Chicago Advertising Association

Chicago Advertising Association Soundex Code C220

1905: Advertising giants Daniel Miner Lord of Lord and Thomas, Homer Buckley of Marshall Field & Company, and Reuben H. Donnelley met at Chicago's Union League Club to establish the Chicago Advertising Association (CAA), the earliest forerunner of the Chicago Advertising Federation (CAF). The CAA's membership was 250.

1920s: CAA membership rose to more than 1,000 in the booming twenties economy. The increase made the CAA a major division of the Chicago Association of Commerce, which had adopted it at the start of the war.

Art Tatham and Ken Laird led the CAA's rejuvenation, renaming the CAA the Chicago Federated Advertising Club (CFAC).

1945 early 1960s: Much of the CAF's detailed history was destroyed in a fire. In 1967, the CFAC became the Chicago Advertising Club (CAC).

1979: CAC increased its commitment to the contemporary advertising community and resumed its membership in the American Advertising Federation.

1980: CAC published a photo history titled The Greatest Ideas in Chicago Advertising History, and Advertising Chicago Style, a special supplement to the Sunday, October 26, 1980 Sunday editions of the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times.

1991: CAC changed its name in to the Chicago Advertising Federation (CAF).

Members

William Edward Ernst, 1911.