4A's To Mark 50 Years Of Planning At Upcoming Strategy Festival

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4A's, the leading trade organization for marketing communications agencies, will host its 23rd annual strategy festival, StratFest, on October 9-11 at Convene at 32 Old Slip in New York City. This year's conference will mark the 50th anniversary since the planning discipline was first introduced to the advertising industry.

"We're excited to celebrate this important milestone for the planning discipline at this year's StratFest, and to recognize the influence strategists have had over the last half-century," said Mollie Rose, EVP of Agency Relations and Membership at the 4A's. "This year's agenda will honor the past but focus on the future as we explore the evolution of planning and its ongoing impact on the ways brands connect with customers."

The agenda will offer insightful presentations from industry insiders, including Suresh Nair, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Grey New York; Sarah DaVanzo, Chief Curiosity Officer of Innovation, Insight and Foresight at the L'Oreal Group; Claudine Cheever, Global GM of Marketing & Advertising at Amazon; and speakers from IBM Watson Advertising, Genius Steals, VML and more.

StratFest will also include numerous workshops for hands-on learning that will tackle everything from reimagining creative briefs, to developing a voice strategy, to new brainstorming techniques with the Upright Citizens Brigade.

The festival will kickoff with the annual members-only Leadership Forum on October 9, to be followed at 6:30pm with a welcome reception and presentation of the 2018 Jay Chiat Awards. The awards, now in their 22^nd year, recognize the best strategic thinking in marketing, media and advertising around the world. Case study presentations will be delivered throughout StratFest, with the crowning of the Gran Prix winner on Thursday, October 11. 

The shortlist for the 2018 Jay Chiat Awards includes:

Global Strategy

• Barton F. Graf – Supercell/Clash of Clans / "The Builder"
• Johannes Leonardo – adidas Originals / "adidas Originals: Original Is Never Finished 2017"
• Ricebowl Strategy – Harry's / "Painting the World Orange"
• TBWA\Media Arts Lab – Apple / "What's a Computer?"

Connection

• Barton F. Graf – Supercell/Clash of Clans / "The Builder"
• Edelman - Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau / "Work from Hawaii– A Residency Program"
• Energy BBDO – National Safety Council / "National Safety Council: Stopping Everyday Killers"
• GroupeConnect– Bank of America / "Bank of America: Friends Again"
• Havas Worldwide – TD Ameritrade / "First Ad in The Blockchain"
• McCann Worldgroup India – One97 Communications, Pvt. Ltd / Paytm / "A Sticker That Brought Hope"
• McCann Worldgroup India - Reckitt Benckiser / Harpic / "5 Words That Made Toilets India's New Status Symbol"
• MullenLowe US – Royal Caribbean International / "Royal Caribbean #SeekDeeper"

National Strategy

• Energy BBDO – National Safety Council / "National Safety Council: Stopping Everyday Killers"
• McCann Health – Reckitt Benckiser / Mucinex / "#SuperSickMonday"
• The Monkees – Meat and Livestock Australia – Lamb / "Meat and Livestock Australia – Celebrate Australia"
• TBWA Chiat Day/Los Angeles – Gatorade / "Make Defeat Your Fuel"

Non-Profit

• 22squared – Ad Council / Grads of Life / "Real 7-Second Resumes: Giving Opportunity Youth A Fresh Voice"
• Barton F. Graf– "Coverage Coalition"
• McCann Worldgroup India– Live Laugh Love Foundation / "Ask Again"
• McKinney– Ad Council & Dollar General Literacy Foundation / "No One Gets A Diploma Alone"
• RPA – Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation / "Imaginary Friend Society"

Product / Service

• Burrell Communications Group – Toyota Motor North America / "Toyota RAV4 Adventure Grade: Alleviating Fear Through Community"
• Energy BBDO – National Safety Council / "National Safety Council: Stopping Everyday Killers"
• McCann Worldgroup India – Ministry of Public Health, Afghanistan / "Immunity Charm"
• R/GA Chicago – PepsiCo / "Bubly, Crack A Smile"
• VML – Gatorade / "Gatorade Beat The Blitz"

Regional Strategy

• Carmichael Lynch - Phillips 66/Conoco/76 / "Phillips 66: A Full Tank of Gas and Half a Pack of Cigarettes"
• Colle McVoy - Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board / "Stay Wild"
• FANATIC – Philips Audio / "Philips. Useful Sound"
• McCann Erickson/New York - MGM National Harbor / "Every Day Is Monumental"
• McCann Worldgroup India - Narayan Health / "The Door Blouse"
• VML – Amazon Kindle / "Kindle Stories Over Gray"

For more information on StratFest and the Jay Chiat Awards, please visit: http://stratfest.aaaa.org

About the 4A's
Founded in 1917, the 4A's was established to promote, advance and defend the interests of our member agencies, their employees and the industry at large. The organization serves 700+ member agencies across 1,300 offices, which control more than 85% of total U.S. advertising spend. As the leading trade organization for marketing communication agencies, the 4A's purpose is to help empower its members to deliver insightful creativity that drives commerce and influences culture, all while moving the industry forward. The organization provides community, leadership, advocacy, guidance and best-in-class training that help enable agencies to innovate, evolve and grow. The 4A's Benefits division insures more than 160,000 employees, and its D.C. office advocates for policies that best support a thriving advertising industry. The 4A's Foundation fuels a robust diversity pipeline of talent for its members and the marketing and media industry, fostering the next generation of leaders. The organization is dedicated to, and vested in, our members' success just as they are dedicated to helping brands create, distribute, and measure effective and insightful advertising and marketing. Visit the 4A's at www.4as.org.

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