Highland Group reigns at Addys

The Ad Club of Grand Rapids bestowed 41 Gold and 114 Silver Addy awards at Thursday’s soiree at Noto’s.

The winners move on to compete at the district level before being judged at the national level for the American Advertising Federation’s top honor.

Professional entries were judged by five advertising professionals from California, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky.

Snagging best of show was a poster by the Highland Group for the 2008 Grand Rapids Kids Marathon. Highland Group received more awards than any other entrant, with 10 Gold and eight Silver.

Judges’ Choice winners in the professional category included a print campaign by Highland Group for Steelcase Inc.; single print customer or trade publication by Highland Group for the marathon; interactive media, creative Stoodio for its own Web site; and Palazzolo Design for advertising industry self-promotion.

Extra Credit Projects and kantorwassink both tallied the second highest number of awards, each receiving three Gold and eight Silver. Hanon McKendry received six Silvers as Gravity Six Alliance, a partnership of six cooperating agencies.

Five local professionals judged the student categories: Yang Kim, vice president and creative director of People Design; Kent Stewart, senior art director, Reagan Marketing + Design; Jon Czeranna, art director, Hanon McKendry; Rick Devon, president and creative director, Grey Matter Group; and Steve Frykholm, vice president of creative design at Herman Miller and this year’s Silver Medal Award winner for a lifetime of creativity.

Student winners were: Best of Show, magazine ad campaign by Sherri Days of Kendall College of Art & Design, for Pollinator Partnership; Judges’ Choice, sales promotion packaging by Steven Scharrer, of Kendall, for MU Premium Lacteal Nutrition; and Judges’ Choice, Diana Frurip, also of Kendall, interactive animation for Chiquita Banana.

This year’s judges for the professional category were Doug James, independent creative director and copywriter, Los Angeles; John “Nick” Nicholson, retired executive vice president and chief creative officers from Nicholson Kovac, Kansas City, Mo.; Richard Westendorf, executive creative director, Landor Associates, Cincinnati; Barry Burdiak, senior vice president and group creative director, DDB, Chicago; and Valerie Holcomb, vice president and creative director, Power Creative, Louisville, Ky.

The Thursday evening gathering capped the week-long Ad Fair, sponsored to draw attention to advertising and creative talent in the Ad Club’s West Michigan region.