The One Club

The One Club
Name	The One Club
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	1975
Headquarters	New York City
Key people	Michael Beirut, Paula Scher, David Droga, Alex Bogusky
Focus	Advertising, Design, Creativity, Education

The One Club is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating excellence in advertising, design, and creative communications. Founded in 1975, it hosts flagship competitions, hosts educational initiatives, and connects professionals across New York City, Los Angeles, London, and other creative centers. The organization operates awards programs and training that intersect with agencies, brands, media, and academic institutions such as School of Visual Arts, Parsons School of Design, and Rhode Island School of Design.

History

The organization was established in 1975 by industry figures linked to Doyle Dane Bernbach, McCann Erickson, BBDO, JWT, and Saatchi & Saatchi as a response to a growing need among advertising practitioners in Madison Avenue and SoHo for peer recognition and professional standards. Early events attracted creative leaders from Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, Young & Rubicam, and TBWA\Chiat\Day, and the group later expanded programming to include design communities associated with Pentagram, Foster and Partners, and IDEO. Over decades the organization adapted through shifts marked by the rise of digital advertising, the advent of social media marketing, the growth of multinational corporations such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Unilever, and the influence of pioneers like William Bernbach, David Ogilvy, Mary Wells Lawrence, and Hal Riney.

Mission and Activities

The group's stated mission emphasizes celebrating creative excellence and advancing careers across advertising and design ecosystems that include agencies like Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy, Anomaly, and consultancies including Accenture Interactive and McKinsey & Company’s design practices. Activities span judging panels with representatives from Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and Netflix; educational workshops with faculty from Columbia University, Harvard University, and Stanford University; and mentorship programs connecting students from Savannah College of Art and Design, Royal College of Art, and Otis College of Art and Design with veterans from Saul Bass’s lineage and contemporary leaders like Stefan Sagmeister.

Organizational Structure

The organization is governed by a board composed of executives drawn from networks including Interpublic Group, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom Group, and independent agencies such as Mother and 72andSunny. Operational divisions cover competitions, education, partnerships, and events, liaising with festivals and institutions like Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, D&AD, South by Southwest, and AICP. Staff roles often include creative directors, jury managers, and education directors who coordinate collaborations with universities like New York University and museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper Hewitt.

Awards and Programs

Signature programs include the annual competitions judged by professionals from HBO, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., Samsung, and Nike, alongside educational initiatives similar to those at TED Conferences and partnerships with organizations such as Ad Council. Award categories span craft, direction, copywriting, art direction, and interactive design, attracting entries from networks including DDB Worldwide and independents like R/GA. The organization’s juries have featured creators associated with works such as “1984” (Apple Inc. commercial), Volkswagen “Think Small” campaign, and iconic projects from Nike and Pepsi.

Membership and Community

Membership brings professionals and students into a community that intersects with alumni networks from Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest, Advertising Week, and academic affiliations such as California Institute of the Arts. Members include creatives who have worked on campaigns for McDonald’s, IBM, Microsoft, Toyota, Lego, and Heineken, and who collaborate with influencers and directors connected to Ridley Scott Associates and production companies like RSA Films. Community programming features portfolio reviews, masterclasses, and networking events with speakers from The New York Times, The Guardian, Vogue, and Wired.

Notable Campaigns and Collaborations

The organization has partnered on juried showcases and retrospectives featuring work from agencies responsible for campaigns like Nike Air Jordan, Apple’s Think Different, Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”, Dove Real Beauty, Always #LikeAGirl, and collaborations with multimedia producers linked to YouTube Originals and Vice Media. It has facilitated panels and case studies with creative leads from Droga5 on “Dumb Ways to Die”-style public service efforts and with producers who worked on branded content for Red Bull Media House and National Geographic.

Impact and Recognition

Over its history the organization has influenced standards recognized by peers at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, The One Show, Clio Awards, and D&AD, contributing to career advancement for winners who later joined agencies like Grey Advertising, FleishmanHillard, and Edelman. Its alumni and honorees include leaders who have received lifetime achievement recognition from institutions such as Cooper Hewitt and have spoken at venues including Lincoln Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall. The organization’s awards and educational programs are cited in curricula at Parsons, SVA, and RISD for shaping contemporary practice in advertising and design.

Category:Advertising organizations Category:Design awards