On June 4th, 1917, at City Hall in St. Louis, Missouri, prominent advertising executives came together from all over the U.S. and established the American Association of Advertising Agencies with 111 charter member agencies. Its mission: to advocate for, improve, and strengthen the ad business through legal counsel, education, and cooperation with federal, state, and local governments.

The first chairman of the board was William H. Johns of George Batten Company. James O’Shaughnessy, once described by TIME magazine as “the best in the business of advertising,” was selected to be the first president of the new association. By the time O’Shaughnessy retired in 1928, he was widely credited with taking the ad industry from a not-so-highly-regarded corner of business to a crucial part of the economic ecosystem that earned the praises of even the president. When he died in 1950, he was described as a man with “…the engaging Irish personality ideally suited to the job of making the important advertising agents of the early part of the century sit down and talk things over,” by the ad trade magazine Printer’s Ink.

 

Today, the 4As empowers and equip members to confidently navigate the ever-changing ecosystem of the agency world. We ensure they remain relevant, are positioned to compete, and have the resources to thrive and grow. With a focus on advocacy, talent and creating impact, the organization serves 600+ member agencies across 1,200 offices, which help direct more than 85% of total U.S. advertising spend. The 4As includes the 4As Benefits division, which insures more than 160,000 employees; the government relations team, who advocate for policies to support the industry; and the 4As Foundation, which advocates for and connects rising talent to the marketing industry by fostering a culture of curiosity, creativity and craft to fuel a more equitable future for the industry.