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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Historical development of advertising in the world

It is difficult to pinpoint the development of advertising in the world; it has been around ever since people have been around. Earliest advertisement is said to be Babylonian clay tablet, dating back to 3000 BC which bears inscriptions for an ointment dealer, ascribe and a shoemaker. Likewise, modern day billboards were found in the ruins of Pompeii. Early form of advertisement was done by town criers who were used as the medium throughout Europe and England in the medieval period. (Advertising and Public Relation,2002).

Newspaper advertising began with the invention of the movable type printing by johann Gutenberg i 1438. The discovery brough a revolution of sorts in the print industry. The first Enlish - language newpaper is said to be the Oxford Gazette published is 1965. Later it was renamed as the London Gazette. The earliest British advertisement is said to date back to 1477. England had 25 newspaper in the 1700s and 258 in 1800s ( Nevett T.R. in Wilmshurst). By the time the newspaper arrived, advertising in other forms was already being done through posters, special cards of traders which contained their names and their wares, etc. not to talk of the earliest forms of advertisements such as those that appeared on clay tablets.

Advertising is said to have gone through three major periods. the Era of Exaggerated claims (1865-1900) , the Era of public Awareness ( 1900-1995) and the Era of social Responsibility (1965) .The exaggerated claims era was the " buyer beware" period where advertisers could make any claim and get away with it .

The change in technology also changed in the format of advertising. After the introduction of printing press by Gutenberg in mid 15th century, it revolutionized the printing process and developed media where advertisement is connected. First printed ad in English is said to be printed in about 1480AD in Britain by William Caxton, it was a hand bill of rules guiding the clergy at Easter that was put on church doors. By 1600s advertising made its way to the colonies with the earliest settlers from England. ‘Boston Newsletter’, one of the early newspapers of America was the first newspaper to publish advertisement there. Ben Franklin a pioneer of early advertising made ads attractive and since then ads greatly resembled what we call today as classified ads.

The first picture advertising was published to increase sales of coffee in 1652. Likewise, ads on chocolate and tea were also published in 1657and 1658 respectively. Advertisement was found in magazines during 1740s. However, earlier ads were carried through posters, special cards, etc of traders which contained their names and wares. The beginning of industrial revolution brought major changes in the world. Industrial Revolution brought changes in American and the European countries because of mass production through newly invented machines and ads were aid to reach new mass audiences. The impact of industrialization in America and Europe brought the following in:

a. Railroads linked all parts of country which made possible manufactures to distribute their goods to growing market.

b. Influx of growing immigrants in America doubled. More people meant larger market for manufacturer.

c. Invention of new communication media made it easier to communicate with one another.

d. Economic production increased, people had more disposable income to spend on new products.(cited in Domonick, 1994).

This improved economic and communication climate helped advertising to thrive. The increased importance of advertising agency led to birth of advertising agency. Roots of modern day agency can be traced to Volney B. Palmer of Philadelphia. The development of electronic media like the radio and television also enhanced the advertising and made advertising the major part of media in the 21st century.


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