American Association of Advertising Agencies records, 1918-1998
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Summary
- Creator:
- American Association of Advertising Agencies
- Abstract:
- The American Association of Advertising Agencies, founded in 1917, is the primary advertising industry trade organization. The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) Records span the years 1918-1998 and include correspondence, annual corporate and stockholder reports for member agencies, meeting minutes and speeches, biographical summaries, a subject file, and videotapes that document selected activities and functions of the organization. The collection has been compiled from a number of accessions received over time, and so does not represent a comprehensive archive of the AAAA. Certain aspects of AAAA activities, however, are well represented, including a set of card files that document the professional careers of AAAA members over a 50-year period, and subject files that focus on Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigations into complaints lodged against advertisers and advertising claims produced in a variety of media, with a particular emphasis on the ways that products were advertised during and in conjunction with children's television programming. Other topics touched on include advertising self-regulation, antitrust issues, advertising laws, and deceptive and ethical practices in marketing and advertising.
- Extent:
- 45 Linear Feet (67,000 items)
- Language:
- Material in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.00003
Background
- Scope and content:
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The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) Records spans the years 1918-1998 and includes correspondence, annual corporate and stockholder reports for member agencies, meeting minutes and speeches, biographical summaries, a subject file, and videotapes that document selected activities and functions of the organization. The collection has been compiled from a number of accessions received over time, and so does not represent a comprehensive archive of the AAAA. Certain aspects of AAAA activities, however, are well represented, including the card files that document the professional careers of AAAA members over a 50-year period, and subject files that focus on Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigations into complaints lodged against advertisers and advertising claims produced in a variety of media, with a particular emphasis on the ways that products were advertised during and in conjunction with children's television programming. Other topics touched on include advertising self-regulation, antitrust issues, advertising laws, and deceptive and ethical practices in marketing and advertising.
The collection is arranged into four series: Administrative Files, Member Card Files, Vertical Files, and Audiovisual Materials. The Administrative Files Series includes correspondence, member corporate annual and stockholder reports, printed materials, meeting minutes and speeches, and memorabilia. The Member Card Files Series contains approximately 46,000 index cards that briefly document the employment histories of individual members roughly between the years 1920 and 1969. The Vertical Files Series consists of an alphabetical subject file primarily focused on FTC, FCC, and FDA hearings on complaints against advertisers as well as documents and testimonies relating to advertising to children. Also included is a compiled set of writings on advertising during times of recession and war. The Audiovisual Materials Series consists primarily of taped interviews with David Ogilvy and William Bernbach. Original videotapes are closed to patron use. Use copies are currently available for some items. Technical Services staff may need to produce use copies before contents can be accessed. Please contact Research Services staff before coming to use the collection.
- Biographical / historical:
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Chronology Date Event 1900 American Advertising Agents' Association1911 Association of New York Advertising Agents; William H. Johns (George Batten Company and founder of Audit Bureau of Circulations), Chairman1912-1916 Regional advertising associations1916 Affiliated Association of Advertising Agencies1917 American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) formed with 111 charter members and 5 regional councils (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Southern)AAAA instrumental in formation of the Division of Advertising, Committee of Public Information, to support the war effort through recruiting, liberty bond, and Red Cross promotion1917-1919 William H. Johns, President (position later renamed Chairman)1917-1927 James O'Shaughnessy, Executive Secretary (position later renamed President)1918 Agency Service Standards adoptedMedia Rate Card established to publish and standardize member advertising rates1919-1928 Advertising Agencies Corporation formed to support the war effort and other public service programs1920 Standard order blanks, copyright protected forms to document member advertising services1921 Uniform 15% commission rate; eventually adopted as an industry standard1924 AAAA Standards of Practice1926 U.S. President Calvin Coolidge delivered keynote address at the 10th Annual Meeting1928-1943 John Benson, AAAA President1931 Creative Code adopted to regulate advertising content1936 AAAA and Association of National Advertisers (ANA) jointly form the Advertising Research Foundation to foster advertising-related market research1942 War Advertising Council1944-1961 Frederic R. Gamble, AAAA President1945 Committee to Address Objectionable Advertising1946 AAAA Interchange of Opinion, a forum where members could register complaints of objectionable advertising1960 AAAA and ANA joint Committee for the Improvement of Advertising Content, aimed at industry self-regulation1962-1977 John Crichton, AAAA President1967 AAAA Educational Foundation, to foster advertising-related research at the university level1971 National Advertising Review Board1973 Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP), to encourage minority entry into the advertising profession1978 William R. Hesse, AAAA President1979-1988 Leonard S. Matthews, AAAA President1983 AAAA Educational Foundation and Educational Foundation of the American Advertising Foundation merge to form Advertising Educational Foundation1986 Media Advertising Partnership for a Drug-Free America1989-1993 John E. O'Toole, AAAA President1994-Present O. Burtch Drake, AAAA PresidentCirca 1995 AAAA and ANA jointly form Coalition for Advertising Supported Information and Entertainment (CASIE) to address issues relating to interactive media and internet advertising, including online privacyHistorical timeline compiled from Marsha Appel, "American Association of Advertising Agencies," in Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising (N.Y.: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2003) and other sources.
- Acquisition information:
- The American Association of Advertising Agencies Records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1995-2002.
- Processing information:
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Processed by Richard Collier, Arthur Fraas, Caitlin Harding, September 2006
Encoded by Richard Collier
Completed October 2006
Accessions 95-125, 95-131, 96-017, 96-019, 96-043, 96-075, 98-320, 2002-005, and 2006-013 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.
- Physical location:
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
- Subjects:
- Advertising laws -- United States
Advertising and children
Corporation reports
Antitrust law
Marketing -- Ethics -- United States
Advertising -- Moral and ethical aspects
Deceptive advertising -- United States
United States. Food and Drug Administration
Advertising -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Advertising -- United States -- History
Television advertising
Television advertising and children
United States. Federal Trade Commission
United States. Federal Communications Commission - Format:
- Videotapes
Minutes
Speeches - Names:
- American Association of Advertising Agencies
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
American Association of Advertising Agencies
Contents
Using These Materials
- Using These Materials Links:
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Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
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Collection is restricted.
Original audiovisual materials are closed to patron use. Use copies are available for some items. Technical Services staff may need to produce use copies before contents can be accessed.
Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.
All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. There may be a 48-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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- Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], American Association of Advertising Agencies Records, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.