A Night to Remember: The 2025 American Advertising Awards Seattle
AAF Seattle Administrator
On Thursday, April 03 the Seattle advertising and creative community gathered for an unforgettable night of inspiration, recognition, and celebration at the 2025 American Advertising Awards Seattle Gala—marking the triumphant return of AAF Seattle’s biggest annual event to a live, in-person format after five years online.
Held at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus, this nearly sold-out event welcomed hundreds of creative professionals, agency leaders, students, and supporters to honor the very best in advertising across the region. From bold integrated campaigns to powerful public service storytelling, the work celebrated this year reflected not just creative excellence but cultural impact, collaboration, and purpose.
A Triumphant Return to the Stage
The American Advertising Awards—affectionately known as the ADDYs—are part of the nation’s largest and most representative advertising competition, attracting more than 25,000 entries each year across three tiers: local, district, and national.
For the Seattle creative community, this year’s gala wasn’t just another awards show—it was a comeback story. After half a decade of virtual gatherings, the event marked a bold new chapter for AAF Seattle, a club that nearly closed its doors in mid-2024. But thanks to a revitalized board, a passionate volunteer base, and the support of industry leaders, the organization has entered what President Valentina Gomez Bravo calls “our comeback era.”
“Rebuilding AAF Seattle has been a labor of love,” said Gomez Bravo during her opening remarks. “This event mattered—not just for us as individuals, but for the entire community. It was a night to remember, and we hope it’s the first of many more to come.”
Honoring Legacy: The Silver Medal Award
One of the evening’s most anticipated moments was the presentation of the Silver Medal Award, the highest honor AAF Seattle bestows each year. This prestigious recognition celebrates those who have made significant contributions to advertising and demonstrated a consistent commitment to creative excellence and industry advancement.
Presented by advertising legend Tracy Wong, this year’s Silver Medal was awarded to two outstanding leaders: Matt McCain and Michael Boychuk, whose collaborative legacy has shaped some of the most celebrated work in the region and mentored a generation of creative professionals. Their tribute video, produced by their agency peers, was met with roaring applause and a standing ovation.
Learn more about the Silver Medal Award and the honorees.
The Judges, the Work, the Wins
The 2025 show was judged by a panel of nationally recognized creative leaders from outside the Seattle market. Their selections reflected the breadth and depth of talent across the region, with entries evaluated across traditional, digital, social, experiential, student, and public service categories.
For the first time ever, AAF Seattle introduced Bronze Local Awards into the winner’s circle, allowing more outstanding work to be recognized alongside Silver and Gold ADDY honorees.
Among this year’s most notable winners:
Herd of Shepherds and Smartsheet took home Best of Show for “Peak Fandom,” a campaign that blended creative craft and data-driven strategy with playful fan engagement.
PB& LLC and Visit Seattle received the Mosaic Award for “Unsettled Territory,” recognizing excellence in multicultural marketing and inclusive storytelling.
Judge’s Choice Awards were presented to:
VML Seattle for “The BOOM Inside You” with Washington’s Lottery & the Seahawks
DNA&STONE for “Scary Not Scary Question” with Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle Kraken for “Defend the Deep”
The show also highlighted student work from Seattle Central College and Western Washington University, underscoring the next generation of creative leaders.
A Look at SOME OF THE THE Winners
Here’s a simplified look at some of this year’s award recipients:
🏆 Best of Show
Herd of Shepherds – “Peak Fandom” for Smartsheet
🥇 Gold ADDYs (Selected Highlights)
VML Seattle – “The BOOM Inside You” for Washington’s Lottery / Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Kraken – “The Creature” and “Hoist the Colors”
Imaginary Friends – “This is Work” for Microsoft
DNA&STONE – “Aegis – Aging is Life”
🥈 Silver ADDYs (Selected Highlights)
Copacino + Fujikado – “Skip the Drama” for Sound Transit
PB& LLC – “Unsettled Territory” for Visit Seattle
Hydrogen – “Powering Generations” for Puget Sound Energy
C+C – “Salmon Warriors” for Salmon Defense
🥉 Bronze Awards (New in 2025)
FreshMade – “Dogs: The Ultimate Copilot” for Microsoft
Bread n Butter – “Dick’s Drive-In x Royal Family Farms”
Designit – “Packed with Joy” for Zipfizz
University of Washington – “Brand Anthem”
🎓 Student Winners
Jenny Katz, Seattle Central College – Quili Sustainable Packaging
Cam Gibb, Western Washington University – MODE Summit 2025
A complete list of winners and categories can be found here.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
This year’s gala was made possible through the generous support of our event sponsors. AAF Seattle is deeply grateful to the following partners:
Associated Posters Inc. – Our go-to source for large and grand format printing. Their beautiful banners welcomed every guest at the door, and they offer exclusive discounts to AAF members!
Via Creatives – A powerhouse video production team that captured the night beautifully. We can’t wait to share their official recap.
Offbeat Films – The storytellers behind our stunning photo booth experience. Check out the photos—they’re as authentic as they are fun.
Weekend Photography (Jonathan Owens) – Candid moments, standing ovations, and all the sparkle in between—Jonathan captured it all live from the floor.
We’re proud to collaborate with sponsors who not only support the event but also uplift the creative community year-round.
View the Photo Album
📸 Relive the magic!
Our full photo gallery from the gala is now live.
Click here to view and download your favorite moments.
What’s Next for AAF Seattle?
The gala may be over, but AAF Seattle is just getting started.
With a revitalized board, a growing membership, and a renewed mission focused on Service, Growth, Recognition, and Connection, AAF Seattle is committed to building a more inclusive, accessible, and vibrant creative community.
“This isn’t just a comeback,” said Gomez Bravo. “It’s the beginning of a new chapter—and we want everyone to be a part of it.”
Want to get involved? Volunteer? Sponsor an upcoming event? Or just meet more people who get what you do?
👉 Contact us or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay connected.
About AAF Seattle
Founded in 1909, AAF Seattle is one of the oldest clubs in the American Advertising Federation, the nation’s only organization that brings together professionals across all disciplines and career levels in advertising. From students to CEOs, creatives to strategists, we’re here to champion the industry and the people who make it matter.
Want to help shape the future of AAF Seattle?
Join the movement. Be part of the momentum. And maybe… start working on your 2026 entry.