• by Kelly Samardak , September 21, 2009

The Advertising Club Presents The Stars of Madison Avenue, The Union League Club, New York
September 21, 2009

I don't know why I agree to go to 8:00a.m events. As I'm signing up, my dormant pituitary gland wails "you know you're not going to make it!!" but I sign up anyway. Sometimes, I even request to be put on the list. Which was the case with the Women of NBCU breakfast, hosted by my favorite outspoken loud mouth Real Housewife of New York, Bethenny Frankel. Now, I had the best of intentions. I got home around 11:00p.m last night... but then I couldn't get to sleep until 2:00a.m - and then when my alarm went off at 6:30a.m I thought wild squirrels were making sweet sweet love in a pool of my stomach acid. It's just as lovely as it sounds. I think you can deduce, you little pack of Columbos, that I didn't make it to the breakfast. And I almost didn't make it to the Stars of Madison Avenue Luncheon - but I had you, dedicated reader, in mind, and I sucked down a pot of coffee, fought off the honk reflex, and booked it to The Union League Club.

That's right, The Union League Club (see "about"). Where men wear jackets and women should be men. If the advertising industry is trying to squash the old boy's club, this location wasn't the place to do it.  Ripe with tiny soldiers and busts of old men, the library was a big ole shot of musty testosterone. To soften the blow, the full bars were flowing freely and I managed to corner a few gentlemen (and ladies!) for photos. Also, it should be noted that I set up my own shots, I did not watch another photog set up the shot and then snap away, interrupting their white balance. It also should be noted that I was and still am sort of cold sweating and that doesn't make me the most jolly of party reporters. I'm human, what can I say.

Among my photo victims were Chris Corkery from EYE, Stuart Meyler from Beebe, Clark, & Meyler, John Lang from Microsoft, David Andreychuk from Microsoft, Sumeera Rasul from GE, Jamie Curley from GE, Jon Burkan from UBS, Mitch Kanner of 2 Degrees Ventures, Andrew Cytroen of Johnson and Johnson, and Bob Amberg of National Geographic. When I found my lovely table, table 24, I sighed with annoyance. It was the furthest from the panel and there was no way I could weave up to the front like I normally would without disrupting everyone around me. People should be able to enjoy a luncheon that they paid for and chose to attend with me pressing my can in their face while they try to eat their mashed potatoes.

At my table I met the very sharp and friendly Kendi from Quantcast. Already deep in some sort of passionate conversation was Brett Pomley from Bloomberg and a British fellow that was evasive with his affiliation, but quite obviously ticked about brands doing good. This whole social responsibility thing did not ring true with him and he wasn't shy about it. He was nearly gnashing with anticipation of question and answer time where "NOW IS THE TIME TO SAY SOMETHING!" While the honorees' videos were shown - inspiring images of big fat brands helping every level of the socio economic pyramid - floppy haired Brit snarked under his breath to Paul Sewards of Barker/DZP. I'm probably more cynical than a girl my age should be and I'm a constant skeptic, but seriously - if a company is helping children in Russia NOT get AIDS, does it really matter if it helps spiff up their brand image as well?

Oh, the food, right? Before the panel began the chicken arrived. I turned to the girl next to me, who represented the Advertising Club and suggested that just once they should do a taco bar. Mix it up a little. She joked that next time we'd be at the IHOP. I mean, really - it would take the stuffiness out of the event for sure. I am now hungry. The chicken was actually really good. I balked at first at the raisins doggy paddling in the sauce, but the chicken was also resting on mashed potatoes and I just don' t see anything wrong with pureed spuds. I suddenly rediscovered my appetite and inhaled half of my plate.

Then I sort of lost my appetite when the floppy haired British "Super Delegate" hooted "Don't they even care?!" when the panel concluded without a question and answer session. Which reminds me - this wasn't a panel. Granted it looked like a panel because they were all seated in panel formation - but this was an award luncheon. Do The Oscars or The EMMYs open the podium up for questions after handing out awards? No. The winners (who you can find here) were there to be honored, and they were honored to be there - it wasn't an opportunity for the guests to verbally berate "The Man" for trying to solve the world's problems and potentially keep a nice shine on their brand image as well.

Ok, now I'm off to snap some pictures of the OMMA Global Cocktail Party, and then I have to run to the Nokia Advertising Party at the Hudson Hotel - and then I may actually skip out on the opening night concert at Nokia Theatre because this girl needs to repair so I can hit you with my best shot the rest of the week.  Forgive me?

Soon you can find all the photos on Flickr.  But not yet. Not yet.

The pictures are up! Check 'em out!

As long as my fingers are free, I'll be tweeting at Twitter.com/socialmedium!