FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Distinguished Advertising Educator Award Recognition Goes to Daniel Petek of Washington State University
Adjunct Instructor Daniel John Petek will be honored as the 2022 recipient of the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) annual award for excellence in advertising education.
Washington, DC, May 18, 2022 –Daniel J Petek, Instructor at Washington State University, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Advertising Educator Award.
Awarded annually, the Distinguished Advertising Educator Award recognizes the best advertising professors in the country. Nominees for this award must demonstrate excellence in teaching and student advisement, a record of scholarly research, publications and professional experience, as well as active involvement in the advertising industry and its organizations, academia and the community.
Petek started his career as an account executive in a Spokane, Washington ad agency. Eventually his love of agriculture and the food industry led to a consulting practice representing state, regional and national commodities. That passion successfully expanded domestic and international demand for red raspberries, asparagus, lentils, dry peas, dairy, beef and a host of cottage industry products. During this time he started what he calls an accidental “second career” as adjunct advertising instructor at The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. That kick-started what is now a thirty-eight year love for teaching campaign development, creative strategies and guiding promising future professionals.
“Bringing the real world to the classroom,” is how Petek describes what he set out to do as an ad man stepping into the world of academia, professors, and higher education. His students are quick to point out that classes are much more rigorous than advertising instruction. Petek emphasizes industry skills of team work, multi-tasking, project management and the constant dynamics of change.
Most recently, Petek developed the first e-commerce advertising class for higher education. The full semester class, developed from a two year immersion into sponsored advertising platforms of Amazon and a host of agencies, has become a solid recruiting platform with over twenty percent placement of students who complete the course.
Petek serves as an advertising leader on the AAF’s National Education Executive Council and the National Advertising Review Board. He cites being elected to AAF Education Chair as one of the most rewarding experiences. During his leadership term Petek developed eleven teaching modules for college instructors covering topics like programmatic buying, influencer marketing and e-commerce advertising.
For more information about the Distinguished Advertising Educator Award, please contact Ayanna Jackson or visit the AAF’s website at aaf.org.
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