Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-01-04
FIRST ADVERTISING
1t Was Done In Egypt, on Papy-
rus, Thirty Centuries Ago.
ANCIENT PUBLICITY DEVICES.

The Greeks Used Town criers and Mu-
sic, and Then Came Symbols and
Signboards - Tho Revolution That
Accompanied tho Art Of Printing.
The Egyptian gentleman who sought
I runaway slave 5000 years ago and
advertised on bit Of papyrus for his
recovery turned out the first 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 archaeo-
logical Importance and as an example
Of what our advertising experts Of to-
day would do if they, like the Egyp-
tan, did not have the benefit of up to
date information.
The Egyptians knew nothing about
the topography 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
OF these and thousand other things
that influence the character Of present
day advertisements he was totally in
ignorance. But be gets full credit for
making the first attempt at written
advertisement.
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.
At first town crier. accompanied
by musician playing Tyre or a
harp, mingled among the Greek peo-
pies and used only the best and choic-
est Greek in his extravagant praises
of the product he was exploiting. Lat
er, however, private advertisements in
writing began to be introduced, par
ticularly on the whitened walls of the
homes, giving some information re.
garding the social standing and the
age Of the residents, their financial rat
ing and the family lineage
The Romans advertised in many
ways. They named their Streets ad-
vertised shows, exhibitions and sales
on the terra Gotta walls of public
baths, acquainted the public with sales
of estates and absconded debtors and
began the practice of notifying the
Romans of articles lost and found and
houses for sale or rent.
The Romans are commonly credited
with the origin of the sign board. To-
day we have the bulletin board, which
corresponds to the Roman tabella
found in the ruins of Pompeii and
Herculaneum, where public announce.
ments We're made
Advertising met the same fate as the
Romans did when the Huns came
sweeping down from the north. Until
the middle ages very little of it is
seen. But with the appearance again
of the town crier, supplied with the
customary long winded declarations
and a choice supply of adjectives, adj
vertising began 10 make itself felt in
the conduct of business affairs. The
public criers began to organize them
selves both in France and in England,
and they We're persons with consider
able prestige.
From crying out the superior quail.
ties Of merchandise and all kinds of
goods and wares the crier soon began
to make announcement of things lost
and found, of sales weddings, chris
Jennings and other interesting events.
Gradually as time went on inns be-
gan to use distinctive signs and sym
bols to mark their hostelries. Just as
individuals had employed coats of
arms. All kinds of devices We're used
and are still used by inns to the pres
ent day. All such signs as the blue
anchor, the black dragon the three
SO on, made definite representations
and implications.
OF course with the development OF
the printing press advertising took q
great squirt. The use of posters came
into vogue, and all kinds of pamphlets
were printed and distributed. PRINTING
gradually began to supersede the hand
written manuscript. William Caxtor
set up his press in Westminster abbey
in 147l. and two centuries later. il
1922. a newspaper, believed to be the
first real newspaper. was printed. Ii
was called the Weekly News and pur
ported to contain news of doings IL
Germany, France, Hungary and Bohe
mia.
From then on newspapers, mostly
weekly publications, began to appear
from time to time in increasing mum
bers. Advertisements of medicines be
gan to be inserted in the newspapers
at an early date. The insertion of the
first real newspaper advertisements
however, is credited to Nathaniel But
Ter, who advertised books
The first two magazines to carry ad
yertisements were GOdey'S Lady BOOl