What is the American Advertising Federation?

The American Advertising Federation is one of the United States oldest national advertising trade associations with its headquarters, located in Washington DC. The AAF has 15 district operations that represent different nations regions. It has about 100 corporate members which include:

• Advertisers
• Media companies
• Advertising agencies
• The national network of about 200 local federations that represent 40,000 advertising professionals across the country
• Over 200 AAF college chapters with more than 6,500 student members

What does the American Advertising Federation Do? 

The AAF operates the following initiative program:

• The Advertising Hall of Fame
• The ADDY Awards
• The Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism
• The National Student Advertising Competition
• Summer Ad Camps for high school students in Washington and Chicago

Note that the Gold ADDY Award is the highest level of creative excellence when it comes to recognition in the competition. Those entries that are considered worth and outstanding get a Silver ADDY Award.

American Association Federation Benefits

The AAF has over 200 chapters across the United States, as well as more than 5,000 students. AAF has the following benefits to its members:

• It provides the student members valuable insights into the field of advertising.
• It also connects its members to job opportunities to advance in the advertising career
• It provides a learning experience to its members
• The association also connects its members to the current and future advertising professionals

Educators in the colleges and universities need to encourage their students to become a member of AAF. It is the best way to make an impact on students in the advertising industry.

How to Build Experience

• Receive career advice
• Connect to advertising professionals
• Build and gain leadership skills
• Develop and exercise advertising talent
• Find internships and jobs to do

How to Gain Recognition

• Ensure that you get recognition for your leadership skills as well as talent across your district, within your chapter and nationally
• Ensure that as a member, you take part in Mosaic Career Fair & Conference
• Make efforts to meet people who can share with your passion in and out of campus
• Enroll in the Student American Advertising Awards

How to Connect

• Visit advertising agencies as well as other businesses related to advertising
• Attend local Ad Club professional meetings
• Attend the annual Student Advertising Career Conference
• Meet people with similar passions as yours both in and out of campus

How to Join the AAF

The AAF has 15 districts, located in three regions (eastern, central, and western). Each district has student chapters between two and thirty-five. A student can join the membership through student chapters or as an individual member at his or her university or college. Those joining the association have to start at the local level before they move on to local AAF affiliate chapters in the competition. The competitions take place in January and February.