History of Advertising: From Roman Empire to Modern Agencies

Posted on Sep 6, 2024 in Geography

TEMA 2: Early Advertising

1. In the Roman Empire

  • Insignia: Graphic representations of businesses, the first forms of metaphors.
  • Examples: Pine = Tavern, Board = Game house, Donkey = Bakery.
  • The first advertising techniques:
    • Demonstrating: Showing how a product is made.
    • Exhibition: Owner showing a manufactured piece.

2. Trade Organizations, Guilds

Guilds were associations of artisans or merchants who gathered their businesses in the same area of cities. Streets were named accordingly. Guilds controlled competition and guaranteed quality. In 1211, the first known trade manual was created. Competition wasn’t allowed among members of the same guild. Shops were concentrated in the same area and developed individual insignia to distinguish themselves. Over time, these insignia became more sophisticated in Europe in the 14th century.

TEMA 3: Brands, Labels, and Newspapers

1. Ex Libris, Brands, and Labels

Ex Libris: Small print or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the inside front cover, to indicate its owner. Abstract, simple, and modern symbols that moved beyond the evocation of professional activity. Artistic vocation linked to an individual professional activity, not to a collective (guilds). In Germany (1575), the emperors opened the first office of registered trademarks. Business cards with printed emblems, ex libris, and logos appeared by the end of the 16th century.

2. Newspapers in England

  • Woodfall brothers opened the Public Advertiser in 1767, with a political focus. By that time, in England, more and more newspapers combining advertising with public affairs were opening. In other areas of Europe, due to royal authorities, guilds, and religious institutions, there weren’t many newspapers yet.
  • The Times, the first modern newspaper, was published in 1785. It clearly stated advertising as an economic support for its informative activity and devoted its first page to the most expensive advertisements.

TEMA 4: The Rise of Advertising Agencies

1. Brands, Quaker Oats

Created by Crowell, a great supporter of advertising, Quaker Oats became one of the most important advertisers by the end of the 19th century in the USA. Crowell discovered the character of Quakers in the Encyclopedia and linked Quaker values to his product: serious, hardworking, and virtuous.

Crowell believed that the commercial success of Quaker Oats needed daily advertising and cut dividends to spend more on advertising.

Crowell was the first to distribute small samples for free, to share prizes inside boxes, and to use scientific testimonials.

2. Agents and Agencies

  • William Tayler: The pioneer agent born in Britain. He opened an office in London and acted as an ad sales representative for printers, several of whom had launched newspapers to promote their trade. Tayler worked for editors, both rural and urban. He bought them advertising space and charged advertisers for these spaces.
  • James White: White took Tayler’s idea and thought that it would be easier to sell space if an agent could also design and write ads for clients. He was operating a flourishing business in London, considered to be the advent of copywriting. Tayler and White weren’t considered advertisement agents yet, but news agents.
  • In France, Havas: He created a new form of agency. In his office, he received international press daily. He translated the important news into French and sold them to French newspapers. Havas created the first international news agency. The first branch office he opened in London is called Agency Reuters, still open today.
  • In the USA: Advertising agencies arrived from Europe and consolidated very fast. The first agents were:
    • Volney Palmer: He opened an office in Philadelphia and worked exclusively for editors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
    • John Hooper: He opened an office in New York and also worked for editors in this state.
    • Rowell: In 1865, he opened his office in New York. His business was based on the British and French model of a news agent. Later, he issued the first Rowell’s American Newspaper Directory listing 5,788 American papers. He was accused by other agents of revealing professional secrets. Rowell published a chart of comparative costs, facilitating the creation of media plans. Agents now worked for advertisers, not for newspapers. He published the first journal devoted to advertising, “Printer’s Ink.”

3. Agencies Only

  • Ayer & Son Agency: Founded in Pennsylvania in 1869 by Francis. They published their own directory of newspapers: Ayer & Son’s Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals. They controlled almost all newspapers and publications related to rural life and agriculture. They are well-known for some of the slogans they created, like “A diamond is forever” or “Be all you can be.”
  • Lord & Thomas Agency: Founded in Chicago by Daniel Lord. It was a small agency. Beginning as a space broker for newspapers and magazines, L&T evolved slowly into an agent for advertisers. By the early 1900s, this agency was handling billings of approximately $900,000 and was the third-largest agency in the USA. Albert Lasker began to codify a series of advertising techniques that included coupons, sampling, copy testing, demonstrations, and the “preemptive claim” – the idea that an ordinary attribute common to all similar products could be made to seem exclusive by being the first to claim it, then claiming it more often than anyone else. This agency is now called DRAFTFCB.
  • J. Walter Thompson (JWT): Bought a failed news agency for $500 and realized that he could earn more if the company provided the service of developing content for advertisers. He hired writers and artists to form the first known creative department in an advertising agency. When he retired, the company was led by Stanley Resor and his wife Helen. Stanley focused on administration and client services, and Helen focused on the preparation of ads. Helen was the first woman to successfully plan and write national advertising, rather than just local efforts. She is also famous for introducing themes of sexual contact in magazine ads. JWT still exists and is now the fourth-largest advertising company in the world.