Jon Kamen was national chairman of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers in 1992, the first year of the AICP Show. At the time, he wrote in the event’s program book, "The awards shows that honor our industry have needed a fresh approach. I believe this show will prove to be a perfect forum from which to honor excellence in our industry."
Kamen’s vision was prophetic. The AICP Show has grown over the years to become one of the major advertising awards events, attracting SRO crowds and, via its U.S. and international tour, reaching more than 15,000 of the world’s creative leaders in advertising and production. The annual compilation of honored spots has come to be known globally as "America’s Reel," representative of the best U.S. work.
With retrospective powers dating back to when the AICP Show was a concept and there was no certainty of success, Kamen, now co-proprietor of bicoastal/international @radical media, recalls, "The question for us at the time was, ‘If you build it, will they come?’ And thanks to tremendous support from the community, that first year turned out to be an overwhelming success, laying the foundation for the long-term growth of the Show."
In fact, Kamen recollects that one of the prime reasons he took on the overall AICP chairmanship back then was the opportunity the AICP Show. "It gave me the political platform to help make that dream come true," says Kamen, who cites the tireless work of numerous volunteers, including Jordan Kalfus, chairman of the first AICP Show.
This is the second time Kamen has chaired the AICP Show. He first held that distinction in 1994. The impetus for Kamen returning as chairman is rooted partly in his desire to recognize those who made the AICP Show a reality. A special dinner is being held this week (6/13), at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, to bring together many of those who have been instrumental in the success of the Show.
Playing during the dinner will be all 10 years of AICP Show-honored commercials. Fittingly, the gala dinner event will also feature the debut of a documentary on the AICP, commemorating another milestone– the organization entering into its 30th year. Included in the documentary will be interviews with many of the early AICP pioneers, preserving on film their industry recollections and insights.
Looking back, Kamen relates that several elements came together concurrently in ’91 to help make the AICP Show a reality. "There was a groundswell within the AICP to gain more fitting recognition of the art and technique of the American commercial. It had become obvious to several veterans of the business at the time that there was a need for our own event, our own ceremony. I remember Jordan [Kalfus] delivering a speech about that very subject."
That was also a time when the Clio Awards scandal was being felt throughout the industry. "It was almost like you wanted to take a shower after attending that show," recollects Kamen. "The industry needed a tasteful show that would recognize the body of great work created by the U.S. advertising and filmmaking community."
Kamen remembers annually attending the MoMA screening of top British spots. "The MoMa presentation of that work was elegantly done with the focus on the reel of work– there were no interruptions in the form of speeches or handing out of trophies. The work was the star."
Envisioning that same feeling as apropos for the then-fledgling concept of an AICP Show, Kamen experienced a bit of well-timed serendipity in the form of a phone call. "Oddly enough, we had done a commercial that was getting attention– it showed a Honda automobile as a piece of art in a museum gallery. [The spot, entitled "Art Gallery," was directed by Henry Sandbank, who at the time was partnered with Kamen at the now former Sandbank & Partners.] Someone from MoMA called my office to request a copy of that commercial," recalls Kamen.
That led to Kamen meeting with Larry Kardish, senior curator of MoMA’s Department of Film and Video. Kamen learned that while MoMA didn’t actively procure assorted U.S. spots, the museum would seek out certain commercials of interest for inclusion in its films-of-persuasion collection. Kamen proposed that an annual collection of the best in American commercials could prove to be a meaningful addition to that persuasion collection.
"MoMA was a bit suspect of it at the time, wondering whether the American work would measure up to the artistic quality of the British work," says Kamen. "I assured Larry that it would."
Kardish was supportive of the proposal and added another dimension, noting that traditionally, as is the custom with the screening of anyone’s work at the museum, the author or artist would be on hand to give some lecture or presentation. "That was the catalyst for the Directors Lecture Series," relates Kamen, adding that directors Joe Pytka, Ridley Scott and Steve Horn made commitments to appear at that first annual AICP event. (The Lecture Series has since expanded to also include speakers from different segments of the ad industry and communications business.)
Indeed, commitments of all kinds were essential and marked the entire process of getting the AICP Show off the ground. "There were commitments from volunteers throughout the AICP– members and associate members," says Kamen. "There were commitments from companies who kind of looked the other way while their people were putting time and energy into the Show– for me, my former partner, Henry Sandbank, let me and my staff put untold amounts of time into organizing the Show and Lecture Series. There were also all the support people, the sponsors: Kodak, SHOOT, so many others. And there was the advertising agency community. Agencies embraced the concept and committed to entering commercials into the Show, as well as to attending the Show. We raised funds; leading people took money out of their own pockets to make sure the event was done in a first-class manner. There was a wonderful camaraderie among the entire team of volunteers."
That first AICP Show helped the organization on varied fronts. "I think it helped to pull us together even closer as a national organization," contends Kamen. "We had a series of great meetings over the three days of that event– a Congress of members, a luncheon. It helped set us upon an aggressive path of being considered more seriously by counterpart organizations like the 4A’s [the American Association of Advertising Agencies] and the ANA [Association of National Advertisers]. The Show was a great platform for growing the organization, cooperating with other organizations. We were able to use the Show and related events as a focal point to build bridges– with other organizations, and with other parts of the world. We envisioned ourselves in an ambassadorial role of sending the best of our American work to museums around the country and the world."
Kamen adds that connecting more meaningfully with the ANA helped forge a relationship with a staffer there, Matt Miller, who became and continues to serve as president of the AICP. "Matt means so much to the AICP– and to the AICP Show," says Kamen. "Matt and the professional management of his team have accomplished so much with the Show, helping to realize what we had all dreamed of when the Show was just a concept. There’s a lot for us to celebrate today."
In that vein, one part of the original festivities in ’92 was a gala event at the New York Public Library to mark the AICP’s 20th anniversary. In a sense, the spirit of that coming together parallels this week’s aforementioned dinner at MoMA, offering thanks to many of those who helped make the AICP, the Show and Lecture Series successful. "That’s another reason I wanted to be AICP Show chairman this year– the chance to have this dinner event, which I hope is done in the future more frequently than every ten years," relates Kamen. "I feel strongly about the need of our industry to get together– not just to enjoy a schmooze fest, but to celebrate our accomplishments in a slightly more formal setting, with a sense of historical perspective.
"We have created something that has held up beautifully and lived up to our original commitment to have a Show different from any other– whereby being part of the AICP Show is the honor itself, not some trophy," continues Kamen, who adds that the AICP Show is a role model in another respect. "When we started out, my radical idealism at the time was to look forward to a day in which the monies spent on awards shows went back to the industry, and not into private hands. That was a founding premise of our Show in ’92, especially back when the whole scandal of the Clios was hurting the industry. We wanted to put award shows back in control of the industry, monitored by the industry and with the resulting monies being put back into helping the industry advance."
