Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-03
HOW THEY DID IT
IN WAYBACK DAYS
History Of Advertising Reach.
ing Back Three Thou
sand Years.
EpocHs IN DEVELOPMENT

tbl lliS iSNONNiyf tafh>N ONs 49, -
piece OF advertising copy.
Whoever he was, he was genius IN
more than small way. His copy
still lives, preserved in the British
museum as an exhibit of considerable
archaeological Importance and as an
example of what our advertising ex-
perts OF today would do if they, like
the Egyptian, did not have the benefit
OF up-to-date information.
The Egyptian knew nothing about
the typography Of advertising, nor
the effect OF different colors. He
didn't know, for instance, that red is
the most effective eye-catching color
and that green is second and black
third.
He didn't know that an advertise
rnent could be made to appeal to the
mind or to the emotions; that various
words and phrases and numerous de-
vices may be used to affect the
psychology of persons in particular
way, or that there is such thing as
eye-movement and that a badly ar
ranged advertisement may be an eye
sore.
OF these and a thousand other
things that influence the character Of
prescnt-day advertisements he was
totally In ignorance. But he gets full
credit for making the first attempt at
awritten advertisement.
We do not know whether he got
the slave back, but he deserved to.
With the development Of COM
munity life, DR.. Herbert w. Hess tells
Us, advertising commenced. Various
human desires began to develop, and
soon there was competition among
people to supply the thing that would
satisfy this desire, whether it came
from hunger, vanity, love Of comfort
or what not.
Days Of the Town crier.
As communities developed into
towns and cities. those that had goods
to dispose of established permanent
locations. Shops were opened; itin-
erary lessened." The town crier be-
gan to call out the names OF various
wares and people gradually became
more and more discriminating In
their purchases.
Finally the written advertisement
came into being, and, as has been
stated, an Egyptian landowner gets
the credit for writing the first ad.
The Greeks, with fine regard for
art, usually made music part Of the
advertising program. They gave US
the idea of employing bands to attract
attention, undoubtedly one Of the
most successful methods Of drawing
crowd at any place and time. The
"song-pushcrs" who have come quite
frequently Of late to tour the princi-
pal streets Of our city in slow-mov-
ing wagon, seeming hardly able to
carry the tuneless piano inside, at.
tempting TO popularize $4,000
songs. have the Greeks to thank for
! the privilege of imitation.
At first town crier, accompanied
bya musician playing Tyre or harp,
+ mingled among the Greek people and
used only the best and choicest Greek
in his extravaeant praise Of the pro-
duct he was exploiting, Later. how
( ever, private advertisements in writ
ing began to be introduced on the
whitened walls OF the homes, giving
some information regarding the social
standing and the age OF the residents,
their financial rating the family line
age and the number OF unmarried
daughters.
The Romans advertised IN many
ways. They named their streets, ad.
vcrtised shows, exhibits and sales on
the terra Gotta walls Of public baths
acquainted the public with sales Of
estates and abscondcd debtors, and
began the practice Of notifying the
Romans Of articles lost and found, ant
houses for sale or rent
The. Romans are commonly credited
with the origin Of the signboard. To
dsy we have the bulletin board, which
corresponds to the Roman tabellas
found in the ruins Of Pompeii ant
Herculaneum, where public announce
ments were made.
Advertising met the same fate al
the Romans did when the barbarou'
Huns came sweeping down from th'
north. Until the middle ages very lit
stie Of II is seen. But with the ap
pearancc again of the town crier, sup
plied with the customary long-wind
ed declarations and o choice suppl,
of adjectives, advertising began Il
make itself felt In the conduct OF bus
mess affairs. The public criers be
gan to organize themselves both i
France and in England, and the!
were persons with considerable pres
tige.
The Store Ballyhoa.
From crying out the superior qual
tiles Of merchandise and all kinds 9
goods and wares, the crier soon bega
10 make announcement Of things 10.
and found, OF sales, weddings. chris
Jennings and other interesting events
1T was only matter OF time unit
the touter OF the individual trade
came" DR.. Hess says, pacing to an
fro before the shop and shouting wit
the mature vigor OF vernacular es
pert, What dye lack, sir. What d'y
lack?' The touter's energy eclipse
his picturesqueness. He yitalized tn
community"
Gradually, as time went on. inn
began to use distinctive signs an
symbols to mark their hostelries, jul
as individuals had employed coats {
arms. All kinds OF devices were use
and are still used by inns to the pre-
emit day. All such signs as the blu
anchor, the black dragon, the thrs
ttiAs, the boar's head. the red lion an
SO on made definite representation
and implications. n
OF course. with the development ,
the printing press advertising took
great squirt. The use Of posters can
into vogue, and all kinds Of pamphlc
were printed and Distributed. Prin