What Automotive Communications Council does

The Automotive Communications Council (ACC) is a professional community organization serving marketing and communications professionals in the automotive aftermarket industry. Founded in 1941 and described as the oldest continuously operating council in the aftermarket, ACC provides networking, professional development, and industry recognition to individuals employed by automotive aftermarket supplier, distributor, retailer, and service-provider companies. Its core offerings include an annual conference, educational webinars (including its Fast Track Webinar series), the ACC Excellence Award, the ACC Reception at AAPEX, an exclusive LinkedIn community space, an annual student scholarship, and a tiered sponsorship program with Diamond and Silver levels.

ACC operates as a non-commercial, membership-based community and does not develop proprietary technology products. Its technology footprint consists of standard community infrastructure: the Auto Care Association membership portal (my.autocare.org), an exclusive LinkedIn Group, webinar platforms, and inclusion in the Auto Care Association's broader digital ecosystem, which includes data standards (ACES, PIES), market intelligence tools (TrendLens), and trade events (AAPEX, Auto Care Connect). On January 21, 2026, ACC was officially integrated as the newest community under the Auto Care Association, gaining access to the parent's administrative, marketing, and event infrastructure.

ACC's business model is community-led and subscription-based in nature, funded through membership routed via the Auto Care Association and through corporate sponsorship contributions. Individual members must be employed by an Auto Care Association member company. Sponsorship revenue comes from a small set of Diamond- and Silver-tier industry partners (Babcox, Endeavor Business Media, BCA Bearings by NTN, Conceptual Minds, DENSO). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Governance is provided by a volunteer Leadership Council drawn from member companies and a single staff liaison (Community Engagement Manager) at the Auto Care Association.

Name

Automotive Communications Council

Legal name

Automotive Communications Council

Website

https://acc-online.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Automotive Communications Council is a professional community, founded in 1941 and now operating under the Auto Care Association, that serves marketing and communications professionals across the automotive aftermarket through networking events, educational webinars, awards, and scholarships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Automotive aftermarket communications
• Professional networking association
• Marketing communications council
• Industry awards programs
• Professional development events

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaumburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: ACC operates as a council under the Auto Care Association, with membership funded through Auto Care Association membership. The organization's activities are supported by member company contributions and sponsorship programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Automotive Communications Council (ACC) is a professional community organization that engages marketing and communications professionals working in the automotive aftermarket industry. Operating as a community under the Auto Care Association, ACC delivers member services including educational webinars, an annual industry awards program (ACC Excellence Award), sponsorship programs at Diamond and Silver tiers, networking events such as an annual conference and an AAPEX reception, a scholarship program, and an exclusive LinkedIn community space for peer collaboration.

Product overview

The Automotive Communications Council (ACC) is a professional community organization, not a technology product company. ACC provides a portfolio of professional development programs, networking events, and recognition initiatives for marketing and communications professionals in the automotive aftermarket industry. The portfolio consists of: an annual scholarship fund for students pursuing automotive-related marketing/communication studies (ACC Scholarship); sponsorship programs (ACC Annual Sponsorships); educational webinar series covering marketing trends, social media, and web-based initiatives (Fast Track Webinars, Educational Webinars); an annual industry awards program recognizing excellence in marketing and communications campaigns (ACC Excellence Award); networking events including an annual conference and reception at the AAPEX trade show; and an exclusive LinkedIn community space for member collaboration. These offerings are designed to support idea sharing, professional development, and industry networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACC Annual Sponsorship Program Annual sponsorship program offering Diamond and Silver sponsorship tiers that allow automotive aftermarket companies to financially support the Automotive Communications Council and gain visibility among its professional community.
• ACC Excellence Award Annual industry award program recognizing excellence in automotive communications and marketing campaigns within the automotive aftermarket industry. ACC members participate as judges, gaining insight into industry best practices.
• ACC Annual Conference Participation Annual conference participation and member programming aligned with the Auto Care Connect industry conference, providing learning, idea-sharing, and networking opportunities for ACC members in the automotive aftermarket.
• Fast Track Webinars Educational webinar series providing professional development on the latest trends in traditional marketing, social media, and web-based marketing initiatives for marketing and communications professionals in the automotive aftermarket.
• ACC Scholarship Scholarship fund providing financial support to marketing and communication students with an interest in the automotive market, supporting talent development for the automotive aftermarket communications profession.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered diamond, silver and core.

• BabcoxdiamondGTM or Marketing PartnerBabcox serves as a Diamond sponsor for ACC. Babcox is a media company serving the automotive aftermarket industry.
• Endeavor Business MediadiamondGTM or Marketing PartnerEndeavor Business Media serves as a Diamond sponsor for ACC. Represented on ACC Leadership Council.
• BCA Bearings by NTNsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerBCA Bearings by NTN serves as a Silver sponsor for ACC. BCA is a bearing manufacturer serving the automotive aftermarket.
• Conceptual Minds, Inc.silverGTM or Marketing PartnerConceptual Minds serves as a Silver sponsor for ACC. Represented on ACC Leadership Council. Conceptual Minds appears to be a marketing/technology services company.
• DENSOsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerDENSO serves as a Silver sponsor for ACC. DENSO is a major automotive parts manufacturer, and DENSO representatives serve on the ACC Leadership Council.
• Auto Care AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACC operates as a community under the Auto Care Association. The Auto Care Association provides administrative support, infrastructure, membership systems, and hosts ACC within its organizational structure. In January 2026, Auto Care Association welcomed ACC as its newest community member.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/autocommcouncil
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AAIAssociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/AutomotiveCommunicationsCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/automotive-communications-council-acc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Automotive Communications Council