The list below is a sampling of Hall of Fame members who championed this issue.
- Alfred W. Erickson - promoted the idea of a national association of advertising agencies and was also a mastermind in founding the New York Council and took an active role in joining 5 regional groups into one.
- William H. Johns - Was one of the founders of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, and also served as its first president, overseeing the development of its qualifications for membership, the agency service standards of practice for ad agencies, a standard rate card and a standard order blank for publication.
- Walter Ansel Strong - As chairman of the board of the International Advertising Association, he aided in the reorganization under the name of Advertising Federation of America (AFA). In 1930 he was elected chairman of the AFA.
- Stanley Clague - served as the president of the Affiliated Agents Association of America, the first president of the Western Advertising Agents Association and one of the leaders in organizing the American Association of Advertising Agencies. He was also a member of the Advertising Commission of the International Advertising Association and the vice president of the Post Advertising Association.
- Thomas B. Adams - worked to develop the ad industry, serving as chairman of the Ad Council and the 4A's.
- Donald A. MacDonald - served as the chairman of the AFA-AWA Joint Council to unify the two associations and create the American Advertising Federation.
- Alfred J. Seaman - following a long period as director for the Ad Council, he was made honorary director, joining a small group to be awarded that honor. He is also a former chairman for the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
- John H. Crichton - was an advertising leader and the conscience of the industry during the 15 years he worked as the president of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, striving to ensure industry-wide adherence to truth in advertising and insisted it be built on a solid foundation of full service to clients.
- William Cheever D'Arcy - was a co-founder of the Advertising Clubs of America in 1904, later becoming the Associated Advertising Club of the World, the Advertising Federation of America and eventually the American Advertising Federation. D'Arcy was also active in the founding of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, serving on its executive board for nine years.
- E. St. Elmo Lewis - was the co-founder and first president of the Association of National Advertisers and a founding member of the Adcraft Club of Detroit, where he served two terms as president.
- J. Earle Pearson - was named general manager of the Advertising Federation of America in 1926 and under his direction, the truth in advertising campaign was initiated. This public relations campaign aimed at creating a greater confidence and believability in advertising and educating the public about its functions and values, was estimated to have reached some 70 million people annually.
- James O'Shaughnessy - labored for several years to form the Affiliated Association of Advertising Agencies, later becoming the American Association of Advertising Agencies, where he served as its executive secretary, helping to organize the modern advertising agency system and its standards, practices and business methods.
- Henry Theodore Ewald - was the embodiment of his own philosophy, "no man can live within himself." He was the founder of the Adcraft Club of Detroit and of the National Outdoor Advertising Bureau. He was board chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, as well as an active officer. He was a director of the Advertising Federation of America and of the Traffic Audit Bureau. He believed in and worked for the organizing of advertising people for better service to themselves and the public.
- Kerwin Holmes Fulton - was interested in the overall problems of advertising. Fulton served as the vice chairman of the Ad Council, and was also secretary-treasurer and director of the Traffic Audit Bureau, as well as a former chairman of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
- Barney Link - fashioned the heterogeneous bill posting in the United States and Canada into the solidarity of the Poster Advertising Association of America. Early in his advertising career, and in an endeavor to promote solidarity among the Associated Billposters of the U.S. and Canada, Link was impressed by the need for an organization that would bring all advertising interests together. From that goal American Federation of Advertising Clubs began in 1905.
- Gilbert Tennant Hodges - devoted time to both his profession and the elevation of its standards, leading to his involvement with several industry organizations. He served as president of the Adgate Club of Chicago and the Advertising Club of New York. In 1930 he was elected president of the Advertising Federation of America and for a number of years served as a delegate to international advertising meetings.
- Edgar Kobak - was the first chairman of the Broadcast Advertising Bureau, president of the Radio Pioneers, president of the Advertising Research Foundation, as well as president and chairman of the Advertising Federation of America.
- Jesse H. Neal - helped in the formation of the National Industrial Advertisers Association, now the Association of Industrial Advertisers, and passage of the Webb-Pomerene Act of 1918 was largely credited to his effort.
- Harrison King McCann - helped launch the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Audit Bureau of Circulations. He also served as director of the National Outdoor Advertising Bureau for several years.
- Russell T. Gray - In 1919 he brought together several well-known industrial advertising men to found the Engineering Advertiser's Association. From this grew the National Industrial Advertisers' Association, now the Association of Industrial Advertisers.
- Thomas D'Arcy Brophy - was chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, chairman of the National Outdoor Advertising Bureau, influential in the educational work of the Advertising Federation of America and a dedicated member of the executive committee of the Advertising Council.
- Laurence W. Lane - was a decisive influence in settling the course of the Advertising Association of the West, devoting his time and energy to the organization during its early struggle to attain permanent stability and stature. During this critical period he served as its president and later its chairman.
- John P. Cunningham - served as chairman of the Advertising Federation of America, chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, director of the Advertising Research Foundation and trustee for the Committee for Economic Development. He was also instrumental in the merger that led to the American Advertising Federation.
- Raymond J. Petersen - has served as chairman of the National Advertising Review Council, the American Advertising Federation and the Advertising Hall of Fame Council of Judges. He was also the vice chairman of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
- Vance L. Stickell - served as the chairman of the American Advertising Federation and as a longtime member of the Ad Council, where he was instrumental in shaping the committee to address 32 major causes through public service advertising.
- Ira C. "Ike" Herbert - served as chairman of the Ad Council, Advertising Hall of Fame judge and co-chairman of the Advertising Educational Foundations. He was also active in the Association of National Advertisers.
- Howard H. Bell - In his 24 years as president of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), Bell built the AAF from two regional associations of a limited staff, budget and industry support into a single major national advertising association comprising all key elements of the industry. Overall membership during his tenure more than tripled.
- Alex Kroll - As chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, he developed research showing that many brands were advertising at levels far lower than those that built them, and as chairman for the Ad Council, he led a commitment to focus much of its efforts on issues affecting America's children.
- Leonard S. Matthews - As President of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, he traveled extensively, building and maintaining relationships with the advertising industry, not only in the U.S., but in all free market countries. From 1979 to 1989, he more than doubled the size of its membership, expanded its services to members, took an activist role in government relations and increased cooperation between his group, the American Advertising Federation and the Association of National Advertisers.
