Auction | The Ad Club

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Thank you to all our generous donors and buyers during the 2025 auction.

You enable us to continue our mission of supporting the marketing community in our region, and we could not continue this mission without you.

We’re excited for the 2026 Media Auction, 9/14 - 10/2.

The Ad Club Auction is our largest annual fundraiser. Every year, we receive over $4 million worth of media donations and raise over $700k to help with our programming, scholarships and internships. This year, we hope adding the additional non-media items will help us raise even more to put towards these important initiatives.

About The Auction
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The Ad Club Auction, The Ad Club’s largest annual fundraiser, is a unique event that enables brands and buyers the opportunity to buy local, regional, and national media plus other services & packages, at deeply discounted rates. It’s a fantastic way to stretch your media dollars to test out new media, and make the most of your media budget.

Every year, The Ad Club receives donations from top media companies in the country – everything from TV, radio, print and OOH to digital, programmatic, mobile, and social media. We even have a robust services category. This year we’re expanding to include meetings with top marketers and other experiences too! We typically receive over 300 unique donations valued at $4+ million in total, provided by our generous donors.

Donations are posted to an eBay style bidding website, where blue chip brands, local businesses, non-profits, startups, and media agencies can bid on the media. Each item goes to the highest bidder, and the proceeds of the auction directly support The Ad Club’s programming.

Funds raised enable us to provide best-in-class events for the industry, like the Hatch Awards, Equity Event, Women’s Leadership Forum and CMO+ Series. In addition, funds support career development initiatives including our professional development courses, scholarship and internship programs.

It’s truly a win-win-win because donors gain exposure amongst the media and advertising community in New England, brands and businesses save money on media, and proceeds support The Ad Club’s programming and events – all of which are designed to support our business community. So by participating in the auction, you’re really making an investment in the advertising and marketing community here in Boston!

Why I'm Sold

Why Buy from The Ad Club Auction?

Test out new media at a low risk and low cost.
Support The Ad Club and our programming which provides education, networking and raises the profile of the Boston Advertising Community
Be an integral part of our Scholarship and Internship program.

Why Donate to The Ad Club Auction?

Develop new partnerships with brands you have not worked with in the past.
Develop even better relationships with current clients.
Donors receive tickets to Media Innovation Day
Gain visibility amongst the New England Marketing Community through the auction site, marketing materials, social media, & event promotions.
Support The Ad Club as proceeds are reinvested in our programming and content.
Be an integral part of our Scholarship and Internship program.

FAQs

How do I bid?

It’s very simple. You go to adclubmedia.com, and create an account. Once created, log in and browse media and other available items. You can easily place a bid by entering a dollar amount, and confirming your account password. And that’s it!
Is there a limit to how many things I can purchase via The Auction?

There is no limit to how many things you can purchase in the auction! Please, bid away!
Is there a way to instantly purchase something (as opposed to bidding) if I know I want something?

Yes! As with most online auctions, there is a starting price, and a higher “Buy Now” price. The "Buy Now" price is still a great value, and is usually set at 50% off the normal rate card value for any given item. If you know you want something, we highly recommend going the “Buy Now” route – it ensures you win the media or item you want, and you will still get it at a fabulous cost!
How do I execute the media purchase if I win?

If you are the winning bidder for any given item, at the close of the auction you will receive a notification, followed by a formal introduction from The Ad Club to you and the donor for your package. From there, you would work directly with the donor to plan and execute the media purchase based on your needs, and the terms set forth in the package description.
When will my media run?

Each media donation has different specifications based on donors’ availability, but most media will run during the calendar year following this year’s auction (so 2026). Just make sure to read the description for each item you consider bidding on. The description should give you a clear breakdown of when the media will run, along with any other terms or conditions. And if it does not, you can email Tom Petersen (tom@adclub.org) and Kate McCabe (kate@adclub.org) if you need any additional information.
What are the billing terms?

Billing terms are 30 days after the close of the auction (September 26, 2025). If you decide to “Buy Now” for any items, terms would be 30 days from that purchase date. However, if this is impossible given your company’s internal billing process, we can work with you to find a mutually acceptable solution.
Do I pay The Ad Club, or the donor company directly?

Once the media/other items are donated to us, they become our property and thus you pay The Ad Club directly.