system and assisting callers. Provide administrative and clerical support to the Managing Partner of our firm with a strong emphasis in communications with clients and within the company. Schedule appointments, handle project based work, execute minor IT requests internally and coordinate regularly with our outside IT department for major IT issues/changes. This person must be highly organized, detail oriented, able to multitask and flexible. Often times this person serves as the first impression for our firm and her/his ability to make our clients feel important and confident in our company is of the utmost importance. This individual’s attitude, warmth and professionalism are paramount to projecting a positive image for firm. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following: Answer incoming telephone calls, determine purpose of call and forward calls to...

Art Director

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Title: Art Director Description: We are seeking a Art Director to join our Downtown Houston location. Candidates should have 5 years of experience, supported by strong visualization and prototyping skills, comfort working in multidisciplinary teams, excellent communication skills and some B2B experience in the energy sector. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to work across a range of projects, from identity design to print collateral to online experiences. Prototyping and production skills are essential, as well as a passion for design and a point of view about your work. All candidates must send an online or PDF portfolio along with their inquiries. Have strong experience with branding and designing integrated marketing campaigns. What’s different about working at Unleaded Communications? Our Clients bring complicated, real-world problems that have a huge financial impact--and often on a global scale. You help solve those problems and you’re both our hero and...

Web Project Manager / Webmaster / Web Marketing Coordinator

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Web Project Manager / Webmaster / Web Marketing Coordinator Experience: • Design Manger, pioneered a project aimed to improve employee retention and coordinate store communication. The e-newsletter was an inspiration in the stores and boosted morale. I planned the program to be completely paperless to reduce overhead. The result was a 10% increase in baseline performance standards. • Project Manager, managed the complete life-cycle of a web video fundraising project. Due to keen resourceful planning and execution, the project was completed with only a 1% cost towards the fundraising goal. • Marketing Specialist, improved customer retention mail advertising design by increasing its visibility and refining its look. This resulted in 600% increase in gross earnings in the first fiscal quarter it was implemented. Reduced advertising overhead by one-half by analyzing in-house printing habits and utilizing new vendors.  • College...

Art Director

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Art Director Experience: Graduated at MIAMI AD SCHOOL (ESPM) Sao Paulo - Brasil - Miami Ad School - South Beach, Florida. Internship art director at at LEO BURNETT Lapiz - Chicago (Jan, Feb, March 2010) Personal experience: (Sao Paulo - Brazil) , Experience on graphic design, (flash static graphics), Agencia Click (web)- Advertising for Internet; Webdesign trainee, Agencia Lumina 1 (web)- Unibanco.com; art assistant - Brazilian Gran Prix Formula one (F1) 2002 art and design for the operation department (Brasil) Electronic music producer 3 tracks at Offshore Music (Switzerland) and Sensational Records (Italy) vinyl release (January 2008); CD (Street Parade Compilation - Switzerland Agosto 2008 - Offshore Music) 2008/2009 August 2008 - 2 New signed tracks with ISPIRATO records (Bournemouth, UK) 2009 - New track signed with Sensational Records (Italy) Salesman at Swatch store; Salesman at Fernandez Mera Empreendimentos Imobiliários; 2004 , managed his...

Assistant Graphic Production Artist

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Assistant Graphic Production Artist Experience: Digital Media Planning Intern – OMD – Omnicom Media Group, Los Angeles, California June 2008 – August 2008 § Constructed and provided vital planning materials for such clients as Wells Fargo, Hilton, Nissan, Apple and Visa § Created advertising flights flowcharts through use of BrandFX Advertising Sales Representative – The Pine Log, Nacogdoches, Texas December 2007 –Present § Supported the income of SFA’s student publication, The Pine Log, through the sale of advertising space § Skills: Above average proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite Finished second place in the 2006 Houston Advertising Federation’s Student Conference. Our group, with equipment donated by Whole Wheat Creative, created an advertising and marketing plan that the...

Web & Graphics Designer

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Web & Graphics Designer Experience: My years of experience in the areas of Commercial Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Petroleum & Energy Production, Computers & Technology, and other industries facilitates the creation of the unique, quality designs you can rely on. I produce on time, user friendly and affordable websites for all of my freelance clients. Website Design Portfolio (website) Amys Portfolio (website) Skills: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Adobe Illustrator CS4 Adobe InDesign CS4 Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Adobe Flash CS4 Adobe Fireworks CS4 Adobe Acrobat Professional Adobe Acrobat Distiller 8.0 Adobe After Effects CS4 AutoCAD Microsoft FrontPage Microsoft Office & Windows Microsoft Expression Web Mac OS X Leopard Omniture Quark Xpress 8 HTML CSS Javascript CMS Bonsai ...

Sr Account Manager

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:30:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Sr Account Manager Experience: CUMULUS HOUSTON - ESPN RADIO, Houston, TX 2008 Account Manager · Continued and expanded relationships with existing agency and direct client list · New business development of local retail accounts · Cross selling across broadcast, web, recruitment and promotions assets · Identified and developed new promotional ideas for existing and new business clients HOUSTON ASTROS BASEBALL CLUB, Houston, TX 2007-2008 Assistant Director Sponsorship Sales · Handled all day-to-day communications with current sponsor contacts · Negotiated, contracted and incrementally grew renewal sponsorships · Identified and pitched potential new advertisers both locally and nationally · Identified new signage, promotion and sponsorship opportunities that had not been utilized before · Directed and coordinated with assistants &...

Creative Director, Graphic Design, Web Design, Photography

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Creative Director, Graphic Design, Web Design, Photography Experience: JAN 23, 2006- DEC 4, 2009 | Art Director | Texas Fish & Game Magazine | Houston, TX • 4/C Ad Design • Layout Magazine and cover design • Design and maintain websites http://www.lakesandbays.com & http://www.actionfulfillment.com • Scanning/color correction of photos • Special projects such as brochure design, poster design and Wildlife Illustration for logos • Apple & Microsoft technical and networking support • Responsible for archiving and back-ups Accomplishments: • Streamlined Magazine PDF Workflow that saved $210k a year • Developed a Postscript/PDF creating system that allowed magazine production in half the time FEB 2004- JAN 22, 2006 | Graphic Designer | Champions Printing & Publishing | Houston, TX • 4/C Ad Design • Magazine layout for The Woodlands Community Magazine, Houston...

Experienced Designer/ Production Artist/ Art Director

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:30:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Experienced Designer/ Production Artist/ Art Director Experience: Normal.dotm 0 0 1 656 3741 Prometheus Creative 31 7 4594 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Currently Freelance, Dare Ware, Houston TX Creative Director, January 2007 through Current Design all flyers, posters and in store promotions for events...

Technical/creative communications

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Technical/creative communications Experience: Technical Speaking Skills Research and presentation of topics in biology or related to biology to creative and technical audiences Select Presentations Januvia- Break down of detailed technical information to the creative team from Watermark Science- (Contact: Joe Paumi- 908-770-8407) Neuropeptides and sleep- Research and presentation for GSW-w, New York City Juven- The medical story and strategies for product positioning (attached PP file) Relevant Work History 2007-Current Freelance consultant Recent Clients Advanced Clinical Concepts Immunology GSW-w-Sleep (Neuropeptide-function) 2006-2007-Associate Medical Director, Integrated Communications Corp, 5 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07950 Skills: Communication, Technical/Creative writing, and Research (Bio-science) o Clearly comprehend and communicate client needs in sales, science/medicine,...

Art Director

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Art Director Experience: WORK SUMMARY Substitute Teacher • ALDINE ISD, Houston, TX • 08/2008 - Present Aldine Independent School District Hands-on teaching experience with small and large classes in elementary school settings, providing curriculum tutoring and guidance to students. Teaching basics: Math, Science, Social Studies, English and reading programs – implemented grade curriculum meeting county and state educational guidelines. Temp. Graphic Designer • SILVER & ASSOC. STAFFING, Houston, TX • 11/2006 - 12/2006 The City of Houston, Human Resource Department Quick learner of Microsoft programs through this brief assignment, designing several brochures and newsletters informing city workers of new insurance programs and benefits. Updated city web site weekly. Used initiative to design memos and brochures for upcoming projects. Ad Service Clerk • THE TIMES-PICAYUNE NEWSPAPER, N.O., LA • 09/2004 - 08/2005 The local printed news...

Project Manager

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Project Manager Experience: Michele M. Bolds Spring, TX 832*265*6430 acreativemindatwork@msn.com Extremely organized with over ten years of demonstrated expertise in all aspects of corporate communication. Proficient self-starter with natural creative ability to write successful proposals and engagement contracts. Expert in managing facilities, schedules, accurate reports and travel arrangements. Detailed oriented and impeccable understanding of revenue models and cost-to-completion projections and makes decisions accordingly. Proven ability to balance priorities, meet tight deadlines and produce superior quality. Known for thriving in high pressured environments. Key skills include: «Project Management «Contract Negotiation «Organization & Follow-Through «Event Planning «Team building «Personnel Management «Customer...

AEFH Scholarships

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:04:29 GMT

The Advertising Education Foundation of Houston (AEFH) supports education through, among other activities, granting scholarships to undergraduate and post-graduate students. Eligible institutions include not-for-profit or state-supported institutions. Preference will be given to Houston area residents attending colleges and universities in any location, or to students who are attending Houston area institutions. The student must be majoring in marketing, advertising, journalism, communications, graphic design or a related field. Scholarships will be awarded to the most qualified student within the guidelines of financial need, GPA, written and verbal communications skills, and general community and volunteer activities. Students must also demonstrate commitment to the communications industry with internship/work experience, industry activities, participation in communications-focused professional or campus organizations. The application to apply for the 2010-2011 terms...

2010 Scholarships

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:02:53 GMT

AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION-HOUSTON and ADVERTISING EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF HOUSTON The American Advertising Federation - Houston, through its Alice B. Rogers Educational Fund, and the Advertising Education Foundation of Houston award scholarships to college students pursuing an under-graduate or post-graduate degree in advertising, communications, journalism, radio/TV, commercial art, marketing, public relations or related fields. For all scholarships awarded, preference is given to Houston-area residents attending colleges or universities in any location or to students attending Houston-area institutes as defined by the Houston ADI, and who indicate a desire to join the local communications or integrated marketing community after graduation. The are nine different scholarships to be awarded in 2010. Filing one application will result in applicants being considered for all available scholarships. There is no need to apply more than once. 2010 Scholarships that...

AAF Houston

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:26:16 GMT

Brett Elliott 2010 AAF Houston Silver Medal Winner _______________________________________ Mission Statement The mission of The American Advertising Federation-Houston is to advance the advertising profession in the greater Houston area by supporting industry recruitment and education; by communicating to the regional business and professional communities, as well as to governmental organizations, the economic and social value of advertising; by fostering improvement of its effectiveness; and by promoting ethical self-regulation. ____________________________________ Join AAF Houston on Facebook Facebook Fan Page Facebook Group Page Follow AAFHouston on Twitter

Past ADDY Awards: WINNERS!!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:15:22 GMT

Download the 2009 ADDY® Award winners list.

CLICK BELOW

Download the 2008 ADDY® Award winners list.

CLICK BELOW

2010 ADDY Awards Revealed

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:43:00 GMT

AAF-Houston Internships

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:36:55 GMT

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Each year, the AAF-Houston approaches colleges and universities to find students who are looking for summer internships in advertising-related fields in the Houston area. We then compile a list of the interested students and offer it to Houston-area companies who will soon be looking for summer interns.

At the same time, we develop a list of the companies who offer these kinds of jobs, and distribute it to interested students. If you would like to be added to our internship list, please click on the link below, complete the attached Student Internship Form and submit by April 30, 2010.

Click Here To Fill Out Form

You can also mail the form to:

Internships

AAF-Houston

P.O. Box 27592

Houston, Texas 77227

(713) ADS-9999

AdClub@AAF-Houston.org

Types of Scholarships

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:24:02 GMT

• The Fogarty Klein Monroe Scholarship The scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding student attending a Texas college. Preference is given to scholarship candidates who have a strong desire to return to the Houston area after graduation. Scholarship winners will also receive consideration for the popular FKM internship program. • The Bill and Sharon Young Media Education Scholarships (2) The Bill and Sharon Young Media Education Fund awards scholarships to certified sophomore, junior or senior students with evidence of attending school the following year. Students must major in a media-related field such as visual or audio arts, radio, television, film, production, broadcast journalism or new media at an accredited college or university. • The Saurage Research Academic Distinction Scholarship The Saurage Research Academic Distinction Scholarship is named for researcher Susan Saurage-Altenloh and warded to junior or senior undergraduates...

2010 ADDY Call for Entries

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:48:01 GMT

If you were unable to attend the Call for Entries Mixer on Friday, November 13^th, please contact Nicole Fellers at nfellers@lockebryan.com to arrange for entry packet pick up before the Entry Drop-Off Deadline on Friday, December 11^th.

AAF-Houston to Honor Leslie L. Alexander at Trailblazer Gala

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:03:01 GMT

Each year the Trailblazer Award is given to an outstanding Houston business professional who exemplifies the Made in Houston spirit and has built companies and organizations through effective communications and responsible corporate citizenship. Leslie Alexander assumed ownership of the Houston Rockets on July 30, 1993, and over the years has devoted his efforts to making his teams champions, both on the basketball court and in the community. Charitable giving has always been a way of life for Alexander. In 1995, Alexander established the Clutch City Foundation with the goal of providing help, hope and inspiration to those who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the Clutch City Foundation, the Houston Rockets are involved in a multitude of community service and charity fund-raising programs. The Clutch City Foundation funds operate comprehensive programs benefitting thousands of children. The Gala will be held, Thursday, November 5, 2009 at the Houston Museum of...

AEFH Contacts

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:56:57 GMT

2009-2010 AEFH Board Members Rich Klein, Chairman Karen Wildman, Vice Chair Bill Powell, Secretary/Treasurer Michael Albrecht Craig Bland Camille Bryan Jay Janecek Bob Livermore Jim Walker AAF-Houston, President – Jay Hagins AAF-Houston, Chairman – Natalie Gonzalez AAF-Houston Education Chair – Camille Bryan Advisory Board Representation – Covey Nash Presidents Council Representative – Jackie Dryden Contact Information 2009-2010 AEFH Board Members Michael Albrecht Freed Advertising 1650 Highway 6, Suite 400 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281) 240-4949 - TEL (281) 240-4999 - FAX malbrecht@freedad.com Craig Bland Univision Television Houston 5100 SW Freeway Houston, TX 77056 (713) 662-4545 Ext. 2609 (713) 965-2610 - FAX cbland@univision.net ...

Kevin McKiernan

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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Tami, Kevin and Pat

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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the junior league

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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Kevin brings Larry, Pat and Ashley on stage

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 1

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 2

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

File uploaded by Ed Schipul.

AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 3

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 4

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

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AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 5

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

File uploaded by Ed Schipul.

AAF Hugh MacLeod Talk Nov 09 by eschipul 6

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:22:06 GMT

File uploaded by Ed Schipul.