&Barr Wins Best of Show Two Years Running
2023 American Advertising Awards

By: Jacqui Garcia, Associate Creative Director

2022 was a big year for &Barr. We celebrated our 65th anniversary, and with that milestone came a lot of self-reflection, not to mention self-promotion. We took a long hard look back on our 65 years in the business, marveling at how today &Barr holds steadfast as Florida’s largest independently owned agency and one of the nation’s oldest overall. While our longevity in a finicky industry is impressive, even more so are the clients we have served during that time. This year’s ADDYs, specifically our Best of Show winner, showcased that in more ways than one.

And The Winner Is…

For the second year in a row, &Barr won both a Gold ADDY and Best of Show in the Self-Promotion Category. Our entry, aptly named “Barrchive,” is an homage to the beloved industry publication, Lürzer’s Archive, which features some of the world’s best campaigns.

With that as our inspiration, Barrchive (led by Senior Copywriter Meg Rosenoff) came to life — a tongue-in-cheek take on what our clients’ ads might have looked like back in 1957 when then Fry | Hammond | Barr first opened its doors. The result is a bound collection of vintage ads that celebrate both &Barr’s 65-year history and the clients we partner with today including AAA, Badcock Home Furniture &more, Florida’s Space Coast Office of Tourism, Habitat for Humanity. Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Sonny’s BBQ, Space Coast Credit Union, and many, many others.

Revealed and gifted at &Barr’s 65th anniversary event, our clients were thrilled with their “classic” ads and the self-promotion piece itself. Apparently, so were the ADDY judges, who also awarded Barrchive two Silver ADDYs, one for Copywriting and one in the Advertising/Media Industry Self-Promotion category.

But Wait, There’s More…

The 2023 Orlando AAF ADDYs also recognized Jennifer Neuman and Jack Polly’s work for &Barr’s Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors client, earning our “Only a Realtor – Game Night” video a Gold ADDY in the category of Film, Video & Sound. Plus, our Handcrafted Ad Campaign for Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company was awarded a Gold ADDY in the Elements of Advertising category. It is an award hard-earned by our Art Director, Jordan Stewart, who still has a few X-Acto-induced scars from his efforts (because when we say the entire campaign was “handcrafted,” we mean it).

With the creative vision of Rachel Clements, &Barr also brought home a Silver ADDY for our client Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando & Osceola County (“Their Dream, Our Mission” video) in Film, Video, & Sound. &Barr also won Silver for OpenHouse Insurance (Valentine’s Day campaign) in Online/Interactive, Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors (“Only a Realtor – Countdown” video) in Film, Video, & Sound, as well as for &Barr itself (&Barr Brand Refresh Animations) in Elements of Advertising, concepted and executed by Kori Zamora.

So, in many ways and for multiple reasons, 2022 was a notable year for &Barr. Now, we’re focused on 2023 and all the opportunities it holds for ourselves and our clients. We’re committed to doing all we can to continue changing hearts, minds and lives. And if we happen to win an award or two, or three, along the way, that’s fine by us.