FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Outdoor Ad Industry Launches Year of the Creative

Washington, October 27, 2003 - A new campaign focused on raising the standard of creative design in outdoor ad campaigns has been initiated by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA). The Year of the Creative was launched at a meeting of the new OAAA Creative Committee, where creative directors, fine artists and media experts gathered in Los Angeles to support the initiative and exchange ideas.

"With outdoor, the medium is the message and nothing encourages advertisers to use outdoor more than great creative that gets noticed," remarked Rick Robinson, chairman of the OAAA Creative Committee and general manager and creative director at MacDonald Media.

The new committee is comprised of talented artists, designers and advertising professionals who will concentrate on five specific initiatives: development of an industry creative positioning and campaign; initiation of a series of innovative seminars to introduce agency designers to the creative opportunities that outdoor provides; expansion of the involvement by advertisers and agencies in the industry's annual creative competition, the OBIE Awards; creation of a speaker's bureau that will focus on outdoor design at ad industry conferences and universities; and improvement of the quality of public service advertising within the medium.

John Miller, managing partner and director of out-of-home communications at Mediaedge:cia commented, "Between the creative opportunities that this ad medium presents, and the pool of remarkably talented artists and designers in the field today, outdoor should be setting the bar for innovative, cutting edge advertising design."

The members of the new OAAA Creative Committee are Tony Alwin, senior v.p./director of creative, Clear Channel Outdoor; Norty Cohen, president, Moosylvania Marketing; Brian Haselton, corporate director of creative services, Adams Outdoor Advertising; Michael Horton, owner/designer, CreamSoda; Rob Jackson, creative director, Jager Group: Mendi LeBlanc, director of creative services, Lamar Advertising Company; Kimberly Leidy, art director, Clear Channel Outdoor; Jim Lesser, creative director, BBDO West; Shan Melendreras, art director, Viacom Outdoor; John Miller, managing director, Mediaedge:cia; Andre Miripolsky, artist; Perry Novelli, e-content director, W.W. Grainger; Mike Parsons, national creative director, Fairway Outdoor Advertising; Michael Perhaes, interactive art director, Lieber, Levett, Koenig, Farese, Babcock; Rob Richards, senior v.p./creative director, Eller Company; Charlie Robb, creative director, Smith & Robb Advertising; Sean Robertson, creative director, Viacom Outdoor; Rick Robinson, general manager/creative director, MacDonald Media; Edwin Roses, professor and principal, SuperHappyBunny.

The OAAA is the largest trade association representing the outdoor advertising industry. It is dedicated to leading and uniting a responsible outdoor advertising industry that is committed to serving the needs of consumers, advertisers and the public. The OAAA's nearly 1,100 member companies generate more than $5 billion annually in ad revenues, representing more than 90% of industry income, and donate space to charitable organizations in excess of $300 million each year. This year marked the 61st anniversary of the OAAA OBIE Awards, the oldest and one of the most prestigious honors for creative excellence in the advertising world.

Outdoor Advertising Association of America, Inc.
1850 M Street, N.W., Suite 1040
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202.833.5566
Fax: 202.833.1522
E-Mail: mmoller@oaaa.org
Website URL: http://www.oaaa.org