A Journey Through History: As We Change, So Does Advertising
Happy Sunday, and welcome to week six!
I know I say it in nearly every post, but time is surely flying. This week, we have learned about message development and message placement. This post will focus primarily on message placement.
As time has progressed, so has technology. People have changed, machines have been invented, and with these new developments, advertising has adapted. Companies have found ways to utilize countless progressions to communicate their messages. Whether we notice it or not, humanity and advertising appear to hold metaphorical hands as time passes. Below are a few highlights of advertising history that stand out to me.
The Invention of the Printing Press
(The first newspaper advertisement in the United States was a real estate advertisement published in The Boston News-Letter in 1704 (Muhammad, n.d.).)
Going back almost 600 years, we see Johannes Gutenberg inventing the printing press in 1432. This invention revolutionized mass production, allowing books to be printed, and then eventually newspapers. As the machine evolved and printing became more efficient, newspapers began booming in production. In 1865, “William Bullock’s early rotary press could get 8,000 – 10,000 copies per hour” (Colclough, 2022). This new medium allowed companies to purchase advertising space from newspaper distributors, reaching more people than ever before.
Highway Systems and the Use of Billboards
(A printed billboard placed strategically on the side of a street (Mikhail, 2023).)
Billboards were first invented in the 1830s when Jared Bell created large, eye-catching signs to advertise circus acts (Mikhail, 2023). Decades later, billboards hit a new level of popularity. With the economic boom following the Great Depression, more households began attaining automobiles, and with more automobiles, the U.S. highway system began to grow (Mikhail, 2023). The highway became a canvas for advertising. Advertisements were placed on buildings and billboards, often painted by hand. My grandfather and father have both contributed their artistic talents to billboards! As the highway systems continued to grow, both painted and printed advertisements were developed to keep up. Think about Times Square and its huge, light-up billboards. Think about how that placement was so strategic that now that area is a tourist attraction. Advertisers have come so far!
Catching the Radio Waves
(Anne Sheridan and Frank Sinatra reading for CBS Radio, 1944.)
Radio emerged early in the 20th century with the first advertisement being aired in 1922. “Radio host H.M. Blackwell created his own “indirect direct” method- a 10-minute talk about the virtues of living a carefree life at the Hawthorne Court Apartments in Jackson Heights, Queens… a 10-minute time slot was $50” (Muhammad, n.d.).
Before television, radio was a major component of entertainment. Families would gather around the radio the same way we later began gathering around the television- something readers are more likely familiar with. Radio dramas were popular in the mid-twentieth century. Advertisers would sponsor different radio shows, providing small breaks where the actors might talk about the product. As someone deeply interested in the 1940s and 1950s pop culture, I have listened to several radio shows, specifically Suspense. In each episode, a man will break the story to advertise products like Roma Wines or Autolite spark plugs. An example of this form of advertisement is featured in the 1983 film A Christmas Story when Ralphie tries to decode Ovaltine’s secret message with a decoder ring while listening to Little Orphan Annie on the radio. Though radio is less popular today, advertisers still buy time on the radio, and more recently, on podcast episodes. Advertisers are sure to utilize popular mediums!
Television Presents New Advertising Opportunities
(The product placement of Junior Mints in Season 4, Episode 20 of Seinfeld.)
When televisions became household fixtures, advertisers hopped on the opportunity. Companies could buy time to have their commercials broadcast. Celebrities, much like radio personalities, would also endorse products. Product placement also grew in popularity with television shows and companies having agreements that would allow for product exposure. I personally think of the Seinfeld episode “The Junior Mint” where Kramer drops a Junior Mint during an operation observation. Instead of using a generic candy brand, Junior Mint got an advertising time.
Another benefit that television provides for advertisers is the ability to broadcast national and international events. With events that draw huge audiences such as the Super Bowl or the Olympics, companies can pay a generous amount to buy air time, and in turn, be exposed to these audiences. Many advertisements placed during the Super Bowl have left long-lasting impressions such as the Betty White Snickers commercial, the Cindy Crawford Pepsi commercial, and the Budweiser Clydesdales.
The Internet Takes the Spotlight
(The first internet banner advertisement from AT&T (Muhammad, n.d.).)
The invention of the World Wide Web gave companies access to… well… the world. As the internet developed, advertisers again found strategic ways to place advertisements. “The evolution of display advertising began with the very first banner ad from AT&T in 1994… About 44% of the people who saw the ad clicked it” (Muhammad, n.d.). Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo also made it possible for companies to pay to have their link at the top of the results page, drawing more traffic.
Mobile Technology Put Advertising at Our Fingertips
(A targeted advertisement on Facebook, most likely based on interests and location (Muhammad, n.d.).)
Over time, internet devices began to shrink from boxy, desktop computers to slim, handheld phones. Social media platforms have become popular, and publishing content can be free. Companies can create social media profiles and post their advertisements. They can also pay celebrities and influencers to talk about products on their platforms, sharing it with their large following. As technology has developed, advertisers have been able to utilize location services to target advertisements. Companies can pay to have their content boosted or sponsored, showing up in the social media feeds of individuals with relevant locations and interests. This quick form of advertising matches this generation’s attraction to ease and gratification- people are presented with relative content.
In Conclusion
As time goes on, people find new forms of entertainment, and lifestyles evolve, advertisers will find ways to adapt and embrace change. From sprawling billboards to complement the establishment of the highway system to quick, targeted posts appealing to an instant generation, advertising has evolved with humanity. I can’t wait to see where advertising progresses next.
Sincerely,
Sofia
Colclough, J. (2022, April 21). “Printing Newspapers 1400-1900: A Brief Survey of the Evolution of the Newspaper Printing Press | Headlines and Heroes”. Library of Congress Blogs. https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2022/04/printing-newspapers-1400-1900/
Mikhail, S. (2023, November 27). “The Wonderful History of Billboard Ads”. Jungle Communications. https://www.junglecommunications.com/the-history-of-billboard-advertising/
Muhammad, F. (2021, May 20). “Advertising Evolution: How Personalization Has Improved over Time”. Instapage. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://instapage.com/blog/advertising-evolution-how-personalization-has-improved-over-time-4&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1714365863798461&usg=AOvVaw2tQ34CG_IxMF6pby4AnjEA
I know I say it in nearly every post, but time is surely flying. This week, we have learned about message development and message placement. This post will focus primarily on message placement.
As time has progressed, so has technology. People have changed, machines have been invented, and with these new developments, advertising has adapted. Companies have found ways to utilize countless progressions to communicate their messages. Whether we notice it or not, humanity and advertising appear to hold metaphorical hands as time passes. Below are a few highlights of advertising history that stand out to me.
The Invention of the Printing Press
(The first newspaper advertisement in the United States was a real estate advertisement published in The Boston News-Letter in 1704 (Muhammad, n.d.).)
Going back almost 600 years, we see Johannes Gutenberg inventing the printing press in 1432. This invention revolutionized mass production, allowing books to be printed, and then eventually newspapers. As the machine evolved and printing became more efficient, newspapers began booming in production. In 1865, “William Bullock’s early rotary press could get 8,000 – 10,000 copies per hour” (Colclough, 2022). This new medium allowed companies to purchase advertising space from newspaper distributors, reaching more people than ever before.
Highway Systems and the Use of Billboards
(A printed billboard placed strategically on the side of a street (Mikhail, 2023).)
Billboards were first invented in the 1830s when Jared Bell created large, eye-catching signs to advertise circus acts (Mikhail, 2023). Decades later, billboards hit a new level of popularity. With the economic boom following the Great Depression, more households began attaining automobiles, and with more automobiles, the U.S. highway system began to grow (Mikhail, 2023). The highway became a canvas for advertising. Advertisements were placed on buildings and billboards, often painted by hand. My grandfather and father have both contributed their artistic talents to billboards! As the highway systems continued to grow, both painted and printed advertisements were developed to keep up. Think about Times Square and its huge, light-up billboards. Think about how that placement was so strategic that now that area is a tourist attraction. Advertisers have come so far!
Catching the Radio Waves
(Anne Sheridan and Frank Sinatra reading for CBS Radio, 1944.)
Radio emerged early in the 20th century with the first advertisement being aired in 1922. “Radio host H.M. Blackwell created his own “indirect direct” method- a 10-minute talk about the virtues of living a carefree life at the Hawthorne Court Apartments in Jackson Heights, Queens… a 10-minute time slot was $50” (Muhammad, n.d.).
Before television, radio was a major component of entertainment. Families would gather around the radio the same way we later began gathering around the television- something readers are more likely familiar with. Radio dramas were popular in the mid-twentieth century. Advertisers would sponsor different radio shows, providing small breaks where the actors might talk about the product. As someone deeply interested in the 1940s and 1950s pop culture, I have listened to several radio shows, specifically Suspense. In each episode, a man will break the story to advertise products like Roma Wines or Autolite spark plugs. An example of this form of advertisement is featured in the 1983 film A Christmas Story when Ralphie tries to decode Ovaltine’s secret message with a decoder ring while listening to Little Orphan Annie on the radio. Though radio is less popular today, advertisers still buy time on the radio, and more recently, on podcast episodes. Advertisers are sure to utilize popular mediums!
Television Presents New Advertising Opportunities
(The product placement of Junior Mints in Season 4, Episode 20 of Seinfeld.)
When televisions became household fixtures, advertisers hopped on the opportunity. Companies could buy time to have their commercials broadcast. Celebrities, much like radio personalities, would also endorse products. Product placement also grew in popularity with television shows and companies having agreements that would allow for product exposure. I personally think of the Seinfeld episode “The Junior Mint” where Kramer drops a Junior Mint during an operation observation. Instead of using a generic candy brand, Junior Mint got an advertising time.
Another benefit that television provides for advertisers is the ability to broadcast national and international events. With events that draw huge audiences such as the Super Bowl or the Olympics, companies can pay a generous amount to buy air time, and in turn, be exposed to these audiences. Many advertisements placed during the Super Bowl have left long-lasting impressions such as the Betty White Snickers commercial, the Cindy Crawford Pepsi commercial, and the Budweiser Clydesdales.
The Internet Takes the Spotlight
(The first internet banner advertisement from AT&T (Muhammad, n.d.).)
The invention of the World Wide Web gave companies access to… well… the world. As the internet developed, advertisers again found strategic ways to place advertisements. “The evolution of display advertising began with the very first banner ad from AT&T in 1994… About 44% of the people who saw the ad clicked it” (Muhammad, n.d.). Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo also made it possible for companies to pay to have their link at the top of the results page, drawing more traffic.
Mobile Technology Put Advertising at Our Fingertips
(A targeted advertisement on Facebook, most likely based on interests and location (Muhammad, n.d.).)
Over time, internet devices began to shrink from boxy, desktop computers to slim, handheld phones. Social media platforms have become popular, and publishing content can be free. Companies can create social media profiles and post their advertisements. They can also pay celebrities and influencers to talk about products on their platforms, sharing it with their large following. As technology has developed, advertisers have been able to utilize location services to target advertisements. Companies can pay to have their content boosted or sponsored, showing up in the social media feeds of individuals with relevant locations and interests. This quick form of advertising matches this generation’s attraction to ease and gratification- people are presented with relative content.
In Conclusion
As time goes on, people find new forms of entertainment, and lifestyles evolve, advertisers will find ways to adapt and embrace change. From sprawling billboards to complement the establishment of the highway system to quick, targeted posts appealing to an instant generation, advertising has evolved with humanity. I can’t wait to see where advertising progresses next.
Sincerely,
Sofia
Works Cited
Mikhail, S. (2023, November 27). “The Wonderful History of Billboard Ads”. Jungle Communications. https://www.junglecommunications.com/the-history-of-billboard-advertising/
Muhammad, F. (2021, May 20). “Advertising Evolution: How Personalization Has Improved over Time”. Instapage. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://instapage.com/blog/advertising-evolution-how-personalization-has-improved-over-time-4&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1714365863798461&usg=AOvVaw2tQ34CG_IxMF6pby4AnjEA
Sofia!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! It felt like a history lesson (which might sound like an insult but it's not), a lesson in marketing, and it tied directly in with what we learned in week 6. I think you did an excellent job outlining, in chronological order, the different mediums of advertising with a focus on "message placement". I also thought it was very cool that you were able to tie in a personal example, talking about your family contributing to artwork on billboards. It is fascinating how we adapt with new technology to aim for the same outcome; someone seeing the message that we want them to see. I am certainly excited to see how this continues as technology and entertainment continue to evolve. I know earlier in our course, one of our classmates mentioned how many of us "seek nostalgia" and I wonder if we will ever pivot back to things like radio or even television considering the notable decline in both. I wonder if in a decade or so we will look back on those two mediums with a sense of nostalgia and there will be a re-focusing on those types of media along with whatever new technology comes to us.
Great Blog!
-Andrew