Advertising Women of New York

Advertising Women of New York, Inc. (AWNY), originally called the League of Advertising Women of New York, was the first organization solely for women in the advertising and communications industry in America.

Although women had been members of advertising agencies since the late 19th century, with some women owning their own agencies and trade publications, AWNY was the first official association for advertising women. It would inspire the foundation of several other female advertising organizations around the country.

AWNY was founded in 1912 by journal editors Christine Frederick and J. George Frederick as a response to women’s denial from the all-male Advertising League. Its primary objectives were to educate its members in advertising and to encourage the active involvement of women in the advertising industry. Beginning in the 1930s, the club held classes and dinners with speakers on advertising and business practices, and awarded scholarships to girls to help them pursue degrees in advertising. During World War II, they also helped with the economizing campaign.

Today the organization consists of more than 1,500 women and men representing the advertising, marketing, media, promotion and public relations fields, and is an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation. Its mission is to provide a forum for personal and professional growth; to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of women in the communications field; and in keeping with its longtime mission of social consciousness, to promote and support philanthropic endeavors through the AWNY Foundation. The organization hosts 35 events a year, including several “signature” events such as the Advertising Woman of the Year Luncheon and the Advertising Career Conference.

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