A Brief History of Advertising (And What It Means for Your Brand Today)

When you scroll through Instagram or skip a YouTube ad, you’re brushing up against over 2,000 years of advertising history. Seriously.

While the platforms have evolved—trading town criers for TikTok and copper plates for carousels—the core principles of persuasive advertising remain surprisingly unchanged.

If you're building a modern brand, this history lesson isn’t just trivia—it’s your secret weapon.

The Oldest Known Ad (and It Still Works)

Let’s start with this copy from Song Dynasty China, nearly 1,000 years ago:

“We buy high quality steel rods and make fine quality needles, to be ready for use at home in no time.”

This was engraved on a copper plate for Liu’s Needle Shop. That’s right—early B2C advertising. What makes this wild is how timeless the approach is. It’s fast, clear, convenience-driven, and quality-assured.

That’s modern copywriting before there was copywriting.

Advertising Means… Attention

The term “advertising” comes from the Latin advertere, meaning “to turn toward” or “to draw attention to.” Attention has always been the core currency.

Whether it was a town crier shouting in the marketplace or a Facebook ad using a bold hook—grabbing attention is Step 1. Lose attention, and you lose the sale.

This hasn’t changed.

Visual Branding Isn’t New (It’s Medieval)

Ever wondered why British pubs have names like The Fox and Fiddle?

Back in the 12th century, literacy was low. Businesses needed a way to stand out. So pubs painted images—foxes, lions, fiddles—on their signs. Locals would say, “Meet me at the sign of the Red Lion.”

This was early brand recognition. Blacksmiths did the same by marking tools with personal emblems. That’s the literal origin of the term “trademark.”

If your logo and visual style aren’t memorable, you’re missing a thousand-year-old trick.

Identity-Based Advertising: Ogilvy Knew What Was Up

In the 1950s, David Ogilvy helped Hathaway shirts break out of obscurity with an ad that barely mentioned the product. Instead, it featured a mysterious man wearing an eye patch—a $5 prop that turned the brand into a symbol of intelligence, intrigue, and status.

Decades later, Dos Equis ran with the same idea: “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” Modern-day "starter pack" ads (think “Hot Girl Walk Starter Kit”) do the same.

These ads don’t just sell products—they sell who you could become.

And that works because people don’t buy products. They buy better versions of themselves.

Demos Always Win

In 1975, Pepsi launched the now-famous “Pepsi Challenge.” It wasn’t fancy. It was raw, real, and effective. 61% of participants preferred Pepsi over Coke in blind taste tests.

Why did it work?

Because product demos make the benefits tangible. When people see it work, they believe it. Today, your “Pepsi Challenge” might be a 7-second TikTok or a clean comparison reel—but the psychology is the same.

So What Does This Mean for Your Brand?

Platforms will evolve.

AI will rewrite creative workflows.

But human psychology? That’s staying put.

So here are five questions to run through before your next ad campaign:

• Did I grab attention?
  
  
• Did I communicate clearly?
  
  
• Is my visual identity consistent?
  
  
• Did I tap into identity—not just features?
  
  
• Did I show, rather than just tell?
  
  

The tools will keep changing. The algorithms will keep shifting. But the brands that win in 2025—and 3025—will still be the ones that understand what makes people tick.

And the best part? You don’t need a fortune to do it. You just need to remember what’s always worked.