[Full disclosure: My agency did the rebranding and creative work for them. But, I had no role in the project.]

It’s interesting and exciting to see how polarizing the local press and reaction to the news has been. Perfect, quite frankly, for something as provocative as the celebration of independent film-making. Read the comments on local news sites and Twitter and you’ll see things ranging from “LOVE the new name/logo” to “another sign High Falls is dying” and “what’s 360|365 supposed to mean?”

Hmm. The core audience is independent filmmakers and their audiences. It strikes me these aren’t people who like to be spoon-fed ideas. A branding and mark that takes a bit of thinking seems right up their alley (and yes, film makers provided their input and evaluation, according to people who worked on the project).

Another observation: The formula of [insert location] Film Festival definitely conjures up the idea of a week at a great location (Tribeca, Sundance, Toronto for instance) sitting in theatres watching provocative movies. It doesn’t convey the full immersive experience which 360|365 will be providing to the independent community not just in Rochester but online and around the globe, all year long.

Personally, I think it’s exciting that a Rochester-based organization is stepping up and trying to broaden engagement with the global independent film community. And that it sparks a controversial discussion appropriate to independent film.

Apparently, advertising talent runs in the family. David is the nephew of Rochester ad & marketing veteran Joe Nardone of Eastman Kodak.

With over 60,000 entries annually, the ADDY® Awards are the world’s largest and arguably toughest advertising competition. The ADDY® Awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world. The American Advertising Federation, a not-for-profit industry association conducts the ADDY® Awards through its 200 member advertising clubs and 15 districts. It is the only creative awards program administered by the advertising industry for the industry.

Check out all the 2009 winners here.

Also, Kodak CMO and Twitterer extraordinaire, Jeff Hayzlett will demystify the benefits of tweeting and Joan Rivers celebrity apprenticeship with Donald Trump (still trying to figure out how that is going to work).

This is one of the Ad Council’s largest fundraising events of the year, helping them raise funds in support of their work and the community. Show your support by marking your calendars and reserving your seat or table today!

Keynote Speaker:
Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer, Eastman Kodak Company
twitter.com/jeffreyhayzlett

When:
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Time: Noon

Where:
Hyatt Regency Rochester
125 East Main Street
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 546-1234

Be on the look out for announcements regarding contests to win prizes via Twitter and Facebook (to be held both prior and during the luncheon!)

Join us to show your support for the Ad Council and its work in the community, and to help us say thanks to some of the people who have made it all possible.

2009 Lantern Award Honorees
Matt Jones, Wegmans Food Markets
John Myers, John Myers Photography

2009 W.B. Potter Founder’s Award Honorees
Water Education Collaborative
SIGMA Marketing Group

2009 Chairman’s Awards
B. Thomas Golisano Foundation
VanDamme Associates

2009 Beacon Award
Catalyst Direct

2009 Legacy Award
Jeff Gutenberg

Registration:

For more info or to reserve a seat, click today.

While I get the concept that louder commercials will cut through the clutter and viewers will pay attention, I don’t know that I believe it. If people need to keep their remotes at the ready in order to lower commercial volumes, that can’t be good for anybody. Once that remote is itching in the hand it is so much easier to start clicking around. We all lose then. The advertiser, the station and the viewer who might not make it back.

What do you think? Is being loud a necessary evil to get people’s attention or is it more important to potentially keep that remote on the couch?

— Susan Cregan

It seems there are several misconceptions about what public relations entails, so I thought it made sense to lead with a discussion about the value of our work.

True, public relations often goes unnoticed, but if we’re doing our job correctly, the work of a PR professional should go unnoticed. We are Jacks-of-all-trades, working behind-the-scenes to bring our clients’ news to the attention of their key audiences.

As a matter of fact, the Martino Flynn PR team recently did just that for RAF. In advance of the ADDY Awards tomorrow, we crafted a press release and secured an item in the D&C about the event.

While generating publicity (aka “media relations”) is one facet of public relations, our arsenal of tools allows us to do many things…whether it’s organizing trade shows, ghostwriting byline articles, or even establishing a crisis contingency plan.

Ultimately, PR can be a credible, cost-effective complement to the communications mix—helping a company to foster relationships with its constituents, and position how it is perceived now and in the future.

View Bill’s obituary and sign the family’s guest book here.

Join the Facebook group, “An Architect of Design: Bill Buckett Remembered” here.

Send Bill’s family a note at cbuckett@earthlink.net

— Matt Jones

For a copy of the rules, guidelines and entry form, please visit rafconnect.com/events/addys.

So, how are we doing in Rochester in developing our digital skills? Any great examples?