On March 9, 2023, Baltimore’s creative community reunited at the historic Senator Theatre for a dazzling celebration of advertising excellence. After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 49th Annual American Advertising Awards Show, presented by the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore (AAFB), brought together a vibrant crowd of advertisers, marketers, and creatives. This year’s event, themed “Lights. Camera. ADDYs,” paid homage to the grandeur of the theater and the glitz of the red carpet.
A Night of Glamour and Achievement
The evening was a milestone for AAFB, marking the highest number of ADDY awards ever presented in a single season. The ceremony, orchestrated by Jeremy Martin of Novak Birch, awarded thirteen Gold ADDYs and ninety-seven Silver ADDYs to standout agencies, production houses, and in-house marketing teams from the Baltimore region. With over 240 local professionals in attendance, the atmosphere was electric.
“This year’s event marked a glamorous return to in-person celebrations, and it was exhilarating to roll out the red carpet once again. Celebrating the creative brilliance of our community reaffirmed Baltimore’s radiant position in the advertising world.”
—Kathe Flynn, AAFB President
A Toast to Creativity
The event featured a special “Last Looks” cocktail, inspired by the orange crush and sponsored by Producers, along with delectable bites from Clark Burger. Named after the final call on set before filming begins, “Last Looks” was a hit among guests as they mingled and prepared for the awards. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefited the AAF Baltimore Foundation Student Scholarship Fund, supporting the next generation of advertising talent.
Top Honors and Memorable Moments
The night’s top accolades included:
Best of Show
Sympatico Media
“TuneCore Unlimited”
Cinematography
Judges Choice
bully! Entertainment
“Face the Pitch” – Microsoft.
Virtual Reality
Judges Choice
Vandergrift Productions
"What is Art" — Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts
Internet Commercial
Judges Choice
Early Light Media
“Remarkable Legacy” – Smyth Jewelers
Film, Media & Sound, Branded Content
In addition to the ADDYs, AAFB honored individual achievements with several prestigious awards:
AAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Charles Allen
Chairman & Chief Creative Officer at TBC
AAF Silver Medal Award
Andrès Zapata
EVP, Strategy & Founder at idfive
AAF Katherine Mahool Fowke Iconoclast Award
Diane Devaney
President at Devaney & Associates, Inc.
AAF District 2 Patricia Martin Crystal Prism Award
Krystal Cotriss
Creative Manager at Barcoding, Inc.
Looking Ahead
The American Advertising Awards competition, the industry’s largest and most representative, sees over 35,000 entries annually. Local Gold winners advance to district competitions, with the chance to compete nationally. The national winners will be unveiled at the AAF’s ADMERICA conference in St. Louis, MO, from June 1-4, 2023.
ADDY Winners
For a detailed list of all the Gold and Silver winners, including standout entries from agencies like bully! entertainment, GKV, idfive, and many more, please refer to the Complete List of ADDY Winners
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our 2023 sponsors for their incredible support. Our Producers—Clean Cuts, Cerebral Lounge, and Noise Distillery, all part of the Three Seas family—played a pivotal role in making this year a success. We also appreciate the contributions of Goodell DeVries, Indigo Ink, DCG ONE, and Capitol Communicator, whose partnership helped us achieve our goals. Your support means the world to us, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future. Thank you!
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