Suffering from chronically low self-esteem and always in need of a good party, the ad industry is self-congratulating itself with what it hopes will become an annual event on par with The TriBeCa Film Festival or The New York Film Festival. The Advertising Association of America announced Advertising Week, to be held in New York City next September 20 – 24, as a means to celebrate the industry’s contribution to society and to bring together other industry related trade associations with seminars, panel discussions and, oh my God, it’s own Advertising Awards For Excellence and even an Advertising Hall of Fame. Mark your calendars! This is an event not to be missed.
The week long event will also feature a Madison Avenue “Advertising Walk of Fame” that will forever embed the likes of Tony the Tiger, the Energizer Bunny and the Jolly Green Giant into the sidewalk so that passers buy can stomp on the logos while yelling, “Stop making me buy your shit!” The best part is that the public gets to choose which logos and slogans they want to stomp by voting on Yahoo and USA Today. There may also be a parade of inflatable brand images to further allow consumers to express their love for advertising by, oh, I don’t know, shooting darts at the inflatables.
Some serious stuff will be discussed too like the self-importance, I mean importance advertising has to the culture and economy of the country and how it has and will continue to change the country’s social fabric.
AAAA and Advertising Week President and CEO O. Burtch Drake blustered, “We’ve been through several tough years. We seem to be coming out of it, and we think now is the time to showcase what we do and how well we do it. We’re here to reassert Madison Avenue as one of the pre-eminent industries in New York City.”
