Every year, AAF Greenville hosts the Upstate’s local awards gala to recognize outstanding achievements in advertising for both professionals and students. This committee is responsible for all aspects of planning, promoting, and judging.

Call for entries – NOW OPEN
Due by Monday, January 30th

Awards gala
Saturday, March 4, 2023
Time and Location TBD

One of our signature programs is the annual public service initiative benefiting a local non-profit organization. The program allows us to select a non-profit partner that has some marketing budget but limited resources. We then recruit a local agency or industry professional(s) who are willing to donate their time and services to help the chosen non-profit organization. The non-profit organization will pay a one-time fee towards their services of choice and after securing donations from its members and their stakeholders, they intend to yield a minimum of a 2:1 return on their investment within a 8-9 month period.

To qualify for consideration, an organization must:

• Be a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
• Have some marketing budget that can be allocated to this program
• Demonstrate need for marketing assistance to reach a measurable goal
• Be willing to work collaboratively with AAF Greenville volunteers

The education committee fosters relationships with local university marketing and advertising programs by facilitating events like resume building workshops and professional advice panels to educate and excite students interested in an advertising career. Educational opportunities are as follows:

Minority High School Internship Program

This program offers a minority high school student the opportunity to gain insightful experience and establish contacts within the local advertising industry. The selected student participates in a two-week summer internship program that places them in various host organizations throughout the area. The selected students are rewarded with a $500 scholarship towards post-secondary education and are eligible for a chance at a $1,000 college scholarship from AAF District 3.

Rising high school juniors or seniors, or rising college freshmen are eligible for consideration upon receipt of a completed Student Application to include:

• A completed application
• A typed 150-word essay on the topic, “Why a career in advertising interests me”
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher or guidance counselor
• An official transcript with class rank
• Signed parental consent form with medical release

Bill Leslie Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving college student preparing for a career in advertising. The charter specifies that scholarships be awarded to college students enrolled in an advertising program or a program directly related to advertising. Applications will be available to college students in the Greenville market by the end of the spring semester.

Originally, the American Advertising Federation was founded with the purpose to self-regulate the advertising industry and uphold the highest business standards. Today, it continues to protect and promote advertising at all levels of government through efforts ranging from local grassroots activities to national lobbying.

AAF Greenville’s Government Relations committee contributes to the national efforts at a local level by:

• Proactively forging relationships with local and state legislators while keeping them up-to-date on the current impact that the advertising industry has on the economy.
• Monitoring legal issues surrounding the advertising industry on an on-going basis.
• Keeping the Board of Directors and AAF Greenville’s members informed as issues arise that could affect the industry and their businesses.
• Determining a strategy of how to best address legislative issues when they arise and coordinating these plans and execution with other AAF efforts at a national level.

The diversity committee is responsible for increasing interest in our industry among multicultural audiences. As part of an effort to support diversity and inclusion, the AAF Greenville Diversity Committee began awarding a Minority High School Internship Program in 2008. This program is part of a national initiative designed to provide students with a hands-on experience in the advertising and communications field.

Diversity committee members will make presentations to local high schools, youth groups, area clubs, etc. The presentations will provide an overview of the advertising industry and explain career opportunities within the field as well as introduce the internship program. Please see Education for more information.