Birth & Growth Of The Advertising Industry

Posted by Hotlog Editor

May 30, 2008

Advertising industry has a history of its own. Four major inventions have shaped the future of this industry. The printing press, radio, television and the Internet have played a major role in shaping the future of this industry and to make a company successful it is necessary that it should be run correctly.

Printing press sent out information with words on paper, the main source of advertisement were in newspapers and magazines, selling material with the help of advertising agencies were born here first.

History shows us that the first advertising agency was opened way back in 1841 in Philadelphia and by 1861 there were around 20 advertising agencies in New York City, J. Walter Thompson is the oldest advertising agency in existence, and radio became a commercial medium for advertisement in 1920.

People could listen to advertisements in between soap operas, music etc as radio was the main source of homely entertainment and the sales of the product increased, these advertisements were in the form of jingles, which is still prevalent and popular today. Outdoor advertising in the form of hoardings kept in prominent public places was also another way to attract people.

With the advent of television the whole scenario changed by 1950’s, print and radio had to take a back seat; commercials were broadcast with light, sound and motion. Cable television brought further changes in the life of people advertising agencies were able to target more and more people.

Today advertising agencies have started online advertising, as more and more people have become Internet savvy.