Drama was a prizewinner for Spotlight Newspapers on Friday, May 4.
At the Ad Club Association of Communication Professionals’ 34th annual NORI awards on Friday, an ad suggesting that hometown news can be as
dramatic as staged events, took first prize in self-promotion.
The ad first appeared in Playbill at Capital Repertory Theater in Albany and appears in other theater programs, too.
Spotlight Newspapers Advertising Director Bill Kellert wrote the text of the ad and Spotlight Newspapers Art Director David Abbott designed it.
Abbott said he was inspired by the idea of stage lights to create the shadowing on the text of the ad.
The dramatic lighting is in keeping with the ad, he said.
Kellert was excited to win the award.
`It continues the legacy I started in my own firm,` he said, referring to Kellert Advertising Associates, which his father, Al Kellert started, and where Bill Kellert worked from 1978 until 2002. In 1985, after his father’s death, he ran the agency.
`To see that level of excellence carried on at Spotlight Newspapers is exciting,` Kellert said. `The ad is very simple. Simple and white space work well together.
Vice president of Spotlight Newspapers, John McIntyre, agreed about the effect of simplicity.
`It’s creative, yet simple,` McIntyre said. `Talented people come up with creative and simple things. Dave and Bill are among the best and the brightest we have here.`
Al Kellert was a co-founder of The Ad Club in 1961. With around 300 members, it brings together people who work in advertising, public relations and marketing, to further acquaintance and cooperation among them.
The Ad Club’s current president, Michelle LeClair of My Graphics Co. Inc. of Chatham, Columbia County, said the NORI Awards are the region’s most recognized award for marketing and advertising.
`It’s an honor to win because there’s so much great work coming out of the region,` LeClair said.
`When you go to the NORI Awards, you see so much great work and wish you could have done that. It makes everybody want to be more creative.`
LeClair admired Spotlight Newspapers’ ad.
`It was very clean and simple,` she said.
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