The Ad Club Media Auction, The Ad Club’s largest annual fundraiser, is a unique event that enables brands and buyers the opportunity to buy local, regional, and national media at deeply discounted rates. It’s a fantastic way to stretch your dollars and make the most of your media budget, or test out new media.
Every year, The Ad Club receives donations from top media companies in the country – everything from TV, radio, print and OOH to digital, programmatic, mobile, and social media. We even have a robust services category. We typically receive over 300 unique donations valued at $6 million in total, provided by our very generous donors.
Donations are posted to an eBay style bidding website, where blue chip brands, local businesses, non-profits, startups, and media agencies can bid on the media. Each media property goes to the highest bidder, and the proceeds of the auction directly support The Ad Club’s programming.
Funds raised enable us to provide best-in-class events for the industry, like the Hatch Awards, Rosoff Awards, Women’s Leadership Forum and CMO Breakfast Series. In addition, funds support career development initiatives including our professional development courses, scholarship and internship programs.
It’s truly a win-win-win because donors gain exposure amongst the media community in New England, brands and businesses save money on media, and proceeds support The Ad Club’s programming and events – all of which are designed to support our business community. So by participating in the auction, you’re really making an investment in the advertising and marketing community here in Boston!
The Media Auction will go live for bidding at 9AM on Monday, September 27th and remain open through Friday, October 15th at 5PM. We will let you know when the auction site is live and visible for browsing, so you can plan your buys in advance. In the meantime, please use this site as a resource guide on all things pertaining to the auction
FAQ’S
- How do I bid on media?
It’s very simple. You go to adclubmedia.com, and create an account. Once created, log in and browse media. You can easily place a bid by entering a dollar amount, and confirming your account password. And that’s it! - Do I pay The Ad Club, or the media company directly?
Once the media items are donated to us, they become our property, and thus you would pay The Ad Club directly. - What are the billing terms?
Billing terms are 30 days after the close of the auction (October 15th, 2021). If you decide to “Buy Now” for any items, terms would be 30 days from that purchase date. However, if this is impossible given your company’s internal billing process, we can work with you to find a mutually acceptable solution. - When will my media run?
Each media donation will have different specifications based on donors’ availability, but most media will run during the calendar year following this year’s auction. Just make sure to read the description for each item you consider bidding on. The description should give you a clear breakdown of when the media will run, along with any other terms or conditions. And if it does not, you can email Tom Petersen (tom@adclub.org) Kate McCabe (kate@adclub.org) if you need any additional information. - Is there a limit to how many things I can purchase via The Auction?
There is no limit to how many things you can purchase in the auction! Please, bid away! - Is there a way to instantly purchase media (as opposed to bidding) if I know I want something?
Yes! As with most online auctions, there is a starting price, and a higher “buy now” price. The Buy Now price is still a great value, and is usually set at 50% off the normal rate card value for any given item. If you know you want something, we highly recommend going the “Buy Now” route – it ensures you win the media you want, and you will still get it at a fabulous cost! - How do I execute the media purchase if I win?
If you are the winning bidder for any given item, at the close of the auction you will receive a notification, followed by a formal introduction from The Ad Club to you and the donor for your package. From there, you would work directly with the donor to plan and execute the media purchase based on your needs, and the terms set forth in the package description.