AAF
"I don’t have the words to do justice to just how much it means to me. I can’t believe I get to do what I get to do." Pictured are, left, Susan Cook, the 2003 Silver Medal winner, and Ken Schaefer.
Longtime advertising executive Ken Schaefer was presented the prestigious Silver Medal by the Fort Worth chapter of the American Advertising Federation at a reception last week at Backlot Studio on South Main Street.
The AAF Silver Medal Award Program is designed to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advertising industry while furthering its standards of excellence and social responsibility. This national honor is bestowed annually by local clubs across the country upon members of the advertising community.
The AAF Silver Medal recognizes the lifetime achievements and ongoing contributions of individuals to the advertising profession.
“This was such a special moment in my life, and I don’t have the words to do justice to just how much it means to me. I can’t believe I get to do what I get to do,” Schaefer said in an email. “I’m blessed beyond anything that I could’ve conceived. Hearing all that people had to say was incredibly humbling and a little overwhelming.”
The award was established in 1959.
Proceeds from tickets sold to the reception benefited Good Natured, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s Greenspace Initiative. The mayor delivered remarks.
AAF
Proceeds from tickets sold to the reception benefited Good Natured, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s Greenspace Initiative. The mayor delivered remarks.
“On behalf of the selection committee and AAF Fort Worth, I would like to congratulate Ken Schaefer on receiving this prestigious award in recognition of his valuable contributions and creative excellence within the advertising industry in Fort Worth and beyond,” said Keith Powell, chair of the Silver Medal Awards Committee and 2017 recipient of the Silver Medal Award, in a statement.
Schaefer left Fort Worth-based Justin Boot Company in 1994 to join Bobby and Jan Blanchard and create Blanchard Schaefer Advertising. It was rebranded Schaefer Advertising Co. in 2011. Schaefer is its president and owner.
Under his leadership, Schaefer Advertising Co. has evolved from a small design firm to a full-service agency with 50 associates across seven states.
Schaefer is a founding member of the TCU Department of Design Advisory Council. He also lends his support of local universities and higher education institutions, serving as a guest lecturer for marketing, advertising and design classes.
“While I may have been the one standing up to receive this honor, this was made possible because of the incredible people that have chosen to call Schaefer their work ‘home,’" Schaefer said. "They are the real award winners. I tell people when they join our company — that it’s not likely they’ll retire here — that Schaefer will be a stopping point in their work journey. But whether it’s a few years or a few decades, our goal is to add value to their life. And in doing so, they make Schaefer what it is today. The Schaefer team is the absolute best and we wouldn’t be where we are without them.”