I recently had the great opportunity, and honor, to judge the National Student Advertising Competition for District 8 of the American Advertising Federation. At first, I was a bit of a cranky-pants about how much work was involved in being a judge. All the plan books that needed to be scrutinized, scored, and commented on was overwhelming and most certainly tedious on top of my already jam-packed work schedule, but what happened in Minneapolis truly surprised me.
The other judges were smart, funny, and thoughtful – which made us all fast friends. Our shared passion for what we do ignited deep and insightful conversations that kept us on our toes and wide awake for nearly two days straight.
The students were something else altogether.
It’s very easy to become beaten down by the ebb and flow of the daily grind in the agency world; there are always battles to be won – big and small -, obstacles to over come, and mostly, it’s a thankless job where clients rarely say, “nice work,” or “we really appreciate all that you and your team do for us.” Sometimes it’s easy to forget why we love what we do…but these students reinvigorated me. They inspired me.
The livelihood and excitement for their ideas to position Pizza Hut as the leader of online pizza sales sparked a fire in me that this past winter may have put out. A couple of presentations were so smart that the other judges and I were playfully arguing over who got to ask questions first. Some inspired me so much that I wanted to leave in the middle of their presentation to go to my office – some 947 miles away by plane – to work. Needless to say, theses students were smart, eager to get started in the world, and truly had something to offer that was infectious – in a good way.
That weekend, in the Twin City, was an experience I won’t soon forget – and it’s one I hope to repeat. Thanks, District 8 #AAF #NSAC! You were great hosts and it far surpassed any expectations that I had.
Despite the long winter, the flowers are the only thing that are in bloom.
Some of the photos below are courtesy of the American Advertising Federation District 8 Facebook page.
