Curated by Smartbrief . Legendary leaders were honored at the 2026 AAF Advertising Hall of Fame Thursday for their outstanding influence and leadership in the advertising and marketing fields. The inductees -- Gordon Bowen , Esi Eggleston Bracey , Susan Fowler Credle , David Droga , Tim Ellis  and Jim Stengel , plus Jen Skyler on behalf of American Express -- share career lessons that shaped their journeys, emphasizing authenticity, the importance of strong teams, caring deeply about one's work, self-belief and the value of trusted collaborators. "It matters a lot who you are surrounded by, who you are working with," says Stengel, former global marketing officer for Procter & Gamble, adding that's a big reason he was there for 25 years.…