2022 Chicago ADDYs

Celebrate the work, the agencies and the advertising industry of Chicago with a night of creativity and connectivity – as well as handing out the shiny trophies to our 2022 Chicago ADDY award winners. We are also awarding the inaugural People’s Choice Chicago AF award to the best 2022 ADDY entry, as judged by “real” Chicagoans outside of the ad industry. Our special guests for the evening are Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago/Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago and Tuan Huynh, Founder at VietFive Coffee (former Senior Art Director at Leo Burnett and American Advertising Federation Mosaic Champion Award), and Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, Chicago Historian and CEO, Chicago Mahogany Tours.

Michael Fassnacht A seasoned marketing leader with more than 25 years of experience, Michael works alongside the Mayor’s office as the Chief Marketing Officer to ensure that all marketing, branding, and business development activities for the city are aligned with Mayor Lightfoot’s economic growth plan focused on inclusive growth across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. In December 2020, Michael stepped in as interim President and CEO of World Business Chicago to ensure a smooth transition to a new leader while intensifying World Business Chicago’s efforts to attract new companies to Chicago. It became clear very quickly that Michael was the right person to lead WBC into the next chapter and he graciously accepted the full time position in May of 2021.

Tuan Huynh Tuan is an awarding-winning Creative Director and community organizer. He came to the U.S. as a toddler and refugee from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. Growing up in the Midwest, he has developed a uniquely diverse sense of creativity. This experience has afforded him recognition from global fortune 500 brands, being named one of the 2019 Most Inspiring Chicagoans by Streetwise Magazine, and being recognized as the Mosaic Champion by the American Advertising Federation. Today, he is able to combine both his experiences in advertising and philanthropic work to elevate his family’s coffee story through his company VietFive Coffee. VietFive Coffee is serving up authentic Vietnamese coffee, grown and harvested in the place of his birth and roasted in Chicago, Illinois.

Sherman “Dilla” Thomas Shermann “Dilla” Thomas is a fascinating blend of modern historian, cultural worker, and public employee. Dilla is a life-long resident of Chicago’s south side Auburn-Gresham neighborhood, An employee of Chicago area power utility ComEd since 2011, Dilla began making Tik-Tok videos in an effort to bond with one of his 7 children. Dilla came up with the novel idea of producing short videos focusing on the history of Chicago. A subject he has been independently studying for 20 years. The rest of the story is, as they say, history.

The evening will be a welcome return to an in-person ADDY event after years of pandemic virtual-ness.

We will hear inspiring words from our special guests, mingle with Chicago’s creative greats and celebrate our city’s inspiring advertising creative. The 2022 Chicago AF People’s Choice award will be announced the night of the event. You won’t want to miss out on who the non-advertising Chicagoan judges choose to win this prestigious award.

CAF Members exclusive registration begins 4/18 and Non-CAF Member registration begins on 4/25. This is a premier, limited ticket event. We’d love you to join us and help make the evening truly, Chicago AF.

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About the program

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting nearly 35,000 entries every year in local AAF competitions. The mission of the American Advertising Awards is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.