The AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION of Hampton Roads...
is the longest running organization in Eastern Virginia comprised of members of many different Agencies, Businesses and Media companies that serves the Advertising/Marketing community as a whole. Also known since the 1950s as the Tidewater Ad Club or Ad Club of Hampton Roads, we bring people together at various events celebrating:
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The AAF SILVER MEDAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
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The AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS (a.k.a. “The ADDYS”)
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EVENTS: Featuring various learning and networking events offered by AAF, partnership events with AIGA (The Creatives Club of Hampton Roads) and AMA (Hampton Roads chapter of the same national organization) and partnerships with schools-businesses-publishers and others offering topical information helpful to people working in modern Advertising/Marketing.
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The 2025-2026 AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS is now open for entries
Enter before Feb 21,2026 to Take home your "ADDY" Win
CLICK HERE TO SEE PRICING AND ENTER THE COMPETITION.
( If your link doesn't open, copy & paste this URL: https://enter.americanadvertisingawards.com/a/organizations/03-HAM/home )
Your peers and clients both have heard of wining an "ADDY". So, when you win one it means something. Now is your chance.
The AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS where the legendary "ADDY" is handed out is the longest running and original advertising industry award of excellence and the only way to win that trophy is to start by winning at the local level in your market first before moving to the regional and then national competition.
All entry creative is done digitally making it very easy and fast to enter. In as few as three minutes, you can enter if you have a list of the credits on who participated in your creative, a digital file of your work (i.e.: PDF/MP4/MP3/URL) and a credit card.
Category lists for which area of the competition to submit your entry for are available at these links:
PROS: https://www.aaf.org/common/Uploaded%20files/AmAdAwards/AAF-2025-2026-American-Advertising-Awards-Professional-Rules.pdf
STUDENTS: https://www.aaf.org/common/Uploaded%20files/AmAdAwards/AAF-2025-2026-American-Advertising-Awards-Student-Rules.pdf
If you have a question, call the AAF-HRVA President, Mark at 757-717-2373 or email: [email protected]
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Who won an AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARD recently?
PROFESSIONAL WINNERS by for recent years:
| 2023 Awards | Organization | Creative Entry | Creators |
| Best in Show & GOLD (tie) | ADAMS OUTDOOR ADVERTISING |
Colleton Pillars4Hope |
Ryan Saul |
| Best in Show & GOLD (tie) | Ironclad Media Alliance | NAVY SEAL Foundation - "Navy Seal Foundation Anthem" | Jeremy Carey, Noah Kight, Kevin Kelleher, Noah Amedick, Austin Rowe, Matthew Turley, Jesse Clark and Jon Hutson |
| GOLD | Ironclad Media Alliance | Beretta - "Be Your Own Defense" | Jessica Hook, Dom Raso, Jessica Graminski, Erik Stern, Jeremy Carey, Noah Kight, Kevin Kelleher, Noah Amedick, Austin Rowe, Matthew Turley, Jesse Clark and Jon Hutson |
| GOLD | WHRO Public Media | GREENBEATS: We Sing Her Story | Ken Nishimoto, Skye Zentz, Jacki Paeolella, Brandon Nance, Jeff Fine, Dr. Mitzi Fehl-Seward, Elmer Seward and Robert Pitman |
| SILVER | CASEY AUTO GROUP | Casey Subaru - "Pet Access" | Sherry Askew-Grant and Jack Boyce |
| SILVER | EPIC Made | Nickelodoen - "SpongeBob Comic Theme Opener" | Ross Ciuppa, Kira Ribordy, Nefer Haal, Diane Vu,Carl and Alden Cleanthes |
| SILVER | EPIC Made | Webtoon - "Supernatural Comic Animation" | Ross Ciuppa, Gabrielle Edmiston, Carl and Alden Cleanthes |
| SILVER | SOUTHERN Company Gas | Virginia Natural Gas - "Fueling Forward" | Virginia Natural Gas Corporate Communications and APCO Worldwide |
| SILVER | The Scout Guide of Charlottesville, Tidewater and Hunt Country | "The Scout Guide" | Lana Kitterman, Christy Ford, Susie Matheson, Mary Kaufman, Nelina Loiselle, Antje Lemoine, Caroline Fout, Jen Fariello, Meredith Coe, Sera Petras, Zoë Grant, Rhonda Gregorio, Victoria Heer, Kristen Monthei and Rebekah Bonds |
| BRONZE | Virginia Creative Group | Puget Sound Pediatric Dentistry - "Website" | Virginia Creative Group team |
| 2022 Awards | Organization | Creative Entry | Creators |
| Best in Show & GOLD | LANPHER PRODUCTIONS | Downtown Norfolk Council - “Thank you from Norfolk" | Keith Lanpher, Kerry Cecil & Jessica Kliner |
| GOLD | EPIC MADE | Deschutes Brewery - "Animated Ad Suite" | Carl Cleanthes, Ross Ciuppa & Kira Ribordy |
| GOLD | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit Phoenix CVB - "Brand Anthem" | Keith Ireland, Jimmy Reeves, Aiden Chapparone, Pedro Perez Nunez, Parco Richardson and Nilesh Patel |
| GOLD | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit Billings, Montana CVB - "Trail Guides" | Keith Ireland, Aiden Chapperone and Ali Webb |
| GOLD | Collector Studio | "Tricky Mickey" | Ryan Meadows, Adam Jones, Nick Davis and Catherine Meadows |
| Silver | Adams Outdoor Advertising | One Life Fitness - "Princess Planker" | Ryan Saul |
| Silver | Adams Outdoor Advertising | Hood Hargett Breakfast Club - "There's Coffee, Too" | Ryan Saul |
| Silver | Adams Outdoor Advertising | "SuperDads" | Ryan Saul |
| Silver | Lanpher Productions | Va. Department of Elections & Big River Advertising - "Vote" |
Keith Lanpher, Kerry Cesil, Scott Mackey and No Sky Studios |
| Silver | Mix & Shine Marketing | SweetPea Frozen Dessert - "SweetPea packaging" |
April Sciacchitano, Rachael Seda, Liz Watson, Larry Peak and Alan Schutte |
| Silver | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit Billings, Montana CVB - "Rick's Road Trip" | Keith Ireland, Jimmy Reeves, Jared Myers, Aiden Chapparone, Pedro Perez Nunez, Parco Richardson, & Ali Webb |
| Silver | pomi | "Peace Of Mind Insurance / Tom Bosch" | Kelly Clore, & Bosch Studios |
| Silver | Soul Shine Design Studio | Paloma Wellness - "Paloma Logo" |
Liz Watson |
| Silver | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit Billings, Montana CVB - "Trailhead of Awesome" |
Keith Ireland, Jimmy Reeves, Jared Myers & Ali Webb |
| Silver | WHRO Public Media | "WHRO Public Media 60th Anniversary" | Mike Watts |
| Silver | WHRO Public Media | City of Norfolk - "Vision Zero" | Kat Padua, Jeff Fine and Robert Pitman |
| 2021 Awards | Organization | Creative Entry | Creators |
| Best in Show & GOLD | EPIC MADE | SYFY CHANNEL: Pride Fairytale - TV National | Carl Cleanthes/Creative Director, Ross Ciuppa/Art Director & Kira Ribordy, Lead Animator |
| GOLD | Koehler Books | Carol Van Den Hende "Goodbye, Orchid" - Publication Design/Cover | John Koehler/Creative Director & Kellie Emery/Senior Graphic Designer |
| GOLD | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit Phoenix - Rebrand - Logo Design | Jimmy Reeves/Senior Art Director & Nilesh Patel/Client Services Director |
| GOLD | WHRO Public Media | Spelling Bee - Campaign | Mike Watts/Graphic Designer |
| Silver | Koehler Books | Linda Oatman High "As Far As Birds Can Fly" - Publication Design/Cover | John Koehler/Creative Director & Skyler Kratofil/Graphic Designer |
| Silver | Koehler Books | Scott Gould "Whereabouts" - Publication Design/Cover | John Koehler/Creative Director & Kellie Emery/Senior Graphic Designer |
| Silver | Koehler Books | Charles Gomez "Cuban Son Rising" - Publication Design/Cover | John Koehler/Creative Director $ Skyler Kratofil/Graphic Designer |
| Silver | Old Domonion University | Old Dominion - Brand Campaign - Self-Promotion/Cross Platform Campaign | Giovanna Genard/A.V.P. Strategic Communication & Marketing, Catlin Chandler/Exec. Dir. Strategic Communication & Marketing, Lisa Jones/Dir. Branding & Marketing, Christen Turney/Marketing and Adv. Coordinator-Designer & Dylan Harrell/Sr. Media Specialist-Videographer |
| Silver | Sunshine & Bourbon | Visit SLO CAL "California Less Traveled" - Online Film-Internet Commercial | Ali Webb/Client Services Supervisor & Jessica Ireland/Strategic Lead |
| Silver | WHRO Public Media | RISE "Resilience Innovations" - TV Advertising - Local |
Brandon Nance/Video Editor & Jeff Fine/Broadcast & Digital Media Officer |
| Silver | WHRO Public Media | "Work Like a Girl" - TV Self Promotion - Local |
Mike Watts/Graphic Designer, Amy Houck/Dir. Marketing & Communications, Jeff Fine/Broadcast & Digital Media Officer, Brandon Nance/Sr. Producer & Nancy Rogan/Community Engagement Officer |
| Silver | WHRO Public Media | "Out Of The Box" - Elements of Advertising/Art Direction-Campaign | Mike Watts/Graphic Designer |
Silver Medal
We'll be Bringing Back SILVER MEDAL Nominations later this year
Click here to nominate someone for this one-of-a-kind recognition of service in both Advertising and our Community at-large
We plan to open SILVER MEDAL voting and recognition later this year after a four year hiatus after the pandemic of 2020. Until that call for nominations, you can feel free to submit a nomination now at the link above. Please consider who you believe has served our area and impacted Hampton Roads with both their work in the advertising industry and the community at large in a lasting way. Write a paragraph on who, why and provide some examples of their service.
All nominations will be tallied and presented to our panel of current SILVER MEDAL recipients then voted on to show the respect deserved to those who have left a lasting legacy on our area and the ad community.
