Back in Action: A Look into AAF’s Fall 2021 Season — American Advertising Federation at illinois

AAF Illinois President Nate Walinder and CEO Maya Cornelius speak to the chapter at the Fall General Meeting.

The American Advertising Federation (AAF) here at the University of Illinois is back and better than ever. After a whole year of operating during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I think I can speak for most AAF Illinois members when I say that we are looking forward to the Fall 2021 season and all it has to offer.

Last season, due to COVID-19, there were no in-person meetings or activities allowed per the University and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. “It was just really glum, speaking to a bunch of dark rectangles and not really being able to do as much hands-on stuff as we’d like,” said Sora Seals, President of CTRL+V. “It’s so much easier to go about these kinds of meetings when you’re here in person.”

This season, AAF Illinois is getting back into the normal swing of things. With in-person agency meetings, there are many opportunities for face-to-face interaction (with masks of course); along with hands-on activities, workshops and events. “It is so good to be back,” said Catherine Arreazola, the Director of AdLab. “Now that we’re back in person, I get to talk to people, I get to actually see faces and interact with people.”

Along with this new season comes new opportunities. Dedicated to internal branding, the Digital Team is AAF Illinois’s newest addition and has a little something for everyone. “Already we’re seeing incredible work coming out of the team,” said Lincoln Rogers, Chief Digital Officer for AAF Illinois. “In the first week alone, we produced seven social media graphics and a new logo animation; we’ve had photographers out at AAF events already, and we’ve been able to update the website with something new almost every day.”

The pandemic taught most of us to never take what we have for granted. That’s why for this Fall 2021 season, we’re hitting the ground running. As Rogers said, “This year is going to be a great year for AAF.”