AAF-ND

What AAF-ND does

AAF-ND (American Advertising Federation North Dakota) is the North Dakota chapter of the American Advertising Federation and a nonprofit professional membership organization serving advertising, marketing, and creative professionals across North Dakota and western Minnesota. The chapter operates as one of over 130 AAF affiliates nationally and sits within AAF's 8th District alongside six other regional clubs in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. It is governed by a member-elected volunteer board of directors led by President Tate Hovland (Concordia College), with officers including 1st Vice President Kelsey Horner, 2nd Vice President Geneva Nodland (AdShark), Secretary Kayla Hagen (Duffney Sisters), Treasurer John Morrison (American Crystal Sugar Company), and Creative Director Emma Zink (Emma Designs Co.); the organization employs a small staff in the 11-50 range per firmographic data, and is headquartered at P.O. Box 1051, Fargo, ND.

The organization monetizes through three primary revenue streams: (1) annual membership subscriptions at three price tiers — In-Person Professional ($399/year), Remote Professional ($319/year), and Student ($99/year), valid through May 31, 2027 for the 2026-27 cycle; (2) transaction-based American Advertising Awards competition entry fees of $75-$140 per entry (student entries $40); and (3) recurring season sponsorships across Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers from regional enterprises such as Tellwell Story Co., Office Sign Company, Flint Group, Folkways, H2M Brand Haus, Onsharp, Spotlight Media, Thuen Studios, AdShark, Arrow Advisors, Knight Printing, TrueNorth Steel, and Vistal. Member distribution and event ticketing are processed through third-party SaaS platforms JoinIt and Eventbrite; the website is tracked via Google Analytics and award nominations use Google Forms. Programs include monthly Speaker Series, networking socials, Buzz-Worthy events (Super Bowl ad reviews, trivia nights, creative throwdowns), the annual American Advertising Awards show (held at venues such as Avalon Events Center in Fargo), the Good For Nothing Fargo volunteer initiative, and the Silver Medal Award — the chapter's most prestigious individual honor (2026 recipient: Jeff Reed of Flint Group).

AAF-ND's strategic posture is community-led growth: the value proposition for professionals is networking, industry recognition, education, and career development (citing that 75% of advertising jobs are filled through networking); for students, it is portfolio feedback, studio crawls, job shadowing, and pipeline access; for regional businesses, it is brand exposure to the regional creative community. The go-to-market motion relies on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletter, website, events, and referrals. AI/ML is not part of the capability stack. The primary growth levers are membership base expansion, sponsor tier upsell, and event programming volume, with headquarters embedded in a regional market where the chapter holds incumbent status but limited defensibility against potential new entrants or direct digital networking substitutes.

Name

AAF-ND

Legal name

American Advertising Federation North Dakota

Website

https://aaf-nd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from In-Person Professional ($399), Remote Professional ($319), and Student ($99) tiers. Memberships are valid from date of purchase through May 31, 2027.
2. Advertising Awards Entry Fees: Professional competition entry fees: Member Single Entries $75/entry, Member Campaign Entries $100/entry. Non-Member pricing is higher at $110 and $140 respectively. Student entries are $40 each.
3. Season Sponsorships: Platinum, Gold, and Silver tier sponsors support the organization in exchange for brand visibility, event recognition, and access to the region's marketing professionals. The organization actively seeks 2026-27 season sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AAF-ND is a nonprofit professional membership organization that sells annual memberships (In-Person Professional, Remote Professional, and Student tiers) giving advertising and creative professionals access to speaker series events, social networking events, awards competitions, and student programs across North Dakota and western Minnesota. The organization supplements membership dues with American Advertising Awards entry fees and Platinum/Gold/Silver season sponsorships from regional businesses, and runs the Good For Nothing Fargo volunteer day pairing professionals with local non-profits.

Product overview

AAF-ND (American Advertising Federation North Dakota) is a professional membership organization serving advertising and creative professionals across North Dakota and western Minnesota. The organization offers three tiers of membership (In-Person Professional, Remote Professional, and Student), each providing access to a portfolio of events and programs including monthly Speaker Series, networking Socials, Buzz-Worthy special events, and the annual American Advertising Awards competition. The flagship community initiative is Good For Nothing Fargo, a volunteer event pairing marketing professionals with local non-profits. The organization also administers the prestigious Silver Medal Award and provides student-specific programs such as portfolio reviews, studio crawls, and job shadowing. Sponsorship opportunities at Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers provide corporate partners with exposure to the regional advertising community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Professional Membership Annual membership ($399/year) for advertising and creative professionals providing free access to every Speaker Series event, a free seat at the American Advertising Awards Show, 30% off awards entry fees, major discounts on other AAF-ND hosted events, joint membership in AAF District 8 and AAF Nationals, and on-demand access to past speaker presentations.
• Remote Professional Membership
• Student Membership
• Speaker Series Events
• Social Events
• Buzz-Worthy Events
• AAF-ND American Advertising Awards Annual advertising competition recognizing excellence in advertising work by professionals and students, with categories spanning Sales & Marketing, Print Advertising, Out-of-Home/Ambient Media, Online/Interactive, Film/Video/Sound, Elements of Advertising, and Public Service. Entry fees: Member $75 single / $100 campaign; Non-Member $110 / $140; Student $40 each.
• Silver Medal Award The organization's most prestigious annual honor awarded to an individual who has helped raise the stature of the advertising industry, based on criteria including creative ability, community contributions, and service to AAF. The 2026 recipient was Jeff Reed, Art Director and Illustrator at Flint Group of Agencies.
• Good For Nothing Fargo Annual volunteer event where marketing and creative professionals donate their time and skills to help local non-profits with creative and marketing needs — functioning as a 24-hour pop-up ad agency with teams working one-on-one with a non-profit partner. The 2025 event engaged over 30 volunteers serving 5 area non-profits.
• Student Programs
• Sponsorship Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of jobs are landed through networking with professionals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tellwell Story Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor and event sponsor for Good For Nothing Fargo. Tellwell is a creative studio based in Fargo, ND that partners with mission-driven organizations through film, branding, web design and campaign strategy.
• Office Sign CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor providing signage and print solutions. Founded in 2008, based in Downtown Fargo, known for high-quality office signs and custom print solutions including signage, name tags, apparel, and branded items.
• Flint GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Full-service creative and advertising agency established in 1946, based in Fargo, ND. Provides strategic thinking, integrated marketing, PR, media and creative capabilities.
• FolkwaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Non-profit organization based in Fargo, ND dedicated to fostering community engagement through programs including Red River Market, Night Bazaar, and public art initiatives.
• H2M Brand HausminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Boutique advertising and branding agency in downtown Fargo serving clients across the Midwest with brand differentiation strategies and impactful design.
• OnsharpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Custom portal and application developer with over 25 years experience building solutions for growing businesses, including HubSpot implementation.
• Spotlight MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor and event sponsor for Good For Nothing Fargo. Full-service marketing and media agency in Fargo, ND offering magazine publishing, digital advertising, web design, video production and creative branding.
• Thuen StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Commercial photography, videography, and graphic design studio at 2249 Sheyenne Street in West Fargo, ND serving industrial, food, architecture, lifestyle, product, and landscape sectors.
• AdSharkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor. Performance-driven digital marketing agency founded in 2013, located in downtown Fargo, ND. Offers digital advertising, web design, SEO, email marketing, and analytics.
• Arrow AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor. CPA firm located in central Fargo, ND providing accounting, tax planning, business accounting, sales tax compliance, and payroll processing services to small businesses.
• Knight PrintingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor. Full-service commercial printing firm based in Fargo, ND, founded in 1888. Offers sheet-fed offset and digital printing, binding, die-cutting, mail fulfillment, and label printing.
• TrueNorth SteelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor. Steel solutions provider with 80+ years of experience and 800+ team members. Founded in Fargo in 1945 as Fargo Tank, serving industries nationwide with fabricated steel, engineering, and project management.
• VistalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor. Employee-owned company supporting engineering firms with strategic services in planning, finance, HR, IT, marketing, and communications. Focused on building sustainable ESOP companies.
• American Advertising Federation (National)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAF-ND is one of over 130 local affiliates of the American Advertising Federation and part of AAF's 8th District. Joint membership provides access to national resources, competitions, and district-wide events.
• AAF District 8coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAF-ND is part of AAF's 8th District which includes 7 clubs from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Joint membership connects local members to the broader district network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Advertising Federation (National): National parent organization of AAF-ND and 130+ other local ad clubs. Operates the American Advertising Awards program at the national level; provides the network brand and infrastructure that AAF-ND's local chapter benefits from.
• American Marketing Association (AMA): National professional association for marketers, with local chapters running networking events, professional development, and awards. Comparable member-based community model serving marketing professionals, though broader in scope than advertising-only.
• 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies): National trade association representing the advertising agency industry. Broader incumbent that overlaps with AAF-ND's mission of serving the ad community, but focuses on agency-side issues rather than local chapter programming and awards.

Others

• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): National professional association for PR and communications professionals with local chapters, awards (Silver Anvil), and membership tiers. Adjacent professional membership model targeting a closely related communications industry in the same region.
• IABC (International Association of Business Communicators): Global professional association for business communicators with regional chapters running events, awards, and professional development. Adjacent peer that overlaps in serving communications and creative professionals through a chapter-based membership model.

Direct peers

• AAF South Dakota: Fellow AAF District 8 local chapter operating in South Dakota. Direct peer running the same chapter-based membership, events, and American Advertising Awards programs for advertising professionals in an adjacent upper-Midwest market.
• AAF District 8: Regional district of the American Advertising Federation comprising 7 clubs across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Directly comparable in operating model (chapter-based advertising membership) and geographically adjacent to AAF-ND.
• AAF Minnesota (AdFed): The Minnesota affiliate of the American Advertising Federation, operating out of Minneapolis. Closest directly comparable peer as a fellow AAF local chapter running membership, events, and American Advertising Awards competitions for regional advertising professionals.
• AAF Wisconsin: Another AAF District 8 chapter operating in Wisconsin. Direct peer with same membership/event/awards operating model serving regional advertising professionals, providing a useful benchmark for chapter-level performance.

Regional players

• Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber of Commerce: Regional business membership organization serving the same Fargo-Moorhead geography as AAF-ND. Comparable membership-based nonprofit serving local professionals with events, networking, and programming, though focused on general business rather than advertising specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aafnd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aaf-nd
• Instagraminstagram.com/aafnorthdakota

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AAF-ND