Press Releases

For release Feb. 3, 2010
Ad Club President Kathy Kiely selected to serve on the board of the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

BOSTON, Mass.  – As a mother of three, including two daughters, Ad Club President Kathy Kiely says she knows first hand the impact a strong role model can have on young women. She’s turning her words into action and has joined Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s Board of Directors. The Weston native was recently voted into the position by the board.

“I could not be more excited and honored by this opportunity,” Kiely said. “The Ad Club has always focused on mentoring in the community. Serving on the board of Big Sister Association is such a natural extension of the Ad Club’s mission.”

Since 1951, Big Sister has been helping girls reach their full potential through positive mentoring relationships with women. It’s the largest mentoring organization in New England exclusively serving girls, covering 69 cities and towns. It’s one of two organizations in the country dedicated solely to meeting the needs of young girls.

“Kathy’s participation on the board will help encourage others to stand behind our work and will be instrumental in helping us to further our mission,” said Deborah Re, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s CEO. “We are absolutely thrilled to have her on the board.”

Kiely has served as president of The Ad Club, New England’s trade organization for communications professionals, since 2005 following a 25-year career in marketing and advertising.

Throughout her career, she has helped develop and leverage successful communications programs for some of the country’s most recognized and respected brands including Verizon, McDonald’s, Century 21, Playskool and Hershey’s Foods.

From 2001 to 2003, Kiely served as executive vice president, general manager of Deutsch Advertising where she was responsible for launching the Boston office of the $1.5 billion agency. In this capacity Kiely directed new business, client management and strategic development initiatives.

Prior to that she served as partner, director of business development and executive vice president, creative director for Arnold Communications.

Kiely received her bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1978. She currently serves her alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees. She lives in Weston with her 3 children, Caitlin, Emily and Ryan.

About The Ad Club:

Founded in 1904, The Ad Club is the trade group for the New England communications industry. Focused on networking, professional development, advocacy, and diversity, The Ad Club organizes more than 30 events and programs every year. Legacy events such as the Hatch Awards, Media Auction, and Rosoff Awards highlight and celebrate the latest in new media and the digital landscape. The Ad Club's membership represents the best in class advertising agencies, media companies, and brands in the New England region.


For more information on The Ad Club, visit www.adclub.org and follow The Ad Club on Twitter and Facebook.

Contact: Marsha MacEachern
(marsha@adclub.org 617-456-1776)

For release Jan. 11, 2010
Women of all generations to benefit from “the best advice” at The Ad Club’s Women’s Leadership Forum

Social-media campaign will gather “the best advice” ever received from women for a published book and will help select a “rising star”

The Ad Club’s Women’s Leadership Forum
March 24, 2010 11:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Networking/Cocktail Reception: 5:30-6:30
Location: Mandarin Oriental Hotel

BOSTON, Mass. – Basketball Hall of Famer and Olympian Nancy Lieberman would like to share the best advice she ever got - “never stop working, wanting or dreaming.” The advice has paid off. She was recently appointed the first female to lead an NBA Development League team as the head coach of the Frisco, TX D-League squad.

This year The Ad Club has made it a mission to uncover the “best advice” many successful women have benefited from over their careers. On Wednesday, March 24, the club’s annual Women’s Leadership Forum will present an afternoon of discussions with forward-thinking women from a variety of career paths and generations. Based on the theme “The Best Advice I Ever Got,” speakers will share some of the best advice they’ve been given, as well as some of their own advice to help other women turn dreams into reality. Lieberman is one of many who will share her story.

“This event is designed for women of all stages of their professional careers, as well as men who want to see them succeed. The event will also focus strongly on mentoring,” said Kathy Kiely, president of The Ad Club. “We are encouraging each attendee to bring a young woman who he or she mentors. This is a great opportunity to recognize and reward the outstanding women in your camp who are doing a phenomenal job.”

Susan Retik-Ger, the founder of a philanthropic organization that supports Afghani widows called “Beyond the 11th,” will also speak at the event. Her advice? “You can’t always choose the roles you play but you can choose the way in which you play them.”
 
Additional speakers include Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral; Hill Holliday President Karen Kaplan, one of Advertising Age’s “Women to Watch” in advertising, marketing and media; Ellyn Spragins, the author of “If I’d Known Then” and “What I Know Now;” Massachusetts College of Art and Design President Katherine Sloan; Communispace President and CEO Diane Hessan; Boston Globe Chief Advertising Officer Lisa DeSisto; Shaunti Feldhahn, author of “The Male Factor;” and Rhodes Scholars Jean Junior and Eva Lam. A complete list of speakers is located on the event site.

In keeping with the theme, The Ad Club is inviting all women to visit its Facebook and Twitter pages to submit some of their own “best advice” via text or video. The social media campaign launched on January 19 and The Ad Club will continue to gather “best advice” submissions throughout February and most of March. Attendees of the event will receive a book featuring the advice quotes from both speakers and social media participants.

A “Rising Star Award” recipient will also be selected through online submissions. The Ad Club is accepting nominees of talented young women under the age of 30 to receive this first-time award. The winner will presented at the Women’s Leadership Forum and will receive a one-year “scholarship” from The Ad Club. The scholarship includes a one-year membership to The Ad Club and the exclusive “ClinkedIn” young professionals networking group, two free tickets to all 2010 events, a chance to meet executive-level members at a future Trustee Dinner event and an invitation to present the 2011 “Rising Star Award.”

Staples is the presenting sponsor of the 2010 Women’s Leadership Forum. Additional sponsors include Bank of America, Google, Ocean Spray, The Wall Street Journal and Welch’s.

Location and Tickets:
The Ad Club’s annual Women’s Leadership Forum will be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located at 776 Boylston Street in Boston, on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A one-hour networking and cocktail reception will follow. Please check the event website for additional information and updates.

About The Ad Club:
Founded in 1904, The Ad Club is the trade group for the New England communications industry. Focused on networking, professional development, advocacy, and diversity, The Ad Club organizes more than 30 events and programs every year. Legacy events such as the Hatch Awards, Media Auction, and Rosoff Awards highlight and celebrate the latest in new media and the digital landscape. The Ad Club's membership represents the best in class advertising agencies, media companies, and brands in the New England region.

For more information on The Ad Club, visit www.adclub.org and follow The Ad Club on Twitter and Facebook.

Contact: Marsha MacEachern
(marsha@adclub.org 617-456-1776)

For release Nov. 6, 2009
The Ad Club’s EDGE Conference aims to help keep communicators in tune with ever-changing global and social innovation

Hundreds will take advantage of the one-day event, featuring ‘words of wisdom’ from industry experts from Crispin Porter+Bogusky, NPR, Highland Capital Partners, Arnold Worldwide, Verizon, Isobar, IDEO, and more

BOSTON, Mass. – Whether you’re the CMO of a large corporation, or the founder of a non-profit organization called “Wine To Water,” having a solid, global social presence is key. Doc Hendley uses social media to help spread the word and gather donations for an organization he founded, and loves.

“When the idea came to me to start 'Wine To Water' the only real world job experience I had was tending bar,” Hendley said. “I dreamed of building an organization that fought water related death and disease using completely different methods than anyone else. So I started raising money to fight this water epidemic the best way I knew how, by pouring wine and playing music.”

Hendley is one of 19 speakers who will address more than 200 professionals working in media, communications, marketing, public relations and advertising during the annual EDGE Conference, produced by The Ad Club in partnership with the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). The conference, which will be held at the Harvard Club on Nov. 17, is a one-day showcase of some of the most creative minds in communications and brand-building featuring presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions.

“This is where you should go to get inspired,” said Kathy Kiely, president of The Ad Club. “But this conference goes beyond inspiration. Our goal is to have attendees leave with something tangible that they can apply to their day-to-day work.”

With speakers ranging from Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of Crispin Porter+Bogusky, to Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR’s “On Point,” the event covers a wide variety of issues, including the rise of R&D labs at advertising agencies, the growth of advertising on mobile phones, and the future of journalism.

Crispin Porter+Bogusky’s Alex Bogusky will discuss themes from his new book, “Baked In,” including the need for marketing to re-invent itself in the 21st century using tools from digital technology and networked media and from the fast-evolving activist marketplace.

Gary Stein, VP of social media at Isobar, will speak about trends that businesses of all sizes are facing as our marketplace and economy evolve. “Mozart vs. DJ Spooky (And 5 More Trends that will Totally Change your Life),” covers how agencies and businesses must shift to more fluid, dynamic, open and social marketing systems.

Additional highlights include Bob Davis of Highland Capital Partners, who will speak about the next great revolution in the technology industry – the mobile phone. Claude Grunitzky, founder of Trace Magazine, will discuss “transculturalism” and how it’s a rising trend that advertisers and marketers must watch out for. Clark Scheffy from IDEO will present “The Value of Design Thinking.”

Attendees of the event will include New England’s most senior marketing, advertising, and communications executives, representing brands and agencies like Arnold, Mullen, Hill Holliday, Fidelity, Staples, and many more.

Sponsors of the event include Google, Inc., Nokia Interactive Advertising and The Creative Group. Additional support is being provided by ACME Printing Company, AdBeast, Behance, Boston University and Getty Images.

Location and tickets:

EDGE Conference 2009 will take place on Thursday, Nov. 17th from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at The Harvard Club, located at 374 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Mass. Tickets are $150 for members and $200 for non-members. Check out www.adclubedge.com for more information, including a full list of speakers, biographies and scheduling.

About The Ad Club:

Founded in 1904, The Ad Club is the trade group for the New England communications industry. Focused on networking, professional development, advocacy, and diversity, The Ad Club organizes more than 30 events and programs every year. Legacy events such as the Hatch Awards, Media Auction, and Rosoff Awards highlight and celebrate the latest in new media and the digital landscape. The Ad Club's membership represents the best in class advertising agencies, media companies, and brands in the New England region.


For more information on The Ad Club, visit www.adclub.org and follow The Ad Club on Twitter and Facebook.

Contact: Marsha MacEachern
(marsha@adclub.org 617-456-1776)

For release: February 9, 2005
The Ad Club Names 25 Year Communications Veteran Kathleen Kiely as President

Integrated Marketing Specialist to Drive Leadership and Continue Organization's Growth

Boston, MA - The Ad Club, the trade organization for the New England Communications Industry, today announced that it has named Kathleen Kiely as President. Kiely is a 25-year communications professional who comes to The Ad Club with a broad portfolio of marketing and advertising expertise from her tenure in both the corporate communications and agency client services sectors.

 

"Our 2004-2005 Board of Directors consists of the most outstanding professionals in the communications industry, and with Kathy's leadership and vision, along with the Board, the road ahead is a very promising one, said Barbara Reilly, Partner at Arnold Advertising. “Kathy’s proven track record in both business development and the communications industry is unparalleled and we look forward to her bringing those capabilities to The Ad Club.”

 

Throughout her career, Kiely has helped develop and leverage successful communications programs for some of the country’s most recognized and respected brands including Fleet, McDonald’s, Verizon, Century 21, Playskool and Hershey’s Foods. Kiely most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Advertising for Bertucci’s Restaurants.

 

“As president of The Ad Club,” noted Kiely,” I am excited to be serving an industry that is constantly re-inventing itself. The mission of the club is to foster mutually beneficial relationships by continuing to develop meaningful programs and partnerships for our very varied constituencies.” Kiely also added, “I have been seated at both sides of the marketing table; As a client and an agency person, I believe I will bring a unique insight and perspective to the needs of all of our members.”

 

From 2001 through 2003 Kiely served as Executive Vice President, General Manager of Deutsch Advertising where she was responsible for launching the Boston office of the $1.5 billion agency. In this capacity Kiely directed new business, client management and strategic development initiatives.

 

From1995-2000 Kiely served as Partner, Director of New Business Development and Executive Vice President, Creative Director for Arnold Communications where she was responsible for developing strategy and overseeing execution for all of the agency’s fully integrated marketing campaign business pitches. Prior to joining Arnold, Kiely served as Executive Vice President, Creative Director for Pedone & Partners.

 

“I am thrilled to be passing the baton to Kathy,” The Ad Club’s current President Lisa Unsworth said. “She is smart, has tremendous energy, and is passionate about our industry. I know she will fuel the momentum that The Ad Club has enjoyed over the last twenty-four months.”

 

Kiely graduated with a bachelors degree from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1978. Kathy sits on the Board of Directors of Mass College of Art as well on their Corporate Advisory Board. She lives in Weston with her 3 children, Caitlin, Emily and Ryan.

For more information on The Ad Club, visit www.adclub.org and follow The Ad Club on Twitter and Facebook.

Contact: Marsha MacEachern
(marsha@adclub.org 617-456-1776)