March 2021
Insights from Steve Pacheco
President & CEO, American Advertising Federation
Connections…Power the AAF
As you well know, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) is the only advertising, marketing and media industry trade organization that includes members across all disciplines and career levels in advertising. Whether you're relatively new to the dynamic world of advertising or a seasoned professional with years of experience, the AAF is an important connection for you. We exist to help you advance your career, build your connections and celebrate this ever-changing, amazing industry we work in.
Long known as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF has 164 local clubs across the U.S. representing nearly 30,000 advertising professionals, connecting and leading the industry. We’re excited to help more than 4,000 college chapter members kickstart their careers and important connections with a 130+ college chapter network and an array of high impact student programs. With nearly 100 corporate members who are loyal and supportive of our ongoing efforts, we help make important connections every day and see those connections lead to collaborations and successes.
Each year, the AAF connects our members and supporters by acting as hosts for numerous programs and initiatives, including the Advertising Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, the Mosaic Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and summer Ad Camps for high school students. We appreciate our members' continued loyalty and industry’s engagement and enthusiasm surrounding our events—and we hope to see you at our next one. Those personal connections are vital to our success.
Also, as you well know, the American Advertising Federation’s core mission is to protect and promote the well being of advertising. We accomplish this by connecting our unique, nationally coordinated grassroots network of advertisers, agencies, media companies, local advertising clubs and college chapters with the advertising, media and marketing industries. The effective advocacy work we do on behalf of the advertising industry is a direct result of the deep connections we have been building in our Nation’s capital and across North America over the years.
Through these connections, the AAF:
- Connects members together to deliver creative business solutions
- Keeps members connected to the latest trends in technology, creativity and marketing
- Promotes diversity and inclusion in advertising through our Corporate connections
- Honors and celebrates advertising excellence, connects advertising leaders each year
- Develops the advertising, media and marketing industry’s future leaders and connects them with mentors, internships, opportunities
- Protects and promotes advertising at all levels of government through grassroots activities
- Offers engaging programs to encourage local association volunteer leadership
- Utilizes industry expertise to address community issues
- Provides opportunities for professionals to build supportive relationships with others in the advertising industry
As you can see, connections empower the AAF—we literally could not do what we do without these valuable connections to our members and our supporters.
We hope you see the value in these connections and in your AAF Membership. You can support us and our mission by helping us connect with those in your network who have interest in joining the AAF, supporting the AAF and connecting with the AAF. After all, connections are what powers the AAF.
—Steve
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Posted: March 2021