What is Mosaic?
The Mosaic initiative addresses the common challenges many AAF chapters face in member recruitment and retention by offering targeted tools and a strategic framework for engaging with underrepresented audiences. It provides dedicated leadership, and access to outreach strategies specifically designed to identify potential members who resonate with your chapter’s mission. With many chapters struggling to attract and maintain a diverse membership, Mosaic serves as a vital solution to address these pain points.
Your membership should reflect the full spectrum of qualified individuals in your city. Each AAF chapter has untapped audiences who would be eager to engage with your organization. The Mosaic initiative focuses on identifying these individuals, understanding their needs, and aligning them with your chapter’s offerings for mutual benefit.
D5 Pushes AAF’s Mosaic Initiative Forward
AAF’s District 5 recognized that a lack of broader representation within its chapters was limiting our ability to attract new members and increase revenue. Without diverse perspectives, our chapters miss opportunities to engage untapped audiences and expand their influence, ultimately affecting their bottom line and the value they provide to their members. To address this gap, District 5 created Mosaic Co-Chair district board positions to ensure that leadership is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, driving membership growth, and cultivating long-term district and chapter success.
Managing new engagement efforts alongside other leadership responsibilities can overwhelm chapter boards and committees. To streamline this, District 5 created a solution: our Mosaic Co-Chairs work closely with a designated Mosaic Advocate, an appointed chapter board member tasked with sourcing new members, collaborators, and resources from fresh audiences.
By leveraging the structure and guidance from AAF’s National Mosaic Center, D5 aims to bridge the gap between AAF National’s vision of a more inclusive industry and the chapter-level action needed to bring it to life. Our model is designed to inspire other districts to adopt similar initiatives, ultimately fostering growth, engagement, and a stronger, more connected association across the board.
D5’s board spotlights each chapter’s efforts across the entire district, through one-on-one sessions, social content, and district communication.
Mosaic Advocates
In District 5, each chapter uses this criteria to appoint a Mosaic Advocate—a passionate member dedicated to engaging new audiences for the chapter. We strongly recommend this role be filled by a board member, ensuring that they have direct involvement in chapter planning. Some chapters have seized this as an opportunity to diversify their boards by recruiting underrepresented members for the position, adding valuable perspectives.
The Mosaic Advocate’s role is to seek out and act on opportunities to engage new audiences in chapter activities. By staying informed on chapter plans, they research the local community and actively reach out to relevant industry professionals, students, educational institutions, affinity groups, suppliers, and more.
This effort doesn’t fall solely on the Mosaic Advocate. Their role is to lay the groundwork by identifying participants and opportunities, but the entire board shares the responsibility for acting on those findings. Leadership, in particular, plays a crucial role by showing public support through approvals, listening sessions, resource sharing, and championing the initiatives of new collaborators. This collective approach ensures that the board remains personally invested and operates more effectively, bringing in new energy and ideas.
Mosaic Advocates also meet regularly with D5’s Mosaic Co-Chairs to receive ongoing support, share ideas, and problem-solve together, ensuring that the entire district is aligned and motivated to succeed.
Getting Started
Consider Mosaic not just as a program but as a transformative mindset. Rather than focusing solely on traditional markers like race, age, or gender, think about those who share the same passion and career aspirations as your current members. There is a wealth of untapped talent and potential in your community, and Mosaic ensures that this understanding remains at the forefront of your chapter’s initiatives.
If your board, committees, and events reflect only familiar faces, recognize that many individuals eager to engage may simply be outside your current network. Mosaic represents a dedicated effort to actively seek out and welcome these individuals, enriching your chapter with fresh perspectives and diverse ideas. Moreover, by broadening your membership base, you open the door to new revenue streams, increased sponsorship opportunities, and a stronger overall financial position for your chapter. By activating Mosaic, you not only enhance the vibrancy and effectiveness of your membership but also create a more financially sustainable future for your organization.
Case Studies
Check out these examples of how D5 and its chapters have made leaps forward through our Mosaic Initiative. If any of these initiatives resonate with you, consider creating an event or initiative of your own.
- Build a Diverse Talent Pipeline: Learn how AAF Toledo partners with local schools and organizations to identify and mentor diverse talent for advertising careers.
- Host Diversity Workshops: Read about how AAF Columbus organizes events focused on the importance of representation in advertising and practical ways to promote inclusion.
- Elevate a Mosaic Award Winner’s project: Collaborate with Mosaic Award winners and assist with furthering their submission’s exposure/advancement. AAF Toledo and AdFed Chicago came together to make it happen.
- Extend Silver Medal Nomination Reach: Learn how AAF Toledo proactively determines diverse candidates for Silver Medal Award and create nominations from the board or engage the community.
- D5 Mosaic Implementation: Read about how D5 is leading the initiative to add systematic Mosaic structure for AAF chapters.
Understand: D5’s Mosaic ADDYs & Mosaic Awards
One (1) Mosaic American Advertising Award will be awarded to an entry, from all chapter’s American Advertising Award category submissions, that best exemplifies a spirit of diversity and inclusion. Criteria for this award is “a demonstration and understanding of and sensitivity to the needs, concerns and buying practices of multicultural audiences”.
The winner will automatically be chosen by your American Advertising Award judges out of all entries. There is no need to submit in a special category for consideration.
- D5 chapters offer Mosaic ADDY awards with professional and student designation. One winner is required, but you may award multiple Gold and Silver awards as you see fit.
- Unlike most districts, D5 offers a District Mosaic ADDY award. Our goal is to demonstrate to other districts the value of offering these awards, eventually standardizing it nationally and offering an automatic advancement to the National Mosaic ADDY tier as well. During District ADDYs judging, at least one District winner will be selected, with the potential of additional Gold or Silver winners.
- Watch this video explaining what work qualifies for the National Mosaic Awards, and the (currently local & district) Mosaic ADDY Award. This is a resource for understanding what the awards are for, why they were created, and what to look for in your Mosaic ADDY winner specifically.
- It’s important to note that there is a separate national AAF competition called the “Mosaic Awards” as well as the Mosaic American Advertising Award. D5 is starting with the goal of full District participation for the Mosaic ADDY, and are striving to educate about the Mosaic Awards next. Educating your members and communities about submitting to the National Mosaic Awards is also encouraged.
- Click here for a visualization of the current award structure for all of these awards.
- Use these helpful email templates to solicit nominations for the Mosaic Awards.
Learn More
There’s more to embrace in AAF’s Mosaic movement. Click below for info on programs for promising multicultural students, HCBUs for advertising, national speaking events, and more.