January 2023

Insights from Steve Pacheco

President & CEO, American Advertising Federation

The Benefits of your AAF Membership

With the New Year comes a renewed commitment from your AAF to provide more and better member benefits than ever before. We fully understand the pressing demands of your career and your professional development—and with that in mind, the AAF has curated a number of new members benefits, and upgraded some others, all with a focus on you and your career. An added emphasis on building even more value for your AAF Membership has gone in to these new offerings.

You know that the Advertising business is ever changing and one of the most dynamic industries in the World. To be competitive you must adapt, grow and learn. And as you grow and learn, The AAF is with you every step of the way, offering a wide variety of Member benefits and support that can help you in so many ways. 

As a member of the AAF, you become part of a talented community with access to connections, resources and professional development to help you become and stay successful in the advertising industry.

And beyond just connecting you with 35,000 other AAF Club members and our Collegiate Chapters comprising 5,000 student members—the AAF also  gets you in front of our 60+ AAF Corporate Members made up of the biggest and best brands, agencies, media companies, AdTech, Creators and Publishers, and the thought leaders that drive our business forward.

It’s this wide range of people and opportunities that the AAF offers our members that makes us different and worthwhile. And when you add in the other tangible benefits we offer—it’s a total package!

With your AAF Membership—you get a wide variety of meaningful benefits:

• Build relationships with professionals from all facets of the advertising industry—clients, agencies, production companies and the media – by participating in workshops, professional development seminars and attending events.
• Connect with top names in the advertising industry and fellow club members from across the country during ADMERICA, the Advertising Hall of Achievement and the Advertising Hall of Fame.
• Advance in your career or grow your business by taking advantage of the AAF's Career Center, a resource for industry-related jobs.
• Promote the value of advertising in your local community by participating in the Ovation Awards Competition.
• Honor a fellow club member who has made outstanding contributions to advancing industry standards by nominating them for the Silver Medal Award or the Barton A. Cummings Gold Medal Award.
• Gain recognition for your talent by entering the American Advertising Awards, the country’s most prominent creative competition.
• Host a webinar with the AAF and reach a large network across the nation.

Here’s even more AAF Membership benefits:

• Networking
  • Monthly programs and sessions
  • Access to AAF Corporate Partners
  • Mentorships
  •  Internships
  • ADMERICA National Conference

• Leadership Opportunities
  • Available at Local, Regional, National levels
  • The AAF provides Chapter leaders—Presidents and Executive Directors—resources to support their Chapter's initiatives. The array of content has been specifically designed to help leaders to promote Chapter programming, increase membership, and provide a valuable experience to the members
  • Local Ad Clubs and College Chapters sponsor a variety of programs, including industry-related speaking events, professional development workshops, educational seminars, public service initiatives, social events and local award competitions recognizing excellence in advertising.

• Skills Development
  • Certification programs in Social Media
  • Certification programs in Programmatic
  • Certifications in Advertising Ethics
  • eCornell online professional development
  • AAF Career Center

• Programming
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • Advocacy
  • Recognition & Awards

• Communications
  • AAF Club Services Newsletters (you are reading one now!)
  • AAF SmartBrief
  • AAF Corporate Partners white papers and Thought Leadership pieces

• Affinity Partners
  • Available exclusively to AAF members! The AAF researches and selectively adds new products and services that can provide meaningful benefits to our membership. For full benefit details, visit aaf.org/benefits. 

See a full list of AAF Member resources here.

I think you will agree that the full suite of AAF Membership benefits provide a well rounded and valuable investment of your time and resources.   You have our commitment to continue to offer more and better benefits that help you and your career grow and succeed.

We are very proud of our members and we want to see them succeed in 2023 (and beyond).  Reach out and let us know what benefits are working best for you – or what we can do better to serve you – our Members.

Let’s have a great 2023!

—Steve