TheBuzz Erika Engle

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Graphic designer Cheng wins national award

HAWAII graphic designer Clifford Cheng, of VOICE Design, won his first American Advertising Federation silver ADDY award, a national award, last month.

The award was for his work in "Hawaii Skin Diver" magazine, which he serves as vice president and art director.

Sterling Kaya, magazine president, is also a graphic artist by training, and also owns fishing and diving store Hana Pa'a Hawaii Inc.

The ADDY was awarded in the Editorial Spread category for a piece called "Squid Eye." It, along with two other works Cheng designed for the magazine, had also won a Pele Award earlier this year, the sort of state-level championships for advertising awards.

It was the only Hawaii ADDY winner this year, amid heady competition.

"Well actually our goal is to win a gold ADDY (or first place), said Kaya.

Those are usually awarded to the really big dogs of advertising, the Leo Burnetts, DDBs, Saatchi & Saatchis and other names known 'round the world.

Nevertheless, the road toward gold is slowly being paved, as the magazine has also won merit awards from the national Society of Publication Designers.

Free publicity time again

You can almost hear the hopeful, "Pick us! Pick us!" cries around the state, as Ad 2 Honolulu is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations for its annual free public service campaign valued at roughly $1 million.

Ad 2 is a nonprofit, industry organization of advertising professionals age 32 or younger.

This year's call for applicants says the campaign will include the usual elements, such as marketing, public relations and advertising.

It also promises "creative executions," but to your columnist's knowledge, no person or animal has ever been injured or worse during the implementation of an Ad 2 campaign.

Ad 2 Honolulu campaigns have, however, won national Ad 2 awards, four years straight for its work for Hawaii Meals on Wheels; Hawaii Literacy; Aloha United Way's member organizations advocating for people with mental retardation and Hale Kipa Inc.

The record was dashed last month with a crushing second-place finish at the American Advertising Federation conference in San Francisco.

This year's winner was Ad 2 Madison (Wisconsin), for its campaign for a rape crisis center.

Nevertheless, the Boys and Girls Club is a steadfast believer in Ad 2 Honolulu's work, given the impact its campaign has had.

"I think it's been just shy of earthshattering," said David Nakada, executive director.

The two organizations determined the Boys and Girls Club's needs and came up with a plan to increase the volunteer base and to increase public awareness, especially among youth who were likely to use the club's services.

Response from new volunteers "has been very, very good," Nakada said emphatically.

The club thought it was "doing a good enough job" in getting its word out to the kids, but "we really weren't that hip and cool."

Ad 2's "research and creation of a public relations and marketing strategy ... was brilliant and it is really, really starting to pay off for us."

Results have exceeded the expectations of the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, Nakada said.

"Our board is just elated with the work that they've done and the attention that we've gotten because of their efforts."

Applications are available at www.ad2honolulu.org or from public service co-chairwoman Goldyn Zimetbaum via e-mail at gzimetbaum@starrtech.com.