Ad 2 grabs fifth public service award

Ad 2 Honolulu has won the national Ad 2 Public Service Campaign award for the fifth time in six years, at the American Advertising Federation annual conference in Kentucky.

Ad 2 is a nonprofit trade organization for advertising industry professionals age 32 and younger.

Each year, chapters nationwide select a nonprofit organization to receive a free, multimedia public service campaign worth roughly $1 million -- and the campaigns are entered in an annual competition.

This year's Honolulu recipient this year was start-up nonprofit AccesSurf Hawaii Inc., which helps children and adults with disabilities enjoy ocean activities using special equipment.

"We presented our campaign for a panel of judges at the AAF National Conference in Louisville today and I'm proud to announce that Ad 2 Honolulu won first place," said Amanda Donlin, former media buyer for Laird Christianson Advertising Inc., in an e-mail yesterday.

Ad 2 Honolulu's Public Service Committee co-chairpersons George Zamarripa and Goldyn Zimetbaum rounded out the team making yesterday's presentation.

Zamarripa is an account executive for marketing at CP Advertising LLC, while Zimetbaum is a broadcast producer at Laird Christianson.

Ad 2 Honolulu had won a record four consecutive national Public Service titles going into last year's annual conference, but got second place to winner Ad 2 Madison that year. Going into this year's conference, the Honolulu chapter had already claimed a four-peat as Ad 2 Club of the Year.