ANNOUNCING THE INDUCTEES TO THE 2023 AAF ADVERTISING HALL OF FAME

Seven Industry Luminaries To Receive the Industry's Most Revered Distinction

Unilever to be Corporate Honoree

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Advertising Federation (AAF) announced today the inductees for its 72nd Class of the Advertising Hall of Fame.  Seven individuals, along with Unilever, will be honored. These honorees were elected by the Advertising Hall of Fame Council of Judges and is the highest distinction in the industry. The announcement was celebrated during the Closing Bell Ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange.

This year's individual honorees include (in alphabetical order):

• Raúl Alarcón, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Cathie Black, Principal, Madison Park Ventures; former Chairman and President, Hearst Magazines
• Louis Carr, President of Media Sales, Black Entertainment Television (BET)
• Antonio J. Lucio, Principal and Founder, 5S Diversity and former Global CMO at Meta, HP, Visa and PepsiCo
• Renetta E. McCann, Chief Inclusion Experience Officer, Publicis Groupe
• Aaron M. Walton, CEO, Walton Isaacson
• John Wren, Chairman and CEO, Omnicom Group

Renetta McCann will also be presented with the distinguished David Bell Award for Industry Service, which recognizes extraordinary, unique contributions and service to the advertising industry as a whole. The award is named in honor of David Bell (Hall of Fame Class of 2007), a visionary leader and mentor to several generations of advertising professionals.

In addition to these seven industry luminaries, Unilever will be recognized as this year's corporate honoree. Unilever's vision is to deliver winning performance by being the global leader in sustainable business. Unilever is demonstrating how it drives competitive growth while improving the health of the planet, improving people's health, confidence and wellbeing, and contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world. Unilever has a long history of being a progressive, responsible business across the 190 countries it operates in.

Carolyn Everson served as the Chair of this year's distinguished Council of Judges, having previously served as VP of Facebook's Global Business Group for more than ten years.  Commenting on this year's inductees, Ms. Everson said, "The AAF Advertising Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by our industry.  To date, there have been only 275 individual inductees.  Suffice to say, selection is just that – selective.  It also reflects the deep appreciation and admiration we have for the selfless service of these illustrious leaders. Our industry would not be where it is today without them."  She added, "I very much look forward to honoring the Class of 2023 at our induction ceremonies next year."

Conny Braams, Chief Digital & Commercial Officer, Unilever, said, "It's a great honor to be inducted into the AAF Advertising Hall of Fame.  This recognition reflects the commitment of every single marketer at Unilever to deliver unmissable brand experiences powered by superior products, creativity, innovation, and purpose.  We are proud that 3.4 billion consumers choose to use our brands daily, allowing us to drive real, meaningful change in the world, whether it's Dove and self-esteem, Lifebuoy and handwashing, Domestos and sanitation, Knorr and sustainable agriculture, or Hellmann's and food waste."

Induction ceremonies will take place on April 27, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street.  To learn more about the Class of 2023, as well partnership and advertising opportunities, click here.

"The Advertising Hall of Fame is the biggest night in advertising," said Steve Pacheco, President and CEO, American Advertising Federation.  "It brings together the nation's top leaders in American advertising, marketing and media and is another example of how AAF serves as the 'unifying voice for advertising.'"

The Advertising Hall of Fame, organized by the AAF since 1949, helps the organization to sustain many of its key initiatives throughout the year surrounding education, diversity, grassroots advocacy, industry ethics and professional development.  Induction into the Hall of Fame celebrates the most accomplished and legendary figures in advertising.  From their significant contributions to the advertising industry, to their personal philanthropic involvement, honorees have set the precedent by which great leaders and accomplishments are measured today.

Established in 1905, the American Advertising Federation (AAF), acts as the "Unifying Voice for Advertising."  Its membership is comprised of more than 50 corporate members made up of the nation's leading advertisers, agencies, and media companies; a national network of 150+ local clubs representing 40,000 advertising professionals; and more than 140 college chapters with 4,000 student members.  The AAF operates a host of programs and initiatives, including Advertising Day on the Hill, the Advertising Hall of Fame, the Advertising Hall of Achievement, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, the Mosaic Awards, the Most Promising Multicultural Students Program and AdCamp for high school students. Follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn (https://aaf.org).

SOURCE American Advertising Federation