Pitch-perfect advertising gurus

One of the city’s oldest organizations keeps its members up to date on the newest innovations in the marketing industry. The American Advertising Federati Corpus Christi Chapter has a 66-year history in the city and is just as vital to its most recent members as it was — and still is — to its stalwarts. Just ask them!
“Thanks to the AAF, we can stay on the cutting edge of technology, which puts us on an even playing field with markets like Dallas and Houston,” said Michael Keesee, the current president. 
“For those of us who came up in the traditional world of TV, radio and print, AAF has given us the education we need to keep us in front of the digital curve,” said Yvonne Olvey of Olvey Media Consulting. 
Olvey has been an AAF CC member since 1992. An AAF scholarship fund is named for her. She attributes AAF members with mentoring her in her chosen profession. 
“I was really motivated working closely with people in the industry,” she said. “Being an active member is highly educating for someone in the field.”
The nonprofit’s executive director, who has also served as president (as has one of her two sisters and her father), said AAF is the only organization in town “full of creative professionals dedicated to growing businesses.”
“Their jobs every day are to make sure local businesses are doing well,” said Lexi Buquet, co-owner of BucketWorks Advertising, a company her father founded. “These businesses are what keeps Corpus Christi thriving. Everyone in AAF is dedicated to the businesses in Corpus Christi.” 
Like Keesee, Karol Stewart has only been a member for about a year. She said the organization has made her a better marketer.
“If you are in marketing and advertising, or if your job is to place or purchase ads, design ads or logos or graphics — any of these things — then you’ll meet others in the industry and you’ll learn from them,” she told Corpus Christi Business News. “You will find people to help and guide you. If you want to grow your business and better your brand, you’ll join AAF.”
Stewart is coordinator of community services for the Art Museum of South Texas as well as a sculptor and former small-business owner. She got involved with AAF after a friend brought her to hear a speaker from the advertising department of Texas Monthly, a publication in which Stewart wanted to advertise.
“I was able to make direct face-to-face contact with someone and learn more about their structure and where I could find resources,” Stewart said. “I found out some months are better for advertising the arts than others. I learned how to best use our advertising dollars to better advantage.” 
Next month’s speaker focused on nonprofits. 
“That was right up my alley,” Stewart said. “That brought me in for good.” 
The decision has paid off, Stewart said. She not only gets to “nerd out” with new friends who share a passion for the industry, she also continues her education, building her skill set. 
Buquet had the same experience with quality speakers. She returned to Corpus Christi to work in the family business after graduating from college. One of her sisters forced her to go to an AAF meeting. 
“It was the best thing she could have made me do,” Buquet said. “I was just becoming a professional. It forced me to meet business owners. It built my confidence and opened doors for me.”
The speaker program is not all she found meaningful in AAF. The organization also provides a mentorship program for students that allows them to create real-life marketing plans and compete for awards, boosting resumes and making connections that can turn into jobs after graduation. The Yvonne Olvey scholarship fund even helps students pay for their college education in advertising and marketing. 
A new program called One Day, brings together all the best talent in the club to build an advertising campaign for a local nonprofit, all in one day. Last year, the very first recipient, Mission Pawsible, implemented its full multimedia campaign, which included TV spots filmed in both English and Spanish, the day of the program. The group worked in a lab at Texas A&M University with all the tools they needed at their fingertips.
The project came out of the public service committee, one of several committees in which members can get involved, Buquet said. Joining a committee, which is encouraged, deepens the value members receive, she continued, echoing a sentiment also mentioned by longtime member Olvey.
Olvey said members who get the most out of the organization see the big picture.
“The big picture is education, lobbying for legislation, going to the conferences where you get an even better quality of speakers from the biggest companies in the country,” she said. “No other organization in town zeros in on the marketing and advertising aspect of businesses the way we do.” 
What makes the federation such an asset is the people involved, the ones who work the committees, serve on the board and bring their enthusiasm and inquisitive, creative minds to the meetings, Keesee said. Although he has only lived in the city about two years, he is a longterm member of AAF, having been active in chapters in Kansas and other areas of Texas.
“This is probably one of the strongest AAF boards I’ve served on,” he said. “They are passionate about the industry, about the club, and they like each other. That’s one of the foundations that will take this to the next level.”
The future for AAFCCC involves growing membership, hosting a conference and winning some awards. Keesee said he’s got Club of the Year in his sights. To do that, the local organization only has to keep dedicating itself to public service and member education.
“We are truly a well-rounded club,” he said. “The advertising federation is filled with a bunch of people with a passion for what they do, and they want to get better at it. Every meeting should bring something to the table. For instance, while digital advertising may not be an interest to you now, it’s going to be, so we bring in those kinds of speakers. We can give you that extra boost.”
AAF-CCC meets the second Thursday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at different restaurants across town. Anyone interested in joining should contact Lexi Buquet, executive director, at (361) 884-2992 or lexi@bucketworksadvertising.com.