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AAF West 2025: Ad Insight, Agency Accountability, and Aloha

AAF West 2025: Ad Insight, Agency Accountability, and Aloha

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By Executive Vice President of Strategy and Commercial Growth Gus is an accomplished strategic leader and growth driver who brings a blend of innovative thinking and hands-on experience to his role as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Commercial Growth at Vision Media.

This past weekend, Vision was recognized as Best of the West Media Agency at the American Advertising Federation Western Region Conference in Honolulu. I couldn’t be prouder of our team, not just for the award but for the way we’re redefining what effective, transparent, and measurable media looks like.

Gus with AAF Conference Hosts at Awards

One of the standout sessions came from Anna Covert, author of The Covert Code, who pulled no punches in exposing digital advertising’s blind spots, from unverifiable impressions and bot-driven clicks to platform conflicts of interest. 

Her core messages were: question everything, verify everything, and never confuse activity for impact. That mindset aligns perfectly with Vision Media's approach, which uses real verification, data integrity, and human intelligence to ensure media dollars actually perform.

Other key speakers offered complementary perspectives:

  • Alisa Onishi (Hawaiian/Alaska Airlines) shared a fascinating look at post-merger marketing agility.
  • Kamea Hadar (POW! WOW!) reminded us of the cultural and emotional power of creativity.
  • Dr. Aaron Sala (HVCB) spoke about elevating human connection over transaction, a concept deeply relevant to how brands should show up in 2026 and beyond.

What’s Next for Vision Media

  1. Media Accountability Is the New Differentiator – Clients demand proof, not promises (as they should). We will continue building tools and partnerships that make our reporting verifiable and trustworthy.
  2. AI-Driven Search (GEO) Is Coming Fast – Generative Engine Optimization will change how consumers discover and evaluate brands. We will stay ahead by rethinking content as a form of media placement.
  3. Creative/Context/Confirmation – The future belongs to agencies that can connect audience insights with content authenticity and prove it worked.

Congratulations to the AAF Western Region for an energizing weekend and to our team for raising the bar on what modern media strategy looks like.

About The Author

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Gus Rios

Gus is an accomplished strategic leader and growth driver who brings a blend of innovative thinking and hands-on experience to his role as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Commercial Growth at Vision Media.

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