The Chicago AAF Addys are taking heat from Adweek columnist Kat Gordon for mistaking 2016 for 1955 by having put together an all-male, all white jury to chose the winners for the upcoming, March 16 Awards Reception.
In an open letter published in Adweek, Gordon chastised jury chairman James Edmund Datri for his men’s locker room choice of jurors for the prestigious local awards.
She points out, “Ironically, two of the Chicago jurors, to Ziaja and Kevin Lynch, work for agencies – Razorfish and BBO respectively – that are sponsors of the 50/50 Initiative.
The other nine jurors are Brett Landry, ECD DarkHorse Creative Partnerships; Ted Koszuta, CD, Amazon; Joe Bartolucci, VP/CD, Babcock + Jenkins; Shawn Preston, CD CP+B; Paul Greer, VP/GCD, Digitas NY; Ben Jones, CD Google; Paul Johnson, ECD, Havas NY; John Dunleavy, President, m:united; Eric Korsh, Director of Mashable Studios, Mashable.
Gordon continues. “Jean Batthany, ECD at DDB Chicago, responded to this week’s jury announcement by showcasing how embarrassing Chicago’s lineup was compared with the Andy Awards:
“While judging the 2016 International Andy Awards, Susan Fowler Credle, global CCO at FCB, shared a photo of Xanthe Wells, former CCO at The Pitch, in the jury room with her baby in her arms along with Mark Tutssel, global CCO of Leo Burnett.
“Led by Chairman Colleen DeCourcy, co-ECD at Wieden + Kennedy, six of this year’s 26 incredibly talented judges were women, including Chicago’s own Liz Taylor, ECD at Ogilvy. A stark contrast to the all-male jury of 11 selected to judge Chicago’s 2016 Addys.
“Why? Why is it so goddamn hard? Why is it six steps forward toward gender balance in creative leadership and six steps right back. Come on, Chicago Ad Federation. You’re embarrassing us.”
