NAME:  Lori Kimura, the 2012 AAF Hawaii, Ad Woman of the Year. EDUCATION: Born and raised in Palolo Valley. A product of the public school system – Kaimuki High School (with Janice Kekoa!).  Graduated from the University of Hawaii earning a BBA in Marketing. FIRST JOB OUT OF COLLEGE:  Aid for Ben Cayetano (Hawaii State Senate – 1984). FIRST JOB IN ADVERTISING: Milici Valenti (1984). CURRENT JOB: Media Director at MVNP.

How does it feel to be the 2012 Ad Woman of the Year?
Honored and humbled.

Tell us about your first job in advertising.
Media Assistant at MVNP!  In the stone ages … pre-internet, pre-computers, pre-fax machines … no such thing as Word/Excel … typing insertion orders out on a manual typewriter (carriage return).

What were some of your early creative influences?
It would have to be Tom Gabriel and all the wonderful First Hawaiian Bank and GTE Hawaiian Tel spots from the 1980’s.

Just Do It or Think Different?
Think Different!

What’s playing on your iPod right now?
I’m listening a lot to Pandora on my iPhone right now … I’ve programmed an “Adele” channel that I listen to daily while working at my desk.

What projects have you worked on that you’re most proud of?
I chose these two campaigns because they combined both traditional (television/radio/out-of-home) and non-traditional media – in Hawaii and in key Hawaii source markets (Los Angeles and San Francisco).

• Matson Navigation “Promote Hawaii” – In the case of Matson Navigation, we also gave back to the community (Aloha United Way) by way of auctioning off trips to Hawaii via eBay.
• Aloha Airlines Primetime Preview Weekend – Timed in conjunction with the launch of service from Burbank and Orange County, Aloha Airlines became the first local (non-national) sponsor allowed to market within Disneyland (Anaheim) in September 2004.

What was the craziest thing you had to do in the name of advertising?
Letting homing pigeons out of a cage for the re-launch of a radio station.  I don’t remember if it was KPOI or KQMQ, it was so long ago.  All I know is that I was petrified. I have a major bird phobia!

Tell us about the creative process behind your award winning work.
Going beyond the numbers, keeping up with trends, understanding consumers, working with a clean slate all the time…

Paul, John, George or Ringo?
George!

Ryan Seacrest or Carson Daly?
Carson Daly.

Kikaida or Kamen Raider V3?
Princess Knight?  Speed Racer… that was more my era.

If you could change one part of your body, what would it be?
Legs … I would like to be taller!

What’s the difference between account people and creatives?
Pecking order in the family … account people are like our parents … constantly nagging … creatives are last born in the family …wah! …  media folks are like the middle children – often forgotten or overlooked.  I’m joking of course!!! Seriously, we all have to wear so many hats.  Working in teams, the lines are blurred between jobs/job descriptions.

Boxed wine or 40 oz.?
Boxed wine!

Shoes or slippers?
Slippahs … I’m originally from Palolo Valley!

Flight or invisibility?
I don’t know what this means.

Tell us your weirdest work/production story.
Not necessarily the weirdest … but as part of ABC’s Primetime Preview Weekend event, ABC/Aloha Airlines hosted a party for all the ABC entertainers who came out for the weekend long event at Disneyland. I got to dance in a conga line with the cast of LOST, Desperate Housewives, Jim Belushi, etc. It was a great night. Alan Wong flew out and prepared all the food for the event and his signature Pineapple Martinis were flowing all night… some folks got a little sloshed.  One star went up to Nick Ng Pack and told him that his pilot (LOST) was awesome and that Nick did a great job!  I now refer to Nick as Daniel Dae Kim’s long LOST twin brother!

What’s your secret weapon?
Starbucks or Café Central …

What inspires you?
Challenges and the unknown. It helps to make you stronger.