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Period: 2000 BCE to 1500 BCE
Prehistory
In the prehistory there were the first signs of advertising -
1500 BCE
Criers in Babylon
Public criers were hired in ancient cities like Babylon to announce and promote products such as carpets and spices in the streets. -
1200 BCE
First Advertising Text "Shem"
The earliest known written advertisement, found on papyrus, demonstrating the use of text for commercial messaging. -
Period: 868 to 1500
Middle Ages
Advertising during this era was characterized by oral announcements by criers, the use of simple signs by guilds, and the very beginnings of printed materials (like woodcuts) towards the end of the period. -
869
First Printed Book "Diamond Sutra"
This earliest known printed book, produced using woodblock printing, marked a foundational step towards the mass reproduction of text, which would eventually impact advertising. -
1200
Emergence of Public Criers and Guild Signs
Advertising primarily relied on oral announcements by criers, newsmen, and peddlers, complemented by wooden or metal signs used by guilds to identify businesses. -
Period: 1440 to 1499
Printing Press
This period marks the revolutionary invention of the printing press, fundamentally changing how information, including advertisements, could be reproduced and disseminated, laying the groundwork for print media. -
1447
Invention of the Printing Press by J. Gutenberg
This invention revolutionized communication by enabling the mass production of printed materials, fundamentally changing how advertisements could be created and disseminated to a wider audience. -
1450
Development of Woodcut (Xylography) as a Printing Technique
Alongside the printing press, woodcut printing allowed for the inclusion of images and illustrations in printed materials, enhancing the visual appeal of early advertisements. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
This era saw the shift from hand production to machines, leading to mass-produced goods, commercialism, and the emerging need for advertising to differentiate products and create demand. -
Shift from Hand Production to Machines
The Industrial Revolution brought about mass production of goods, leading to a greater variety of products and a need for advertising to differentiate them and inform consumers. -
Rise of Commercialism
With mass-produced goods, advertising became crucial in creating demand and instilling "meaning" into products, fostering a culture of consumption. -
Period: to
Art Nouveau
An influential art movement that sought to modernize design with organic lines and flowing forms, significantly impacting graphic and decorative arts, especially the design of advertising posters. -
Emergence and Flourishing of Art Nouveau Style
This influential art movement aimed to modernize design with organic lines and flowing forms, significantly impacting graphic and decorative arts, especially poster design. -
Creation of Iconic Advertising Posters by Mucha and Chéret
Leading artists like Alphonse Mucha and Jules Chéret produced highly artistic and distinctive advertising posters, elevating commercial art during this period. -
Period: to
Expansion of advertising
This era saw a significant broadening of advertising's scope with the introduction of new categories like tourism and household appliances, alongside the commercialization of radio advertising. -
Period: to
Art Deco
A streamlined and geometric style that emerged as a successor to Art Nouveau, emphasizing modernity, luxury, and technology in its designs, prominently featured in architecture and advertising. -
Development of the Art Deco Style
Emerging as a successor to Art Nouveau, this style emphasized streamlined, geometric forms and a sense of modernity and luxury in its designs, influencing advertising visuals. -
Commercialization of Radio Advertising in the USA
Radio transformed into a powerful advertising medium, moving from public service to commercial programming with brand sponsorships, reaching large audiences through sound. -
Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes
This international exhibition prominently showcased the new decorative arts style, which subsequently became known as Art Deco and had a global impact on design, including advertising. -
Introduction of New Advertiser Categories
This era saw a significant broadening of advertising's scope, with industries like tourism, sports, and household appliances (driven by electricity) becoming major advertisers. -
Period: to
Creative Revolution
Following WWII, this period was characterized by a baby boom and booming consumer demand, the rise of television as a dominant advertising medium, and a new emphasis on highly creative and strategic advertising campaigns. -
The Baby Boom and Surging Consumer Demand
A massive post-WWII population boom created an unprecedented demand for goods and services, fueling the rapid expansion and innovation within the advertising industry. -
Rise of Television as the Dominant Advertising Medium
Television's unique ability to combine sight and sound revolutionized advertising, leading to highly creative campaigns and the shift from single-sponsor programs to "spot advertising." -
Period: to
Eighties Extravagance
Often considered the "golden age of TV advertising," this decade was marked by lavish, high-budget global campaigns, emphasizing glitz, glamour, and significant growth in advertising spend. -
Golden Age of TV Advertising" and High Production Values
This decade was characterized by lavish, expensive global TV campaigns, with agencies investing heavily in top directors and production quality, projecting an image of industry success and excess. -
Massive Growth in Advertising Spend
Total advertising expenditure grew significantly, indicating a booming period for the industry with increased budgets and a willingness to spend on ambitious campaigns. -
Founding of Adbusters Media Foundation
his non-profit organization was established to challenge consumerism through "subvertisements" and anti-capitalist messaging, acting as a critical voice against mainstream advertising. -
Period: to
Shock advertising
This trend involved the use of provocative, controversial, or disturbing imagery and themes in advertisements to capture public attention and break through an increasingly crowded media landscape. -
Emergence of "Shock Advertising" as a Trend
Advertisers increasingly used provocative, controversial, or disturbing imagery and themes to capture public attention and break through advertising clutter. -
Period: to
The Turn of the Century / Digital Age
This ongoing era is defined by the rise of the internet and digital platforms, leading to new advertising formats, global consolidation of agencies, and a growing focus on social responsibility in campaigns. -
Dominance of the Internet and Digital Advertising
The internet became the central advertising platform, fundamentally changing how ads are created, targeted, and consumed, leading to new formats beyond traditional media. This includes the massive increase in internet users, reaching 4.57 billion by April 2020. -
Rise of "Film Ads" and Social Responsibility in Advertising
Advertising evolved to include highly cinematic, big-budget "film ads" (e.g., Chanel No 5 in 2004) and a significant trend towards socially responsible campaigns (e.g., Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" also in 2004), reflecting changing consumer values.