REPORT CHICAGO 2017

  • "This was my first CONNECTIONS event! Enjoyed the venue and format. Easy to get to know people and the work. Made many great contacts for SEARS to reach out to."
    Catherine MICHALSKI SEARS HOLDINGS Vice President, Visual Design

  • "Loved the event and specifically the diversity of the work--from print to VR to video. Also, lovely team and lovely people. I definitely look forward to coming back next year. Thank you so much for having me and making me part of this great experience."
    Burcu SAHIN BEAM SUNTORY Global Marketing Director, Innovation

  • "Loved the diversity of the work and the passion behind the craft. Was great to see so many artists finding new avenues to express their creativity as the business continues to evolve. The work that spoke most to me was only beautiful and well-produced, it was conceptual and purposefully stood out from everything else. Thanks for the inspiration."
    Josh GROSS ENERGY BBDO VP, Executive Creative Director

  • "Really enjoyed the experience! Great range of creatives from clean, simple design to highly breakthrough. Thanks for letting me be a part of it."
    Anup SHAH MOLSON COORS Senior Director, Global Innovation

  • "What an engaging day! There was a truly high caliber of work everywhere I looked and it was great to have first-hand knowledge related to my industry from each of the presentations i saw."
    Martin CIMEK WILSON SPORTING GOODS CO. Global Art Director

  • "'Imagination is its own form of courage.'~Frank Underwood. This was an amazing experience!"
    Juan WOODBURY LEO BURNETT VP Exec. Producer, Experiential Creative Director

  • "Great event. Met some great companies and saw some amazing work. We will definitely work with a few companies that I met at the event. The intimate setting was perfect to build a relationship and talk with the companies. Great job!"
    Alex NORMAN GTB (FOR FORD) Head of Strategy

  • "Overall, a great experience! Love the diversity of the vendors. Some truly groundbreaking work."
    Randy BELCHER DONER Executive Creative Director

  • "Thanks for inviting me. Saw some great work. Wish I coul have stayed even longer."
    Ryan PAGE CAPITAL ONE Head of Design

  • "I was very impressed with the caliber of artists and companies represented at the show. Truly the best of the best!"
    Reid THOMPSON NESTLE PURINA Group Creative Director

  • "Thank you for inviting me to CONNECTIONS! Amazing creative work! I’m thrilled to meet so many great artists and creatives. I look forward to next year!"
    Dan ALBAN ANTHEM INC Creative Director

  • "Thank you for inviting me to be a juror. I enjoyed it very much. I like the venue--small but enough to fill the atmosphere."
    Cecilia ZALAZAR BLAIR-BLUESTEM BRANDS Vice President, Creative

  • "Great talent. Love that technology was highlighted. Bring CONNECTIONS to Minneapolis!"
    Todd PAULSON KNOCK Inc. Partner / Chief Creative Officer

  • "An enjoyable experience. Well-produced event. Wonderful opportunity to connect with reps and studios. I will take away a lot from this."
    Jorge OROZCO-CORDERO DISCOVER CARD Sr. Manager, UX Design & Innovation

  • "Overall, very informative and excited to see some people that I've worked with over the past few years. Definitely will be connecting with most of the teams for future projects!"
    Eamon MADIGAN MOTOROLA Senior Visual Designer

  • "I wasn't sure what to expect of a show that is part"award show" and part"rep show," but I liked it. It's a great way to get involved in the work instead of just viewing it at a normal agency 'showing'. I'd do it again."
    Chris JACOBS CRAMER-KRASSELT SVP, Exec Creative Director

  • "Best show I've attended so far! Great space, great talent. Thank you so much for inviting me!"
    Susan HOUSER NIKE Senior Producer

  • "Excellent high-quality work all around. Great to meet old and new colleagues. Super venue."
    Meghan HURLEY CVS HEALTH Art Buyer

  • "Wonderful talent, inspiring on-trend work and great networking."
    Holly WILLIAMSON ULTA BEAUTY Art Director, UX & Mobile Product

  • "Amazing collection of work. Wish I had more time to go through all of it."
    Brad WILLIAMS KOHLER Associate Creative Director

  • "CONNECTIONS was very well organized and offered a great diversity of expression. Thank you!"
    Lee SUNGA GOOGLE Creative Strategist

  • "Great venue. Amazing talent came! Well organized!"
    Hilary RIFFE NEWELL BRANDS Global Photography Manager

  • "Inspiring."
    Chris POSDAL ARC WORLDWIDE-Miller Coors Creative Director

  • "Fun, great experience. Great venue. Thank you for a super event!"
    Charlie MARTTILA OLSON Sr. Integrated Art Producer

  • "I had a wonderful experience! Some really nice work and great people!"
    Chris MCGAURAN BEAM SUNTORY Associate Creative Director

  • "Great group of entries. Amazing quality and craftsmanship. Inspiring!"
    John GALLAGHER GEOMETRY Vice President, Design

  • "Such a great experience! The energy was fantastic. So productive - love the use of time."
    Angie D'ANGELO MCDONALD'S Photography Manager

  • "Great talent on display. Thanks for inviting me!"
    Danielle CAMERON BADER RUTTER Assoc. Creative Director

  • "Great event! Perfect venue!"
    Brian COOPER ENERGY BBDO EVP, Director of Content

  • "Amazing, amazing work! Thank you for inviting me! Would love to do it again."
    Michael CRAIGHEAD WALTON ISAACSON Assoc. Creative Director

  • "I thought the event was really well put together. I liked the scale and intimacy of the space. Thanks for having me!"
    Gina DECONTI ALLSTATE Senior Digital Art Director | UX

  • "Work! More work! More amazing work! Put together thoughtfully and considerately to get the most of all the artists. I'm exhausted---in a good way!"
    Megan EVANS OGILVY & MATHER Creative Director

  • "Loved connecting. Great way to get a look at a lot of great work!"
    Dan FIETSAM LAUGHLIN CONSTABLE Chief Creative Officer

  • "The show was inspiring! To see the wealth of talent in our industry and the passion in the presentations is remarkable. Invite me again!"
    Alyssa GRIESCH IN MARKETING Creative Director

  • "I thought the event today was great. Very engaging and open enough to approach each booth and start a conversation. Lot of great thinking and also great snacks!"
    Bryan HRADEK MCGARRYBOWEN Creative

  • "What a great, inspiring event! Everything was so well-run and organized. Thanks!"
    Colleen KEESEY DDB WORLDWIDE Art Director

  • "Great variety in the work and talent shown. Wonderful staff who were both warm and welcoming and were attentive to all my needs. Great atmosphere and amenities made the long day fly by. Love to see and have the opportunity to see the works being done by all the talented individuals out there."
    Blair LAWTON SCHAWK! Sr. Art Director

  • "Chicago CONNECTIONS was a well-thought out event that did a great job of curating some of the most talented artists in the country/world."
    Jason MANN HAVAS Creative Director

  • "Great experience judging this year. Very organized and inspiring. See you next year!"
    Emily MOORE HAVAS Associate Creative Director

  • "This year’s CONNECTIONS was a really great production. I was delighted by the sights and sounds of creativity. The sustained energy level of communicating with the top level agents in the country and previewing global work keeps me coming back."
    Christine OLIVER LEO BURNETT Sr. Production Coordinator

  • "Great event, well-organized. Good variety of work."
    Javier OSORIO MEKANISM Associate Creative Director

  • "Great experience and excellent work. Inspiring!"
    Nathan PENCE KOHL'S Vice President, Creative

  • "Thank you. Great show. Great coordination. Worth my time. Great selection of artists."
    Manny RIVERA AON SVP Marketing

  • "I will be forever thankful for the genuine connections I made today. A word to describe the event would be authentic. Exhibitors didn't feel like they were selling--they were listening. In a world that seems to shout at you everyday, it's nice to have the right people listen."
    Eric SAWITOSKI AON Senior Director & Global Creative Director

  • "Great experience. Thank you so much for the invite. The work was well-rounded and it was a great talk."
    Dan SCHUNK PINTEREST Creative Strategist

  • "It was fab! I found so many artists to partner with on ideas and I would love to do it again! Great caliber of work and such a great venue!"
    Erika SNELL ABELSON TAYLOR Associate Creative Director, Art

  • "Great turnout! Love the video, AI & VR--please add more. Thanks for the gracious hospitality. Come to Minneapolis!"
    Marsha TRAINER PERISCOPE Executive Producer

  • "Great exhibitors! Such beautiful work and a great space!"
    Lindsay TYLER FCB CHICAGO Executive Producer, Content Integration

  • "Such an inspiring room full of creatives and the people who love and appreciate them. I want to come back soon!"
    Angie VICENCIO LANE BRYANT Art Director

  • "This was the best show I have attended. The displays were spaced perfectly. The quality time I was able to spend with each vendor was fabulous. I look forward to next year's event."
    Pam WEITZMAN SCHAWK! Sr. Producer

  • "I thought the talent represented this year was stellar!"
    Mark WIEGARD GAUGE BRANDING Co-Founder/Creative Director

  • "Overall, I really enjoyed the vendors you selected for this CONNECTIONS. A great time, met some lovely people and enjoyed all the work for sure. Thanks for having me!"
    Cass ZAWADOWSKI Global Creative Director

  • "CONNECTIONS is an invaluable industry event.
    It’s the place to be for networking and discovering new talent and work.
    Thanks for the inspiration!"
    Lisa KUNST LEO BURNETT GROUP Sr Producer