The history of advertising has seen the wake of numerous milestones. Consider the idea of the printing press when it first arrived or the massive impact that television created. Then, there’s the internet, a new world of technology at our fingertips.
Since the beginning, advertising has evolved with methods from scratches stone to technological messaging that remains relevant and continues to reach the masses. Advertising is more sophisticated now, providing more relevant and engaging elements.
Let’s look at the history of advertising and how it has evolved so far.
The History
In the early 1900s, the “golden age” of advertising came into existence. Television and radio emerged at an alarming rate, allowing advertisers to reach people directly in their homes, allowing them to speak more one-on-one to their potential consumers.
The first recorded television ad popped up around 1941 in America, with the commercial for Bulova clocks and watches. But it created a huge impact and set a precedent for the future. Those watching TV started looking toward these products and services to help solve their problem and, in turn, loosened their purse strings.
Character Development
Eventually, character creation becomes a new way to advertise. Connecting to the viewers became necessary, even though it wasn’t a priority (yet). Famous faces became a face for brands, such as the infamous Marlboro Man, AKA Brad Johnson, who made cigarettes tougher and more manly with cowboy roots and moody ruggedness.
Products and characters became a staple since they went together well. Consider the Buzzbee we know for Honey Nut Cheerios brand or Lucky the Leprechaun for Lucky Charms. The characters were the primary link for the advertising to create a culture surrounding the focus of the product and, of course, to sell their product.
Advertising Today
Moving forward and evolving into the 2000s, products stopped becoming the focus of ads for business owners. The internet created a gateway for more video and commercial ads, so the time for ads became shorter to get the point across and grab the attention of its viewers. Advertising started to develop strategic campaigns centered around humor and demonstrated more awareness of why you need the product.
Consider Lowe’s “Fix in Six” home improvement ads. They used vines to create a campaign demonstrating solutions to DIY problems in seconds. They are fun and actionable and don’t put a focus so hard on the brand.
The idea of exploring how to solve clients’ problems is the more common approach to advertising as we see it today. Brands have to work to gain trust and loyalty from consumers as well. The two primary focuses that advertising and marketing teams do is to provide content that shows how the product or service fixes something and gain that trust by presenting a more transparent view of the brand itself.
The Bigger Changes for Ad Evolvement
Advertising became more focused on ad banners that are short and sweet. More importantly, the ad blocker phase for marketing is more apparent today. People don’t like to sit through long commercials or be thrown ad after ad when perusing the interwebs. They are choosing not to have to sit through and watch advertisements.
Consumers don’t trust advertisements because many spam messages promise to do something and never deliver. Once consumers have been burned by believing in an ad, they feel tricked into buying and are far less trusting and loyal to any ads. So, advertisers are challenged to prove themselves first.
So, how did a business drive more website traffic with fewer ads?
Brands now partner with relatable people, these “influencers” who know people will be more likely to buy something from them through CTV advertising. Some brands even get more creative with advertising by using a “call-to-action” CTA where customers have to do something for a reward.
So, in essence, consumers themselves have become a more significant part of the advertising world today. Plus, having a loyal customer following enables brands to sell products today instead of focusing on a one-time buyer.
Consider Patagonia’s advertising, which encourages buyers to return ripped or damaged clothing for fixing and repair. It serves them by creating a trusting customer who is happy and satisfied, building loyalty for a solid following.
All you have to do is look on social media to see how many people stand behind brands they value, utilize, and believe in – the best way to ensure solid advertising in today’s world.
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