Five years ago, the advertising and design leaders of Chicago, having grown accustomed to seeing one another on stage in New York, London, Cannes, Kinsale and Miami, reached an obvious conclusion:

“We're pretty good.”

We also recognized that the Chicago creative community needed a better way to pat itself on the back, back here.

After all, if our work is to be among the world’s best, our show should be, too.

So we established a club whose mission is to honor and uphold the highest standards for creativity in Chicago, for all outsiders to envy.

The Chicago Creative Club.

It is an exclusive club. Membership cannot be bought nor bequeathed. It is attained only by winning.

And what does one win? Besides prestige, a fatter paycheck, more free rep lunches and kisses on your petite derriere? (Sorry, forgot we’re not in Cannes anymore.)

A brick.

An award of substance.

A symbol of hard work. (Nothing gilded or too frou-frou for this city.)

The CCC brick carries a lot of weight.

It signifies excellence in one of the biggest, toughest and most prolific markets anywhere.

To garner one is to gain the most impressive paperweight ever.

To build a wall will be an achievement to bow to.

Please join us September 10, 2008 in the United Club at Soldier Field as we celebrate the 5th CCC Awards Show and honor the best and the brightest of the city of Chicago.

A city second to none.