The American Advertising Federation (AAF) unveiled the inductees for its 72nd Class of the Advertising Hall of Fame. Seven individuals, along with Unilever, will be honored. These honorees were elected by the Advertising Hall of Fame Council of Judges and is the highest distinction in the industry.
This year’s individual honorees are (in alphabetical order):
- Raúl Alarcón, chairman of the board and CEO, Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.
- Cathie Black, principal, Madison Park Ventures; former chairman and president, Hearst Magazines
- Louis Carr, president of media sales, Black Entertainment Television (BET)
- Antonio J. Lucio, principal and founder, 5S Diversity and former global CMO at Meta, HP, Visa and PepsiCo
- Renetta E. McCann, chief inclusion experience officer, Publicis Groupe
- Aaron M. Walton, CEO, Walton Isaacson
- John Wren, chairman and CEO, Omnicom Group
Inductee Renetta E. McCann will also be presented with the distinguished David Bell Award for Industry Service, which recognizes extraordinary, unique contributions and service to the advertising industry as a whole. The award is named in honor of David Bell (Hall of Fame Class of 2007), a visionary leader and mentor to several generations of advertising professionals.
In addition to these seven industry luminaries, Unilever will be recognized as this year’s corporate honoree. Unilever’s vision is to deliver winning performance by being the global leader in sustainable business. Unilever is demonstrating how it drives competitive growth while improving the health of the planet, improving people’s health, confidence and wellbeing, and contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world. Unilever has a long history of being a progressive, responsible business across the 190 countries it operates in.
Carolyn Everson served as the chair of this year’s distinguished Council of Judges, having previously served as VP of Facebook’s Global Business Group for more than 10 years. Everson said, “The AAF Advertising Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by our industry. To date, there have been only 275 individual inductees. Suffice to say, selection is just that – selective. It also reflects the deep appreciation and admiration we have for the selfless service of these illustrious leaders. Our industry would not be where it is today without them.”
Conny Braams, chief digital & commercial officer, Unilever, said, “It’s a great honor to be inducted into the AAF Advertising Hall of Fame. This recognition reflects the commitment of every single marketer at Unilever to deliver unmissable brand experiences powered by superior products, creativity, innovation, and purpose. We are proud that 3.4 billion consumers choose to use our brands daily, allowing us to drive real, meaningful change in the world, whether it’s Dove and self-esteem, Lifebuoy and handwashing, Domestos and sanitation, Knorr and sustainable agriculture, or Hellmann’s and food waste.”
Induction ceremonies will take place on April 27, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street.
“The Advertising Hall of Fame is the biggest night in advertising,” said Steve Pacheco, president and CEO, American Advertising Federation. “It brings together the nation’s top leaders in American advertising, marketing and media and is another example of how AAF serves as the ‘unifying voice for advertising.’”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More