ADDY Week is our annual rite of self-congratulation, and self-evaluation.

It also serves as a demarcation point from one year to the next—and sometimes in our business, from one era to the next. ADDY Week is always cause to stop and reflect, which none of us seem to have enough time for anymore. It’s also a time to renew old acquaintances, see new possibilities and form new alliances.

This year, I was honored to present at the ADDY Student night, where I did my best to convince them that a life in advertising can lead to happiness, and that the qualities that help you succeed in advertising can lead to a fulfilling life beyond it. Though I can’t be sure I was convincing to them, talking with our next generation convinced me the future is in good hands.

The topical panels that followed over the next three days were insightful and motivating as well, and the many RTers who participated got as much as they gave. Anyone attending those sessions had to have come away thinking there’s work to be done, both in St. Louis and in our industry, and that advertising and marketing continue to offer limitless possibilities to those who are willing to work for it. It’s interesting to note that just this week in Money Magazine online, Mark Cuban said, “In ten years a new skill will be more in demand than it ever has been: creative thinking.”

The highlight, of course, was the ADDY Awards ceremony, which was held this year at the spectacular Bissinger’s Caramel Room—itself a testament to creativity and rejuvenation. Socializing on their spectacular outdoor deck with February temperatures in the 60s, it seemed the gods were indeed favoring our passionate pursuit of the coveted plexiglas idols.

Congratulations to all of the other winners, and to the breadth of work recognized. In our case, our 24 Golds, 19 Silvers, 2 Best of Shows and a Special Judges Citation represented clients including AT&T, Black Flag, The Black Rep, Cutter Insect Repellent, Everclear, LouFest, The Hartford, the Magic House, Museum of Transportation, Rebel Yell Bourbon, Saint Louis University, Scottrade and Spectracide Bug Stop. Most importantly, this recognition is testament to those special bonds between client and agency that nurture and nourish great work.

To all of the Ad Club people who worked long and lovingly to pull it together – you more than hit your mark. And the rest of us leave this glorious week behind more inspired, more determined, and more certain than ever that this is the only profession we want to make our own.