-
2000 BCE
Criers, Babylon
Public criers walked streets shouting product offers (e.g., carpets, spices). -
1500 BCE
Fire signals, Phoenicians
Lit fires on mountaintops to announce trade arrivals
,early brand signaling. -
1199 BCE
Papyri, Ancient Egypt
First known ad text: "Shem" runaway slave notice that also promotes fabric quality. -
1000 BCE
Kerux, Axon, Kyrbo, Classical Greece
Kerux = public announcer with a powerful voice.
Axon/Kyrbo = stone/wood pillars with rotating/written notices (laws, ads). -
599 BCE
Praeco, Album, Graffiti, Signa, Ancient Rome
Praeco = official announcer.
Album = painted wall spaces for ads.
Graffiti = quick painted messages.
Signa = shop signs with symbols (mule = bakery). -
220
Woodblock painting, China
Printed on textiles and paper. Start of visual reproduction. -
868
First printed book, Diamond Sutra
From China. Important milestone in written mass communication. -
1200
Newsmen, peddlers, charlatans, public crier, Medieval Europe
With high illiteracy, people relied on spoken news and traveling sellers. -
1447
Printing press, Johannes Gutenberg
Changed everything. Enabled mass printing of books, posters, and ads. -
1450
Woodcut (xylography), 15th century
Early printing images/text on wood blocks. Used for ads, books. -
1460
Chalcography, copper/zinc engraving
Used for book illustrations and product labels (e.g., spice jars, medicines). -
Newspaper ads
Spread in Europe: Antwerp (1605), Frankfurt (1615), London (1622), Boston (1704) -
Théophraste Renaudot, France
Opened first ad/job board “Bureau des adresses” -
La Gazette, 1631
The first French newspaper from bureau des adresse -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
Shift from handmade to machine-made goods.
Commercialism rises: ads give meaning to identical products. -
James White
Ad agency UK -
Havas
Ad agency France -
P.T. Barnum
First “hype” advertiser. Used posters, parades, and outrageous claims to build buzz. -
Patent Medicines
Fake medicines with big promises. Early use of emotional + fear-based advertising. -
Period: to
Art Nouveau
new art style,
Elegant, floral, flowing lines. Alphonse Mucha posters.
Used in luxury products like perfume, fashion. -
Los Tiroleses
Ad Agency Spain -
Coca-Cola logo creation
Designed by Frank Robinson. One of the first iconic brand logos. -
Period: to
Art Deco
Geometric, metallic, futuristic. Used for cars, jewelry, and highend products. -
Scientific advertising
Claude C. Hopkins, wrote the book Scientific Advertising. "ads should be measurable, persuasive, and based on human psychology." Focused on salesmanship in print: clear headlines, strong calls to action, and no fluff. -
Period: to
Radio and ads during wartime
radio and posters about ww2 involving patriotic messages -
Consumer Boom & TV
Gender roles, jingles, and “perfect family” life in ads. -
Creative advertising
Smart, ironic ads (VW “Think Small”), rise of creative agencies. -
Postmodern & Shock Advertising
Edgy, artsy, controversial (Benetton, Calvin Klein). -
Rise of Digital Advertising
Google AdWords, banners, email campaigns. -
Social Media & Influencers
Short-form video, TikTok, UGC, brand experiences, FOMO marketing.