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Philly Ad Club 75 Years Strong

It all started in the mid-1940’s with the advent of Television and the media landscape in flux. There were seven major newspapers in Philadelphia, it was a redefining time for radio, and the advertising agencies were grappling with the effectiveness of the old and new media. TV in those days was unpopular and not, many felt, all that good for branding or selling products.

As a needed response, a group called TAC (Television Advertising Club) was born to help this small group of pioneers share ideas and assist each other in understanding, selling and managing the untamed new frontier. In early 1947, this group was officially organized as TRAC (Television Radio Advertising Club). The organization ran very successfully for years, inviting the advertising industry to join them in the mid-1970’s … officially becoming the Philadelphia Advertising Club in 1990 … adapting a more contemporary identity as the Philly Ad Club in 2006.

And, yes, nothing ever stays the same as there are always never-ending challenges. Even today agencies, advertisers, and media are grappling with the new disruptions, social media challenges, the new-normal, and a host of post COVID-19 challenges. It’s kind of like the circle of life all over again … under the welcomed umbrella and security of the Philly Ad Club. Yes, it takes an individual or team to “create big” but it takes a village to support the challenges.

The Philly Ad Club, like a village, helps bring together the industry and all participating factions. That’s when they all interrelate, assist, collaborate, share ideas, and manage whatever untamed, new frontier of the times is coming at us so incredibly fast.

Past Presidents:

2018-2020 Ginger Kochmer

2016-2018 Bernie Prazenica

2014-2016 Jill Deardorff

2012-2014 Paul Blake

2011-2012 Mary Meder

2009-2011 Vince Giannini

2007-2009 Beverly Harper

2006-2007 Charles Volpe

2005-2006 Diana Bald

2003-2005 Mike Gillespie

2002-2003 Leslie Glenn-Chesloff

2001-2002 David Brown

2000-2001 Leslie Glick

1999-2000 Mary Padula

1998-1999 Rich Hammond

1997-1998 Dennis Begley

1996-1997 Joan A. Mullan

1994-1996 Marc A. Goldstein

1993-1994 Sheree Goldflies

1992-1993 Carol Palmerio

1991-1992 A. Richard Marks

1990-1991 Stephan M. Mosko

1989-1990 David G. Phillips

1988-1989 Margie Lefcoe

1987-1988 Allen Murphy

1986-1987 Herbert S. Smith

1985-1986 Victor A. Branch

1984-1985 Karen L. Connor

1983-1984 Rhody A. Bosley

1982-1983 George A. Erickson

1981-1982 Raymond J. Hunter

1980-1981 Thomas K. Byrnes

1979-1980 Helene Sperka

1978-1979 David J. Lane

1977-1978 Brian McAdams

1976-1977 Robert Hosking

1975-1976 Frank Oxarart

1974-1975 Peter Kadetsky

1973-1974 Marian Lockett-Egan

1972-1973 Eugene McCurdy

1971-1972 Allan S. Kalish

1970-1971 Tommy Roberts

1969-1970 Kenneth T. MacDonald

1968-1969 Ronald A. Krancer

1967-1968 Joseph Conway

1966-1967 Joseph P. (Pat) Hurley

1965-1966 Jack Downey

1964-1965 William H. Vogt

1963-1964 Lewis Klein

1962-1963 Edward Papazian

1961-1962 Murray Arnold

1960-1961 Walter L. Tillman

1959-1960 Robert Prior

1958-1959 Patrick Stanton

1957-1958 Alan Trip

1956-1957 James Quirk

1955-1956 Robert Dome A.W. (Bink) Dannebaum

1954-1955 Walter Erickson

1953-1954 Franklin Roberts

1952-1953 Arthur Browsky

1951-1952 Charles Vanda

1950-1951 Edward A. Davies

1949-1950 Albert Bernsohn

1948-1949 Kenneth Stowman