Mumbai: Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is set to celebrate its Platinum Jubilee year during 2020.
The premier national organization for advertising agencies in India was set up in Calcutta in 1945. Four agencies from Calcutta – D J Keymer, General Advertising Agency, J Walter Thomson Co. and Press Syndicate along with three agencies from Bombay – Adarts, Lintas and National Advertising Service were the founder members of the AAAI.
Over the years, AAAI has stood the test of time and strengthened relations with the government and various industry bodies viz Indian Newspaper Society (INS), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA), Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Association of Radio Operators in India (AROI) et al.
Initially, only Full-Service Agencies were members of AAAI and in 2008 AAAI opened its doors to Media and Creative Agencies as well. Recently it has opened its membership to Digital agencies and very soon it will open its membership to PR, Events and Outdoor agencies too.
Elaborating on this AAAI President, Ashish Bhasin said “AAAI was formed to promote advertising as a professional activity. From its humble beginnings with a mere seven agencies, AAAI has grown manifold to its present strength of more than 100 Advertising Agencies, who contribute more than 80% of the total ad budget of the country. Initially, the total size of the advertising industry was Rs 5 crore, the advertising industry stands at over Rs. 70,000 crores in 2019 and is expected to grow up to Rs 1 trillion in the next few years. I am delighted to announce that the Executive Committee of AAAI has unanimously chosen Sam Balsara as Chairman of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Committee.”
In this connection, Sam Balsara commented, “We hope to mount Celebrations in keeping with this momentous occasion. I look forward to the co-operation of my Colleagues in the Industry to make this a memorable occasion.”
The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Committee will soon announce more details to celebrate AAAI’s 75th Anniversary during 2020.