Robert Johnson Elected to Advertising Hall of Fame

Robert L. Johnson, founder of B.E.T., was elected for originating the nation's most recognized and successful African-American cable television company.

Donald R. Keough, retired president & COO, the Coca Cola Company, for shaping the advertising image of one of the world's most iconic companies during his extraordinary tenure at its helm.

Henry R. Luce, co-founder, TIME Magazine; founder of Fortune, Life and Sports Illustrated magazines (1898-1967), receiving the award posthumously for creating many of the country's most enduring and respected publishing titles.

Al Neuharth, founder, USA TODAY & the Freedom Forum; for conceiving of a nationwide newspaper and building the nation's preeminent institution celebrating free speech.

The recipients will be officially inducted into the prestigious Advertising Hall of Fame at an awards luncheon Tuesday, March 14, at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel.

"These four honorees have dramatically enhanced the cultural landscape of this nation through their creative careers in the advertising world," said AAF President & CEO Wally Snyder. "With their determination and unwavering innovative spirit, these legends have elevated the business of advertising through their influence."

The Advertising Hall of Fame was established in 1948, and since then 174 individuals, including this year's honorees, have been elected to this illustrious group. They include industry giants such as Bill Bernbach, Leo Burnett, Jay Chiat, Katharine Graham, John H. Johnson, David Ogilvy, William Paley, Harley Procter, Ted Turner, John Wanamaker and Mary Wells Lawrence. This award is the most prestigious in the industry honoring those individuals who have significantly raised the standard of advertising excellence. More on the Advertising Hall of Fame and its members can be found at the award-winning Web site www.advertisinghalloffame.org.