BATTLE OF THE BRAND
To celebrate the American Advertising Awards and the fact that advertising rocks, we created the Battle of the Brands. We started to plant the seed that the annual American Advertising Awards would be a rocking affair by inviting naughty Rock Santa to an industry Christmas party. Then, we transformed a 3 hour award show into a 2 month integrated campaign experience, which was a true labor of love. The final event was hosted at one of D.C.'s most historic music venues, the 9:30 Club.
Prelude to the event
We announced the upcoming award show and encouraged agencies to enter the ADDY awards during the One Party, the local industry Christmas party. Signage announced the upcoming event with a call for entries and cozy fireplace backdrop invited people to take pictures with Rock Santa who came to visit the event.
The Music Video
A song was written and a band was born. Naturally, there had to be a video. The band ambushed different agencies in the Washington, DC area to announce the upcoming award show. The characters established here were a reoccurring theme throughout the show.
The AWARD SHOW
The "band" welcomed guests on the outside of the 9:30 Club with oversized posters. During the show a real band played and the audience could vote on the next song by tweeting their choices. The winners smashed guitars on stage just like real rock stars. Ultimately, the show received rave reviews.
