Notice anything different? Oh, it’s no big deal — just a completely new look, new vibe, new everything about AAF Orlando, that’s all.

...okay, maybe not everything. We’ve always been, and always will be, the hub for Orlando's advertising and creative community. But, although our chapter's core mission remains the same, this revamp symbolizes a bold new vision we're excited to bring to life.

"We're very excited about the rebrand; it's going to bring new energy to AAF Orlando and our membership," chapter President Terry Mooney shares. "The creative team did some great work, and with the new brand, our very strong monthly programs, ADX Week, and the American Advertising Awards (ADDYs), we're in great shape to have a fantastic year."

We're thrilled to introduce you to the exciting new direction of our chapter, from content and events to industry inspiration and public service. Read on for all the details!

Content

Content is king, so why not start there? If you’re a social media fanatic, you’ll want to follow AAF Orlando on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. We’ll be sharing information about our events, industry inspiration, freebies, inside jokes, and more across all of our channels.

Speaking of great content, you’re also going to want to sign up for our monthly email newsletter. It'll keep you up to date on all things Orlando advertising, including first looks at our upcoming events, public service information, industry updates, mentorship opportunities, and more.

Last, but certainly not least, this blog will serve as a hub for any and all advertising fanatics. We'll be covering AAF’s story, investigating our city’s best ads and campaigns, and interviewing influential advertising professionals — and that’s just scratching the surface. Check back often to make sure you never miss any of the action!

Committees

AAF Orlando wouldn’t exist without the hard work of our committee members. Here's a sneak peek of some of the exciting things they’ve been working on:

Membership

The Membership Committee helps AAF Orlando grow with ongoing recruitment efforts throughout the local advertising and creative community while ensuring that current members are getting the most out of their membership.

In the coming months, Membership Director Melissa Dukes Jahna is most excited about engaging more with members and growing our membership base: "AAF Orlando has a lot to offer to the Orlando creative community, and I think we have amazing energy with the board this year," she shares. "I'm looking forward to seeing how we can find new ways to add value to our members and create more opportunities to get connected within this community."

Programs

You can thank our Programs Committee for all of the amazing social, educational, and networking opportunities available to AAF Orlando members! Whether you're looking to learn more about the advertising industry or just want to mingle with your fellow creatives, you're sure to find that at one of our programs.

Of course, 2020 has been anything but a normal year. "Although we are doing things a bit differently this year with taking most of our events virtual, I think it has presented a lot of great opportunities for us," Programs Director Ralphy Perez explains. "With the convenience of virtual events, we are able to bring in great, quality speakers and not worry about logistics so much. We are able to give our members great content by reaching out to speakers throughout the nation and expand our topics."

Diversity & Inclusion

The Diversity & Inclusion Committee promotes the importance of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural inclusivity initiatives, both within AAF Orlando and in the Central Florida advertising industry as a whole. “The DEI Slack team is growing (over 25+ members!) and we’re enjoying the content being shared throughout that team on a daily basis," Diversity & Inclusion Chair Arthur Goodman shares. "The team is open to anyone!"

Interested in joining the Diversity & Inclusion Committee? We’d love to have you! To join, send an email to diversity@aaf-orlando.org with the following information:

1. First and last name
2. Preferred email address
3. What aspects of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) are you most interested in learning about?

Government Relations

The Government Relations Committee keeps up with the latest regulations and proposed changes that can have an impact on the advertising industry. This includes monitoring legislative activities and lobbying for positive change.

With election season in full swing, this committee is hitting the ground running. "We are preparing for an email campaign in November where we will reach out to newly elected officials and show them that we are a resource for all things marketing," Government Relations Director Luisa Poveda shares. "We are also trying to stay on top of the new digital marketing privacy regulations and doing our best to educate legislators."

Education & Scholarships

The Education & Scholarships Committee is a fantastic resource to Orlando's colleges and universities, facilitating the Student ADDY awards, educational tours, seminars, portfolio reviews, and mentoring opportunities. The committee also assists with the screening of scholarship candidates. With the academic year in full swing, be on the lookout for upcoming opportunities for students looking to jump-start their careers in advertising!

Communications & Creative

The Communications & Creative Committee works to keep AAF Orlando members informed of upcoming events, programs, and general happenings via our website, email, and social media. The committee also oversees the chapter's branding efforts and develops marketing materials and campaigns to promote the club.

"I look forward to fostering a community in the greater Orlando area whilst working with each and every AAF Orlando committee," Communications Director Daniel Pacchioni says. "We have an enormous amount of talent this year of dedicated professionals, and look forward to all the initiatives we create together for the Advertising & Creative Community. I am beyond excited for the future." Rest assured that this rebranding is only the first of many exciting creative developments to come!

Public Service

The Public Service Committee develops and delivers advertising projects to support local, regional, and national programs on behalf of public interest and community betterment. Public Service Co-Chair Annalise Sigona is looking forward to Ad Help Month, which will kick off at the end of October: “We typically host Ad Help Day, but this fall we’re taking it virtual and extending it to a full four weeks! This event will be a great way for our AAF Orlando members to get involved and use their expertise to help local nonprofits in need of marketing and advertising assistance.”

ADDYs

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting more than 60,000 entries each year. The ADDYs Committee is responsible for planning and executing the call-to-entries process and awards ceremony for the local Orlando competition, as well as forwarding local winners to the district competition.

"I really love working on the American Advertising Awards," shares ADDY Awards Director Carlyn Repchak. "Every year I look forward to what the president's vision is for the event. It's also really exciting to anticipate all the awesome work that each of the agencies submits."

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There you have it: a crash course in all the good stuff you can expect from AAF Orlando in the near future. I hope you’re as excited as we are — and trust me, we are very excited. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on social media, and don’t forget to register for REPRESENT here.

Now that you’ve heard from us, we want to hear from you! What content would you like to see from us in the future? Freebies? Advertising investigations? Something completely different? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author: Nicole Wills is a communications professional and freelance writer with a passion for storytelling. She currently serves as the Content Chair of AAF Orlando's Communications & Creative Committee. When Nicole isn't writing, she can be found reading, playing video games, and hanging out with her cat (sometimes all at once).