History of Advertising II

Introduction
Advertising is a form of
commercial mass communication way,
designed to promote the sale of a product
or service, or a message on behalf of an
institution, organization, or candidate for
political office. That implies concepts such
as market, publics, sponsors, persuasion,
products, services, mass communication,
etc.
We can use advertising to encourage or
persuade an audience (viewers, readers or
listeners) to continue or take some new
action.
 First steps
Investigators said that the first steps of advertising were in Ancient Empires, for example, in Egypt
they used papyrus promoting slaves´ sales and rewards. In Babylon, they used dirt splits with
inscriptions about salesman, shoemakers and clerks. Greeks used street callers who announced
ships´ arrival and it cargo of metals, wine and species.

In the case of Rome, they did something different for instance. They did the first touristic ad 1 of a
tavern; in Pompeii a stone wall said ―

“Traveler, if you go from here to the twelve tower, there Sarinus have a tavern, with this we invite
you to come in, bye”
Also in Rome, an important media was known as album, which consisted in a board of blanched wall
where they published edicts and laws together with promotions of gladiators’ fights and theater
representations. Another media was the libel us, made with papyrus, a sort of poster which
announced possessions sales, shows programs, and the lost of several things.

Painted announces were important too. For example a goat meant milk stores, and bakery could be
identified with a mule which has a mill in it back.
 Middle Age and the rising of printing press
In this period, a big number of people can´t read. So, signs that today would say cobbler, miller,
tailor or blacksmith would use an image associated with their trade such as a boot, a suit, a hat, a
clock, a diamond, a horse shoe, a candle or even a bag of flour.
Gutenberg’s printing press (1438) really began the era of mass communication in that now printed
materials could be mass produced whereas prior to the printing press, books and other printed
materials had to be made individually. …...
A Londoner printed the first English newspaper in 1622 and the first ad appeared in 1625.

That 1622´s first newspaper was the Weekly News, by Nicholas Brown and Thomas Archer.
Other newspapers of this time were the Mercurius Britannicus, in 1665 and La Gazzette from
Paris by Théophraste Renaudot in 1630. Those were considered beginners of modern
advertising, despite of the fact that the first newspaper´s announce appeared in 1650 in the
Several Proceedings in Parliament; it was about offering a reward for returning twelve stolen
horses.
 Travelling to Modern Age
In England, line advertisements in newspapers were very popular in the second half of the
seventeenth century, often announcing the publication of a new book, or the opening of a new play.
The Great Fire of London in 1666 was a boost to this type of advertisement, as people used
newspapers in the aftermath of the fire to advertise lost & found, and changes of address. These early
line ads were predominantly informative, containing descriptive, rather than persuasive language

The first newspaper was published in 1704 in United States (USA). In it pages it promoted itself as a
vehicle for advertising
In USA, appears in 1729 The Gazette by Benjamin Franklin, which is considered the true beginning
of advertising in that country. That newspaper had advertisements of ships, birds´ feathers for
writing, wines, books, tobacco, chocolate and other wares. It had so much success, that Franklin is
considered a real advertising executive, salesman, publisher and director.

Progressively, newspapers receipted advertisements, sometimes in the internal pages or in the

Newspapers provided the ideal vehicle for this new phenomenon, advertisements. New
technologies were also making newspapers cheaper, more widely available, and more
frequently printed.
In June 1836, French newspaper La Presse, was the first to include paid advertising in its pages,
allowing it to lower its price, extend its readership and increase its profitability and the formula was
soon copied by all titles.

Around 1840, Volney B. Palmer established the roots of the modern day advertising agency in
Philadelphia. In 1842 Palmer bought large amounts of space in various newspapers at a discounted
rate then resold the space at higher rates to advertisers.

At first, agencies were brokers for advertisement space in newspapers. N. W. Ayer & Son was the
first full-service agency to assume responsibility for advertising content. N.W. Ayer opened in 1869,
and was located in Philadelphia. Around those years, it’s known the first advertising plan, created
for Gillette (razor blades).
 Advertising grows up
Through twentieth century advertising became a full-fledged industry and agencies
developed.
During World War I advertising became an instrument of direct social interaction and
was utilized to arouse the public regarding war-related issues and the sale of war bonds.
The power to persuade through this electronic mass medium was realized.
The emergence of radio as a significant advertising medium, remained dominant until
the 1950s. This created a new sense of community as people separated by thousands of
miles experienced the same programming
During the first years of twentieth decade, advertising turned more sophisticated and
technical. Started the use of radio, with the first commercial radio diffusor WEAF, in
1922 and the presentation of the first radial program sponsoring by ―Eveready
(prepared by N. W. Ayer). It showed new possibilities for advertising evolution,
complemented with the treatment for halitosis Listerine, Pepsodent, cars
advertisements, the use of movies stars for Lux Soap, and the impulse of women´s
cigarette consumption for Lucky Strike.