Katy Hornaday, EVP and Executive Creative Director of the independent Kansas City agency Barkley, has been named Chairperson for the 2019 AMP Awards for Music & Sound. News of her appointment was announced by Elad Marish, Partner at Swell Music + Sound in San Francisco and President of the Association of Music Producers, which sponsors the AMP Awards.

In her role as Chair, Hornaday will advise the competition on creative standards and lead its’ Curatorial Committee, which will be tasked with ensuring that all finalists meet the criteria for their respective categories. The Committee also selects the competition’s prestigious Best in Show winner.

A copywriter by background, Hornaday says that to her, music and sound plays a key role in how effective an ad or commercial can be. “I’ve always thought of it as a character,” she says. “Sometimes it’s a lead character, and sometimes it’s a supporting character, but it’s always fun to see where it can take you. In essence, music and sound can bring emotion to a piece that nothing else can.”

Presiding over a show like the AMP Awards, that’s dedicated to music and sound, will provide her with an inside look at what goes into striking the right vibe for any given piece of work. “To have a show that’s so honed-in and celebratory of the area of music and sound is really special,” she notes, “and speaks to the importance of the craft and of the people who make it all happen.”

“We’re truly excited to have someone of Katy’s stature serving as our Show Chairperson this year,” says Marish. “Her campaigns for brands like Hershey and DQ, and for non-profits like the March of Dimes, show a real appreciation for the power of music to reflect what a brand or message is all about. We’re honored to have her leading our Curatorial Committee and helping shape the outcome of the 2019 AMP Awards.”

During the course of her career Hornaday has been named to some of the industry’s most prestigious lists of creative stars, and her work has been honored at the top competitions in the industry. She’s been named a Future Lion at Cannes, an ADC Young Gun, one of the 30 Most Creative People in Advertising Under 30 and one of the 30 Most Creative Women in Advertising by Business Insider, one of Adweek's Creative 100 and a Kansas City Business Journal Next Generation Leader. A member of Creative Circus Advisory Board, she worked at CP+B and MullenLowe prior to joining Barkley.

The only juried, non-profit competition dedicated to honoring achievements in music and sound in all media, the 2019 AMP Awards has an entry deadline of March 1, 2019. For rules, categories, eligibility and fees, visit the show’s entry portal here. Entries are welcome from music companies, audio post houses, ad agencies, marketers, labels, publishing companies and any entity involved in the providing music and sound for advertising, branding and marketing content.

The AMP Awards winners will be presented at a gala presentation set for Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at Sony Hall in New York City. Formerly the Diamond Horseshoe, the venue, located in the Paramount Hotel just off Times Square, was the site of the 2017 AMP Awards show. Among the highlights of the event will be the presentation of the AMP Hall of Fame trophy, presented to an innovative marketer in recognition of its continued use of music and sound in building strong consumer perceptions.

For more information on AMP, visit www.ampnow.com or visit its Facebook page here. To view past winners of the AMP Awards, go to www.amp-awards.com. For questions about entering the AMP Awards – or to explore sponsorship opportunities surrounding the event – contact the Association of Music Producers at amp@aicp.com.