Introducing AAF Greater Rochester

For as long as any of us can probably remember, this club has been called the RAF – Rochester Advertising Federation. Sometimes also known as RAF Connect. We are the oldest advertising organization in the region, dating back to the late 1960s when we were founded – at the time called the Genesee Valley Advertisers. We’re not only the oldest ad group in the area, but we’re a part of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), which is the oldest national advertising trade association in the United States.

AAF represents more than 200 local federations and 40,000 advertising professionals across the country. With our current name, you wouldn’t necessarily know we’re affiliated with this mammoth organization though. That’s one of the many reasons we’re rebranding this year! When someone hears our name, we want them to understand we’re not just Rochester-based, we’re a part of the larger American Advertising Federation.

Introducing AAF Greater Rochester.

Now, we’re very conscious of the fact that the RAF name has been around for decades. Rest assured, this decision is not one the Board of Directors took lightly. We considered dozens of different name options and weighed the impact of each one carefully.

Beyond creating greater synergy with our parent organization, this new name – AAF Greater Rochester – allows us to be more inclusive of our members who operate outside of the City of Rochester and incorporate those in the extended region. Even better, it signifies that all of us are greater than one of us – better portraying the greater sense of community we’re well known for.

We hope you’re as excited for this new chapter as we are! Be sure to keep an eye out for updates to our websites, email addresses, and social channels in the coming months as we intentionally roll out these updates.