The Advertising Club of New York, also known as The Ad Club and originally called the Sphinx Club, is an

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

industry group promoting self-regulation, professional training and good fellowship. The Advertising Club of New York is the only organization to bring the industry together across all disciplines – marketing, media and agencies – in the name of exchanging ideas and best practices for business and thought leadership. Offering the community access to conversations and key influencers, inspiration and recognition for creativity, the best training for professional development, and a movement for the diversity.

Origins

In 1896, a group of eight advertising men in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

began meeting for lunch on a regular basis to share ideas on the business that sustained their livelihood. They called themselves the Sphinx Club, and in 1906 this growing group incorporated as the Advertising Men's League, eventually becoming The Advertising Club of New York in 1915. Most of The Ad Club's early years were spent at the landmark

Stanford White Stanford White (November 9, 1853 – June 25, 1906) was an American architect. He was also a partner in the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, one of the most significant Beaux-Arts firms. He designed many houses for the rich, in additio ...

building at 23 Park Avenue, where Ad Club members, including the young

Bill Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...

, J.C. Penney, and

Bill Bernbach William Bernbach (August 13, 1911 – October 2, 1982) was an American advertising creative director. He was one of the three founders in 1949 of the international advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB). He directed many of the firm's breakth ...

, conducted business in the main dining room over lunch.

Initiatives

* 1906: First formal course in advertising to be offered by an educational institution at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

(NYU). * 1911: The first supporter of the " truth in advertising"

program Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to: Business and management * Program management, the process of managing several related projects * Time management * Program, a part of planning Arts and entertainment Audio * Progra ...

, which remains a hallmark of

consumer protection Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the marketplace. Consumer protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent business ...

and formed the first "

Vigilance Committee A vigilance committee was a group formed of private citizens to administer law and order or exercise power through violence in places where they considered governmental structures or actions inadequate. A form of vigilantism and often a more stru ...

", which evolved into today's

Better Business Bureau Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded in 1912. BBB's self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust, consisting of 97 independently incorporated local BBB organizations in the Unit ...

. * 1923: Held the first-ever advertising

exposition Exposition (also the French for exhibition) may refer to: *Universal exposition or World's Fair * Expository writing ** Exposition (narrative) * Exposition (music) *Trade fair A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade e ...

at the 71st Regiment Armory to much acclaim, with an attendance of over 58,000. * 1949: Founded the Advertising Hall of Fame immortalizing 10 giants of our industry the first year, and many more until it was turned over to the

American Advertising Federation The American Advertising Federation (AAF), headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry ...

in 1973. * 1964: Founded the International ANDY Awards to recognize creative excellence in advertising and to raise the standards of craftsmanship in industry.

List of presidents

*2005-Present Gina Grillo, Executive Director * 2003–2005 Renee V. H. Simons, Managing Director, J P Morgan Chase * 2001 - 2003 Robert Mate, VP/Publishing Director,

Meredith Corporation Meredith Corporation was an American media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, that owned magazines, television stations, websites, and radio stations. Its publications had a readership of more than 120 million and paid circulation of more ...

* 1999 - 2001 Carla Loffredo, Sr. Partner/Director, Brand Comm,

J. Walter Thompson J. Walter Thompson (JWT) was an advertisement holding company incorporated in 1896 by American advertising pioneer James Walter Thompson. The company was acquired in 1987 by multinational holding company WPP plc, and in November 2018, WPP merge ...

* 1998 - 1999 Steven Farella, jordanmcgrathcase & partners * 1997 - 1998 Joanne Davis, Bozell Worldwide * 1996 - 1997 R. Jeffrey Petersen, ''

Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' is an American monthly magazine founded in 1920. Its principal subjects are interior design and landscaping, rather than pure external architecture. The magazine is published by Condé Nast, which also publishes internati ...

'' * 1995 - 1996 Ronald S. Fierman, Warwick Baker O'Neill * 1994 - 1995 Susan C. Russo, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' * 1993 - 1994 Wenda Harris Millard, ''

Family Circle ''Family Circle'' was an American magazine that covered such topics as homemaking, recipes, and health. It was published from 1932 until the end of 2019. Originally distributed at supermarkets, it was one of the " Seven Sisters," a group of se ...

'' * 1991 - 1993 Wilder D. Baker, Warwick, Baker & Fiore * 1989 - 1991 William F. Marlieb, General Media International * 1987 - 1989 Richard D. O'Connor, Lintas: Campbell-Ewald * 1985 - 1987 Leslie Winthrop, Advertising Agency Register * 1982 - 1985 Judy Guerin de Neco, Judy Guerin, Inc. * 1981 - 1982 Michael Chamberlin, Lebhar-Friedman * 1979 - 1981 Fred R. Messner, Poppe Tyson * 1978 - 1979

Al Ries Alfred Paul Ries (November 14, 1926 – October 7, 2022) was an American marketing professional and author. He was the cofounder and chairman of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Ries & Ries with his partner and daughter, Laura Ries. Along with ...

, Ries, Cappiello, Colwell * 1976 - 1978 Michael Chamberlin, Lebhar-Friedman * 1974 - 1976 Edward Malluk, Timely Linens * 1973 - 1974 Vincent A. Carberry, Precision Valve Corporation * 1971 - 1973 Charles E. Ballard, Winius-Brandon Company * 1969 - 1971 Milton Riback, Milton Riback, Inc. * 1967 - 1969 William T. Leslie,

TWA Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with ...

* 1964 - 1967 Walter B. Bruce, American Can * 1963 - 1964 Mervin P. Bickley,

United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.

* 1960 - 1963 Horace H. Nahm, Hooven Letters * 1959 - 1960 Gene Flack, Sunshine Biscuit Co. * 1957 - 1959 Robert M. Gray, Esso Standard Oil * 1955 - 1957 Thomas B. Haire, Haire Publishing * 1953 - 1955 George A. Phillips * 1951 - 1953 George S. McMillan,

Bristol-Myers The Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in New York City, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consistently ranks on the ''Fortune'' 500 list of the lar ...

* 1950 - 1951 Frank M. Head, United Cigar-Whelan Stores * 1948 - 1950 Andrew J. Haire, Haire Publishing * 1946 - 1948 Eugene S. Thomas, Bamberger Broadcasting Service * 1944 - 1946 Allan T. Preyer, Vick Chemical Company * 1942 - 1944 John A. Zellers,

Remington Rand Remington Rand was an early American business machine manufacturer, originally a typewriter manufacturer and in a later incarnation the manufacturer of the UNIVAC line of mainframe computers. Formed in 1927 following a merger, Remington Rand wa ...

* 1941 - 1942 I.S. Randall * 1939 - 1941 G. Lynn Sumner, G. Lynn Sumner Co. * 1937 - 1939

Lowell Thomas Lowell Jackson Thomas (April 6, 1892 – August 29, 1981) was an American writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescreen ...

, television anchor * 1935 - 1937 H.B. LeQuatte, Churchill-Hall Advertising * 1932 - 1935 Grover A. Whalen,

John Wanamaker John Wanamaker (July 11, 1838December 12, 1922) was an American merchant and religious, civic and political figure, considered by some to be a proponent of advertising and a "pioneer in marketing". He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a ...

* 1930 - 1932 Charles E. Murphy, Murphy, Block, Sullivan & Sawyer * 1929 - 1930 James Wright Brown, ''

Editor & Publisher ''Editor & Publisher'' (''E&P'') is an American monthly trade news magazine covering the newspaper industry. Published since 1901, ''Editor & Publisher'' is the self-described "bible of the newspaper industry." Originally based in New York City, ...

'' * 1927 - 1929 Gilbert T. Hodges, ''

New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New York ...

'' * 1925 - 1927 James P. GillroyTimes Union Bklyn, 29APR 1926 Charles C. Green, Charles C. Green Advertising Agency * 1923 - 1925 H.H. Charles, H.H. Charles Advertising Service * 1922 - 1923 C. King Woodbridge, The Dictaphone Co. * 1921 - 1922 Frank E. Fehlman, Churchill-Hall Advertising * 1919 - 1921 George W. Hopkins, Columbia Gramophone Co. * 1919 - 1919 F.A. Wilson-Lawrenson,

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

* 1917 - 1919 George B. Sharpe, DeLavel Separator Co. * 1914 - 1917 Harry Tipper, Automotive Industries * 1908 - 1914 William H. Ingersoll, Robert Ingersoll & Bros. * 1907 - 1908 Gerald B. Wadsworth * 1906 - 1907

Charles Capehart Charles E. Capehart (1833–1911) was an officer in the U.S. Cavalry during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for action following the Battle of Gettysburg on July 4, 1863. Military service Capehart enlisted in the Union Army ...

* 1896 - 1905 Data not available 13 Presidents from the first 20 years of the organization include: M.M. Gillam, Artemas Ward, Herbert B Harding, Frank Presbrey, F. James Gibson (founder and first president), Samuel Brill, Phillip A Conne, W.R. Hotchkin, George B Van Cleve, Collin Armstrong, E.D. Gibbs, Henry C Brown and Preston P Lynn.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Advertising Club Of New York, The Advertising organizations Business organizations based in the United States Clubs and societies in New York City Organizations established in 1896 1896 establishments in New York City Advertising in the United States