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Advertising History

  • 500

    Greek Theatre

    Greek Theatre
    In about 500 B.C. the Greeks used advertisements for their theatre and in their theatre. It was an early and crude form of advertisement but even the oldest advertisements helped to influence today's advertisements.
  • Pictures Added

    Pictures Added
    Benjamin Franklin's legendary "Gazette" began using pictures alongside headlines, illustrations, and advertisements. The political cartoons convinced the American colonies to unify against the British.
  • Assembly Lines

    Assembly Lines
    Assembly lines manufacturerd and developed brand names and large amounts of standardized products. Brand name products are excessively popular today.
  • Radio Advertisement

    Radio Advertisement
    The first ever advertisement was played over the radio thanks to radio personalities such as Paul Harvey.
  • Serious Business

    Serious Business
    Advertisements began taking a no-nonsense approach when it came to selling a product. Laws actually prohibited deceptive advertisements during this time period.
  • Television

    Television
    TV added a new dimension to advertising. TV ads focused on families and new technology (such as washers and dryers) was introduced with the help of advertising on television.
  • Social Revolution

    Social Revolution
    In the 1960's and 1970's, advertisers abandoned the ways of the 30's and started created non-traditional advertisements. The Social Revolution is what called for advertisements like this.
  • Infomercials

    Infomercials
    With regular television already revolutionizing advertisements, the introduction of cable TV really stepped up the game. Infomercials, a lengthy and paid demonstration of how well a product worked, were a brand new and effective way to advertise a product.
  • World Wide Web

    World Wide Web
    A $42 billion dollar industry was born in the 1990's. The internet has changed how advertisements are created today. From pop-ups to YouTube ads before videos; the internet is full of opportunities for advertisements to get out there.
  • iPhone Empire

    iPhone Empire
    In June, 2007, the first ever iPhone was released. iPhones have seriously impacted modern technology as well as the advertisements built around it. Probably the most memorable part about Apple products is the signiture bitten apple that has inspired many icons today.