Louisville, Kentucky: Leap Group, a bespoke agency holding company, once again took home multiple awards from the 2024 Louisville American Advertising Federation Ad Club Awards, part of the industry’s largest and most representative competition designed to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.
“We’re honored that our peers in the advertising industry recognize the depth and diversity of the creative talent among all the Leap Group agencies,” says Alan Gilleo, Founding Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Leap Group Network. “At the same time, we’re proud that our creative work supported our ultimate mission: delivering the authentic human experiences that make our clients matter more to their customers.”
AAF awarded Leap Group Network agencies for outstanding creative work in the following categories:
- Branded Content & Entertainment Campaign – Battle of the Brands Videos
- Integrated Branded Content Campaign Local or Regional – Battle of the Brands Brand Campaign
- Innovative Use of Interactive – Battle of the Brands Interactive
Website – (human)x Website - Cinematography – Very Local Gilda Wabbit
- Branded Content & Entertainment Non-broadcast – Very Local Gilda Wabbit
- Ad Chapter – Battle of the Brands Brand Campaign
- Photography – Stori May Photography
- Innovative Use of Interactive – Bardstown Bourbon AR Experience
In addition, Leap Group was awarded the Culturally Legit Award for its compelling mini-documentary, “Gilda Wabbit,” which centers on Naomi Wayne, a trans woman and former drag queen who has become a powerful advocate for authenticity, acceptance, overcoming obstacles and celebrating our differences. The documentary highlights the work Naomi is doing to create a safe space for those in her local community and her passion to push the limits of what people think she is capable of doing.
“Telling stories is powerful,” says Ember Marr, President and Co-Owner of (spark), the Leap Group agency that produced the documentary. “And while Naomi’s may be emblematic of the LGBTQ+ experience, at its core is a narrative of making your way in the world and overcoming obstacles to create a safe, enriching, and meaningful life. As part of a network that includes women-owned agencies like mine, as well as LGBTQ-owned agencies, I’m particularly proud we could bring Naomi’s story to a broader audience.”
“Gilda Wabbit” can be streamed for free at the (spark) website (leapsparkagency.com/work/gilda-wabbit) along with other awarding-winning work and reels from the agency. More work honored by the AAF can be seen at the Leap Group Network website (leapgroupnetwork.com) and on the websites of its specialized agencies. The network opened a Chicago office in April 2024 and was named to the Inc. 5000 list in 2023. It added 30 employees and 13 new clients to its roster in 2023 alone.
About Leap Group Network: Founded in 1999 by Alan Gilleo and Daniel Knapp, Leap Group is an award-winning, bespoke agency holding company that gives clients simplified access to specialized agencies. With offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville, Leap Group’s independent network of wholly owned agencies are aligned by a shared philosophy – market less, matter more – and driven by a passion for understanding how people think and make decisions.
Its proven, human-first approach includes a PhD-led team of researchers and humanView, a proprietary predictive modeling product, that helps uncover key human insights and create truly meaningful experiences. Leap Group proudly includes WBENC-certified women-owned and LGBTQ+ owned agencies within its network, all available with one consolidated approach. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.
