The Central Minnesota American Advertising Federation (AAFCM) is most well-known for the annual American Advertising Awards, the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting over 50,000 entries every year in local competitions. However, the chapter holds monthly events that encourage student and professional involvement and networking opportunities including the 12-Hour Student Design Challenge, Coffee with Creatives, Hustle Hours and Portfolio Review.

The chapter is celebrating its fifth year of the CMYK Poster Competition, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The contest is simple; designers, students and professionals alike, are given a theme and specs of a poster and then are tasked with creating it using their choice of medium. After submissions are complete, posters are printed by the AAFCM, hung in a bustling brewery full of creatives from the area eager to see one another’s creations. This year, the theme was Totally 90’s. Designers do not receive any other prompts, encouraging a wide range of posters depending on how each individual views the topic.

Bemidji State University’s School of Technology Art and Design sponsored two student’s submissions into this year’s competition: Cailey Birchem and, exchange student, Annalena Pfeiffer. Cailey is a Minnesota-native, who is in her senior year at BSU, and has been involved with events such as TEDxBemidji, TAD Talks and Design Guild leadership. Annalena has been at Bemidji State since the start of 2019 fall semester from Magdeburg, Germany, and plans to graduate with an Industrial Design degree in 2021.

Interested in learning more about how you can get involved with this great organization? Opportunities to network and challenge your design abilities with the Central Minnesota American Advertising Federation are always available on their website, or reach out to Mitch Blessing at mitchell.blessing@bemidjistate.edu.