The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) is a U.S.

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...

for advertising agencies which was founded in 1917. It serves over 600 member agencies across 1,200 offices, which control more than 85% of total U.S. advertising spend. Its goal is to "foster, strengthen and improve the advertising agency business; to advance the cause of advertising as a whole; and to aid member agencies in operating more efficiently and profitably" by aiding member agencies with ad industry expertise, marketing research, training and professional development, lobbying, and even insurance benefits for employees.

History

The American Association of Advertising Agencies was founded on June 4, 1917, in St. Louis by five regional advertising industry groups and 111 charter members. As its founding came right after the U.S. entry into

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, one of the association's earliest actions was to urge its members to "sound a patriotic note in ads in support of the war effort". In December 1917, the Division of Advertising of the Committee of Public Information office opened under the organization's auspices, with a government charter to coordinate all wartime campaigns, including advertising for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, liberty bonds, victory loans, and the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

. In 1967, the AAAA seeking to connect with university researchers founded the Educational Foundation, which merged with the Educational Foundation of the American Advertising Foundation to form the Advertising Educational Foundation in 1983. It funded academic research on marketing and advertising and jointly sponsored projects with the Marketing Science Institute and the

National Bureau of Economic Research The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is an American private nonprofit research organization "committed to undertaking and disseminating unbiased economic research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic co ...

. In 1998, it opened up its membership to marketing communications companies in addition to advertising agencies. Ad industry changes meant that agencies were no longer just creating ads but also engaging in public relations,

direct marketing Direct marketing is a form of communicating an offer, where organizations communicate directly to a Target market, pre-selected customer and supply a method for a direct response. Among practitioners, it is also known as ''direct response ...

, sales promotion, and corporate branding. Furthermore, in 2009, it rebranded as the 4As, to retire the words "American" (advertising is an international affair) and "Advertising Agencies" (as member firms offer a wide array of services).

Operations

It has a Benefits division which provides insurance for more than 160,000 of its member agencies' employees. Its D.C. office, which opened in 1969, "monitors federal and state government activity and works to protect agencies and the advertising industry against burdensome legislation and taxation". It also organizes a number of conferences and events, including the Transformation Conference, and issues annual awards for the best agencies in different categories. Marla Kaplowitz has served as 4As President and CEO since May 2017.

In popular culture

In '' Mad Men'' S5.e12, " Commissions and Fees", Lane Pryce is offered an unelected chairmanship of the organization's fiscal control committee after SCDP wins the

Jaguar Cars Jaguar (, ) is the sports car and luxury vehicle brand of Jaguar Land Rover, a British multinational corporation, multinational automaker, car manufacturer with its headquarters in Whitley, Coventry, England. Jaguar Cars was the company that ...

account.

References

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External links

Official Website
Trade associations based in the United States Organizations established in 1917 Advertising trade associations Advertising in the United States 1917 establishments in Missouri

History

Operations

In popular culture

See also

References

External links