The American Advertising Federation - Tampa Bay exists to support its members, the community, and the advertising industry. T ... he AAF Tampa Bay (American Advertising Federation of Tampa Bay) is a chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), which was established in 1967 when two regional advertising organizations joined forces: The Advertising Association of the West (AAW) and the Advertising Federation of America (AFA). AFA and AAW’s roots date back to the early 1900s when advertising professionals identified a need to join together for the protection and promotion of their trade. AAW and AFA worked to raise the standards of advertising through education and self-regulation. In 1911 the AFA organized a national vigilance committee and launched the “truth in advertising” movement, the forerunner to Better Business Bureaus. The advent of commercial air travel and advances in telecommunications enabled AAW and AFA to better coordinate their efforts when dealing with the federal government, and eventually to coalesce, forming the AAF. Today, AAF is headquartered in Washington D.C. with a Western Region Office in San Francisco. AAF represents over 50,000 advertising men and women in all industry segments, working together to achieve the AAF mission. read more