Skip to main content
Not an Adcraft member? Sign up for membership today and take advantage of the reduced member registration rate! Just one of the perks of membership. Click here to become a member first.
HomeHistory

History

December 7, 1905 – The Detroit Adcraft Club is formed with the signatures of 30 advertising men on the charter membership role. The organization leased space above Sam Smitt’s tailor shop on Fort Street in downtown Detroit.

December 1, 1912
– Club moves to new headquarters in the Fellowcraft Building on Washington Boulevard. Subsequent headquarters were in the Detroit Board of Commerce Building, Tuller Hotel, Kresge Building, Palms Building, Book Building, Fisher Building, Park Shelton and, currently, Ford Field.

1917 – The Better Business Bureau of Detroit is formed, an offshoot of the Adcraft Club’s Vigilance Committee.

1922 – The organization’s name is officially changed to The Adcraft Club of Detroit.

1924 – The Adcraft Bowling League is formed. It continues to this day, the oldest bowling league in Detroit.

1928 – Adcraft plans to build its own headquarters “skyscraper” in downtown Detroit. The Adcraft Building was to house the Club’s offices as well as advertising agencies, media companies and other industry-related companies. The Great Depression puts an end to the plan.

October 26, 1928
– Amelia Earhart speaks at an Adcraft luncheon meeting.

1960s – Adcraft coordinates media campaign on racial understanding for New Detroit.

1971 – Adcraft forms the Michigan Advertising Industry Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting the interests of the advertising community through legislative action.

1974 – Women first approved for membership.

1982 – Board of Directors establishes the Adcraft PM Committee, composed of young Adcrafters.

December 14, 1984 – More than 2,000 Adcrafters turn out for the Club’s 79th Anniversary Luncheon featuring Lee Iacocca.

1988 – Adcraft/Leonard Simons-Larry Michelson Advertising Professorship in Advertising established at Wayne State University.

April 21, 1995 – John F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to Adcraft.

1999 – Peggy Daitch of Conde’ Nast Publications becomes Adcraft’s first woman president.

 2000 – Adcraft coordinates pro-bono multi-media advertising campaign encouraging Detroiters to participate in the 2000 Census.

2005 – Adcraft celebrates is Centennial with a grand party, a legacy project in downtown Detroit, a television special and a special section in Advertising Age.

2007 – Adcraft introduces The D Show, an annual celebration of the Detroit’s creative spirit, recognizing the ‘best of the best’ of our work over the past year.

Adcraft Club Detroit
2000 Brush St.
Suite 601
Detroit, MI 48226