Advertising Federation of America

The Advertising Federation of America (AFA) evolved around 1910 from the National Federation of Advertising Clubs, a collection of East Coast advertising professionals formed in 1905 with the goal of elevating the standards of advertising through education and self-regulation. In 1911, the AFA organized a national vigilance committee and launched the “truth in advertising” movement, the forerunner to Better Business Bureaus. After World War II, the growth of commercial air travel and advances in telecommunications diminished the divide between the American east and west, increasing the need for the AFA and its Pacific counterpart, the Advertising Association of the West (AAW), to coordinate activities and political positions. The two organizations worked together for several years before merging in February 1967 to form the American Advertising Federation (AAF).

Source:

American Advertising Federation of Baltimore. “ A Brief History of AAF .” (accessed October 4, 2010).

From the guide to the Advertising Federation of America, records 2008-326., [ca. 1910-1970s], (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

The Advertising Federation of America (AFA) evolved around 1910 from the National Federation of Advertising Clubs, a collection of East Coast advertising professionals formed in 1905 with the goal of elevating the standards of advertising through education and self-regulation.

In 1911, the AFA organized a national vigilance committee and launched the "truth in advertising" movement, the forerunner to Better Business Bureaus. After World War II, the growth of commercial air travel and advances in telecommunications diminished the divide between the American east and west, increasing the need for the AFA and its Pacific counterpart, the Advertising Association of the West (AAW), to coordinate activities and political positions. The two organizations worked together for several years before merging in February 1967 to form the American Advertising Federation (AAF).

From the description of Advertising Federation of America, records, [ca. 1910-1970s] (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 701945620