RULES/GUIDELINES 2008/2009

Questions? Contact Brad Kachelhofer at brad@themodernbrand.com or 205-705-3777.

AAF-Birmingham has clear plastic bags available for purchase and will provide guidance on packaging your entries at Energen on January 5 and January 8, 2009. Please deliver any questionable entries early so that we have time to discuss.

Don’t forget:
• To meet all eligibility and deadline requirements.
• To enter in the correct category.
• To include a complete and signed entry form.
• To bring submission fees.
• To print out entry manifest.
• To conform to defined submission requirements.
• To conform to all copyright laws.
• To include two copies of the entry.
• To include two copies of the entry form.
• To properly label each entry.
• To submit a disc with print-quality PDFs of all entries. 

How to Enter
Visit www.addyama.com, click on Enter. You will be directed to the competition site and may login as an entrant. Review the category list to find where your work should compete, and follow the simple drop down menus to enter your information. Make sure you credit the members of your creative team, so that they will be recognized properly in press releases and other AAF winner publications. Submission of entries acknowledges the right of the AAF to use them for publication, exhibition and marketing of the ADDY® show.

Deadlines
Student Only Entry Deadline: Thursday, November 20, 2008 1-5 pm; The Modern Brand, Big Communications, or Open Creative Group.
Entries Due: Monday, January 5, 2009 1-5 pm; Energen Conference Room.
Late Entries Due: Thursday, January 9, 2009 1-5 pm; Energen Conference Room.
To order additional trophies, contact Brad Kachelhofer at brad@themodernbrand.com.
Cost is $15 each and deadline is March 2, 2009.
To forward a Silver award to the District 7 Competition, contact Brad Kachelhofer at brad@themodernbrand.com.
Cost is $75 for individual categories, $90 for campaigns.
Deadline is February 16, 2009.

Eligibility
All work entered in the ADDY® competition must have first appeared in the media between January 1 and December 31, 2008. With the exceptions of Public Service Advertising, Advertising for the Arts, and Advertising Industry Self Promotion categories, work entered must have been the result of paid creative services and media placement in the normal course of business (exluding student entries). Entries must be submitted in the CBSA, DMA or MSA of the entrant (as defined by Arbitron or Nielsen for your local market). of the entrant. In the event
that there are entrants located in markets not served by a local ADDY® affiliated show, the acceptance, processing, judging, forwarding and fees of those entries will be decided by the
governing body of the District in which the entrant is located.

Entry Fees
Single Entry: Club Member $50; Non-Member: $75; plus $10 late fee
Campaign Entry: Club Member: $60; Non-Member: $85; plus $10 late fee
All Student Entries: $20

All Entries Must:
• Meet all eligibility and deadline requirements.
• Be entered in the correct category and be correctly identified.
• Include a complete and signed entry form.
• Conform to defined submission requirements.
• Conform to all copyright laws.
• Contain Two Copies of the Product
• Contain Two Copies of the Entry Form
• Be Properly Labeled
• Each entrant must submit a disc with print-quality PDFs of all entries.

Entry Submission
Two copies of each entry are required. (This means two brochures or catalogs, two CDs with the same radio spot, two DVDs of broadcast entries. If it is IMPOSSIBLE to produce more than one copy of an entry, please contact your ADDY chair, Brad Kachelhofer at brad@themodernbrand.com.)

Entries must be placed inside a clear plastic zip-top bag. Insert the two copies of the entry form securely inside the envelope behind the physical entries. The entries should be all that is seen. Firmly affix the entry number to the BACK of each entry. If a three-dimensional (3-D) item is small enough, it should be placed inside a bag, as described above. The entry number label should be securely attached to the bottom of the entry. Insert two copies of the entry form inside the bag. (If the entry is likely to tear the bag when removing and replacing it, choose the method listed below.)

When a three-dimensional (3-D) item is oversized and too large to fit inside a bag, enclose the item inside a box. Secure the entry number to the top of the box in the upper right hand corner. An entry number label should be affixed to the bottom of the piece for identifying. Spray-mount the entry form to the bottom of the box and place a second copy of the entry form inside the box. Campaign entries may be handled in the same manner as above, placing the campaign inside an appropriately sized envelope. Label each piece with an entry number on the back in the upper right hand corner. Indicate on each label “1of 2” or “2 of 2”, etc. Include an extra copy of the entry form inside the envelope.

All components of a Mixed Media campaign must be entered together in a bag. Label each component with an entry number and include the total components for each campaign, (1 of 9, 2 of 9, 3 of 9, etc.) Firmly affix an entry form to the front of the bag and place an additional entry form inside the bag.

Entry Identification
Detach the category and entry number labels from the entry form generated when you submitted your entry information online. Place two copies of the entire entry form into the clear bag. In the case of entries that require DVDs or CDs, affix the label on the container or sleeve. DO NOT affix labels to the actual face of the CD or DVD. Label each component of a Mixed Media Campaign in a similar fashion. No information identifying the entrant should appear on the face of an entry.

Submission of entries acknowledges the right of the AAF to use them for publication, exhibition and marketing of the ADDY® Show.

Campaign Entries
A SINGLE MEDIUM campaign is no less than two and no more than four total pieces in the entry. A MIXED/MULTIPLE MEDIA campaign has two or more executions spread over two or more media. There must be a minimum of two media used, but no more than six. There can be no more than four ads per medium, with a maximum number of nine total pieces in the entry.

Broadcast, Audio Visual or Computer Presentation Entries
The only accepted format for video and television entries is DVD. Be sure that submitted DVDs will play on a consumer DVD player. If the entry cannot be played on a consumer DVD player, it is subject to disqualification. When a DVD contains multiple spots, as in a campaign, include a navigation tool. If the entry is a single spot or video, the DVD should be created to auto-play. Entries must be “viewing copy only” and contain no color bars, tones or slates. Audio CDs are the only accepted audio format. No AIFF, MP3, WMV or WAV files. Be sure that submitted Audio CDs will play on a consumer CD Player.

Use a separate CD/DVD for each single entry. For campaign entries, include all components on one CD/DVD. Label each case with the entry number on the front right hand corner of the case. Place entries inside a transparent plastic envelope. Insert two copies of the entry form inside the envelope. Also, write the entry number and title on the CD/DVD face with permanent, CD safe pen. For campaign entries, indicate the number of spots in the campaign. DO NOT affix labels to the actual face of the CD or DVD. Video sales presentations and infomercial entries must submit an edited representative content up to NO MORE THAN five minutes in length. Transfer all Sales Presentation entries to DVD.

Internet / Interactive Media
For Website and all online entries, submit the URL addresses. In addition, it is required that you submit two copies of a printed, 8.5 x 11” color screenshot of the homepage, pop-up banner, email, e-card, etc. and a CD (Mac OS or PC compatible) of the site/entry. Designate on the entry which OS is used. Place all of the entry into an appropriately sized envelope (or CD sleeve) and affix the entry number on the front of the CD case. Insert two copies of the entry form inside the envelope. The CD is to be used only in situations when Internet access or unexpected hosting situations make viewing the actual site online impossible.

Judging will be done online, using the URL whenever possible. URLs should not require any username or password for access. In cases where this already exists, the entrant should create an independent URL. In the event that a site is database driven, please indicate this on the entry as explanation for lack of a CD being included. For Disk-Based Sales Packages, submit on CD/DVD. Do not submit executable files that will attempt to install a program on the judging computer(s). Executable files cannot be judged and will be disqualified without reimbursement of entry fees.

Entry Turn-In
Entries and entry fees should be turned in on January 5 or January 9, 2009 at Energen. All entries become the property of AAF Birmingham and will not be returned. Do NOT send original or irreplaceable artwork.

The American Advertising Federation ADDY® Awards
The ADDY® Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting over 50,000 entries every year in local ADDY® competitions. The mission of the ADDY competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in the art of advertising.

Conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the local ADDY® Awards is the first of a three-tier, national competition. Concurrently, all across the country, local entrants vie for recognition as the very best in their markets. At the second tier, local winners compete against other winners in one of 14 District competitions. District winners are then forwarded to the third tier, the national ADDY® Awards competition. Entry in your local ADDY® competition is the first step toward winning a national ADDY®.

Entering the ADDY® competition supports our entire industry, because the AAF and its local and district affiliates use the proceeds to enhance advertising through programs such as public service, internships, advocacy groups, advertising education, and consumer awareness. Selection of the most creative entry in each category is effected by a scoring process in which a panel of judges evaluate all creative dimensions of every entry. In each category, a GOLD ADDY® is recognition of the highest level of creative excellence and is judged to be superior to all other entries in the competition. Entries that are also considered outstanding and worthy of recognition receive a SILVER ADDY®. The number of awards given in each category is determined by the judges, based on the relative quality of work in that category.

The Student ADDY Awards is also a three-tier national competition, which is sponsored by the AAF and National Ad 2. Occurring in conjunction with the prestigious ADDY Awards, the Student ADDY Awards recognize and reward creative excellence by students. Information on entering the Student ADDY Awards may be found on page 19.

Copyright infringement and/or plagiarism (be it intentional or unintentional) will result in the disqualification and, if applicable, removal of awards from any entry deemed in violation. All entry fees will be forfeited.

Forwarding of Winners
Only work that has won a Gold ADDY® or a Silver ADDY® in a local ADDY® competition will be eligible for entry into the District competitions. Only work that has won a Gold ADDY® or a Silver ADDY® in a District ADDY® competition will be eligible for entry into the National ADDY® competition.

Auto-Forwarding
If your entry wins a Gold ADDY® at the local show, it will be automatically forwarded to the district competition with fees paid by the local advertising federation. Should the entry win Gold again at District level, it will be forwarded to the national competition with fees paid by the District. If your entry is awarded a Silver ADDY® at the local or District level, you have won the right to compete at the next level of competition and may choose to pay the applicable entry fee in order to be forwarded. Make sure you check the “auto-forward” box during your online registration, indicating that you wish to be billed for the corresponding forwarding entry fees. This will ensure your Silver entries are automatically forwarded to the next level of competition.

“Real” Advertising
The expressed intent of the ADDY® Awards competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in the legitimate everyday workplace of advertising. Occasionally, an entry is submitted that appears to have been created outside the conventional agency-to-client-to media marketing structure; as if the entry was created solely for the purpose of winning an award. This type of work is not accepted. All entries, with the exceptions of Public Service Advertising, Advertising for the Arts and Industry Self-Promotion, must have paid for the creative services and media placement in the normal course of business.

“New” Creative
To qualify as new creative, the copy must be completely different from that used in any previous ads. The same headline with different body copy does not qualify. Changing dates, locations, times, savings, etc., does not qualify. The illustration or photography can be the same, but the copy (thrust and content) must be new. Some ads present little or no copy. In the instance of no copy (other than time, location, and other basic information data), an ad with a previously used illustration does not qualify. If questionable, the final decision rests with the local, district and ultimately the National ADDY® Committee (NAC).

Documentation
Should a question arise relative to the eligibility or legitimacy of any entry, the entrant agrees by his/her signature on the entry form to furnish the necessary documentation for review by the National ADDY® Committee. Failure to do so can be grounds for disqualification without refund of entry fees.

Judging Procedures
Judging will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines found on the aaf.org web site. Decisions of judges and the NAC, including eligibility, qualifications and appropriate category placements, are final.

Geographic Considerations
Entries may be entered into only one local ADDY® Awards competition, which is determined by the location of the agency at which the work was created. In addition, the piece MUST be entered under the Geographic Considerations of the entrant. In Elements of Advertising, entries may only be entered in the CBSA, DMA or MSA in which it was created by the original creator of the work, not the agency who commissioned the work. If an affiliated competition does not exist in the CBSA, DMA or MSA, the District will direct the entrant to the nearest affiliated competition. {Although not recommended, the entrant, if other than the agency/creator, may choose to enter the work on behalf of the creator (examples include, but are not limited to: printers, production companies or client). In this case, the entrant's address will determine into which local show the work is entered. It is important, however, that the parties communicate to ensure the work is entered and eligible in only one market. Should a conflict arise and work is entered without knowledge in two markets, the NAC defers to the rights of the creator in all cases.}

Mosaic ADDY Award
The National ADDY® Committee is committed to recognizing advertising which promotes diversity and issues related to multiculturalism. At the national ADDY® level, all Gold and Silver winning pieces will be screened for relevance to these issues. The most exceptional piece(s) will be eligible for selection by judges to receive a special Mosaic ADDY®. The NAC strongly encourages local and district ADDY® shows to adopt this policy. Special awards, such as Public Service, Mosaic, copywriting and art direction do NOT have to be Gold or Silver ADDY winners to be considered for a special award.

The rules, divisions and categories defined here serve as the official policy for the AAF ADDY® competition and replace all others from previous competitions. The name ADDY® Awards, ADDY® and the trophy to which this name refers are protected by a registered trademark owned by the American Advertising Federation. The AAF competition rules, category format and the ADDY® Awards competition name should be used at all levels of the competition.

Questions? Contact Brad Kachelhofer at brad@themodernbrand.com or 205-705-3777.
AAF-Birmingham has clear plastic bags available for purchase and will provide guidance on packaging your entries at Energen on January 5 and January 8, 2009.

Click here to download the 2008 categories.