November/December 2024

Insights from Steve Pacheco
President & CEO, American Advertising Federation 

The Power of Connections  

The amazing connections you can make as part of your AAF Membership are never in question and always of value.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had our professional members tell me that they were able to make meaningful connections through the AAF that benefited them in so many ways.

As our mission states—we are “The Unifying Voice for Advertising” and that’s much more than just a slogan. I see examples every day of AAF members uniting to help each other out, to share the responsibility for uplifting their community, and to connect and construct meaningful relationships that advance our mission.

They say that the World of Advertising is a small one. And we have all heard that everyone knows someone in Advertising.

In that regard the AAF is like the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” in that you are never too far away from connecting with the person you are looking to connect to for business or personal needs.

I recall the long-time professional member in District 10 who was able to get an important and helpful job referral from one of our Board Members that in turn helped them get a new job that they really wanted.

Then there was the student member in Missouri who connected with one of our Corporate Partners and got an interview that led to their first dream job at a New York ad agency.

Attend our Board Meetings and signature events and you will have the chance to connect with our Corporate Board Members - they represent our 60+ Corporate Partners - and they are the ones who run the modern-day Advertising, Media, and Marketing World.

The AAF is all about connections and collaboration. We will continue to make intros and create opportunities for our Members to connect with those who can help move their career and personal lives ahead.

Consider your AAF Membership as an investment - an investment in you that you should be making and one that provides a solid return!

I’m happy to connect with you. Just reach out on LinkedIn or X - mention your AAF membership and let’s connect and see what we can do together.

—Steve

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 Posted: September 2024