Essay/Term paper: History of advertising

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Economics

History of Advertising

This Essay is for People that are in VCE up to Elderly People

Advertising is dated back to the Christian Era. One of the first known methods
of advertising was outdoor signs, they would be painted on the wall of a
building and were usually very eye catching. Archaeologists have found signs in
the ruins of ancient Rome and Pompeii which advertised travelers to go to a
tavern situated in another town. In about the 1440's there was an invention of a
movable-type of advertising which was a printing press. In the 16th century some
companies had a trade mark which was a two or three dimensional picture or sign.
In both volume and technique, advertising has made its greatest advances in the
U.S. In the early stages of U.S. advertising it was hard and expensive to
advertise nationally because the U.S. was still undeveloped and there was little
of no means of transport, distribution or communication. Eventually certain type
of manufactures thought of the idea of bypassing wholesalers, retailers and
using catalogs. Mail orders and pamphlets appeared around the 1870's. Late in
the 19th century many American firms began to market packaged goods under brand
names. Previously consumers had not been aware of or influenced by brand names.
The first product that had brand names were soap products. In the 1880's a few
brands came out and they were Ivory, Pears, Sapolio, Colgate, Kirks American
Family and Packer's. Not long after brands such as Royal baking powder, Quaker
oats, Bakers chocolate, Hire's root beer, Regal shoes and Waterman's pens were
nationally advertised. In the early 1900's America began to become aware of such
brand names like Bon Ami, Wrigley and Coca-Cola. After World War 1 advertising
developed into a business so big that it was almost a trademark of America
itself through the eyes of the rest of the world. This was expanded by technical
improvements which made transportation, communication and graphics work easier,
cheaper and better.

The invention of electricity led to the illuminated outdoor poster,
photoengraving and other modern printing inventions helped both editorial and
advertising departments of printed journals. In the 1920's the radio was
invented and this developed a whole new technique of selling, by voice. During
World War 2 the American advertising industry founded the war advertising
council this used modern advertising to strengthen the American war effort. The
organization still continued after the war was over as "The Advertising Council'
this was used to function for the publics interest. Printed and broadcasted
media contributed millions of dollars worth of advertising time and space to
such projects each year. The most significant Advertising development after the
war was Television. Television forced the advertising industry to use better
techniques of selling because they had to use visual and voice. Since VCR's have
been invented Advertisers have been under threat because some viewers edit out
the commercials when recording the program or they fast forward them.

In all advertising has advanced a lot in the past and I believe that it will
keep on getting more and more advanced with the needs of society.

Bibliography

Encarta "96 Encyclopedia