The History of Advertising: From Wall Art to Branded Merchandise

Advertising is simply communication with intent: a message designed to inform, persuade, or remind.

Today that message can appear anywhere, from social media and podcasts to billboards and branded promotional products. But advertising did not start online. It started with people trying to be found.

Quick answer: when did advertising begin?

Advertising goes back thousands of years. Early examples include:

• 4000 BC: Rock art and wall paintings used to share stories and symbols

• Ancient Egypt: Papyrus sales messages and wall posters

• Ancient Greece and Rome: Notices and announcements, including lost-and-found messages

• Ancient China: Early commercial promotion through music, calligraphy, and printed signs

A short timeline of advertising

1) Ancient advertising: symbols, posters, and public notices

Long before mass literacy, businesses used visuals to communicate. Archaeological finds show commercial messages and political campaign displays in places like Pompeii.

In Egypt, papyrus was used to create written sales messages. In Greece and Rome, public notices were common, including announcements for goods and services.

2) Advertising in ancient China: sound, signs, and early printing

In ancient China, advertising included music and song used by sellers to attract attention.

One of the most famous early examples of printed advertising comes from the Song dynasty: a copper printing plate used to print a square poster featuring a rabbit logo for a needle shop.

3) The Middle Ages: when images did the talking

As European towns grew, many people could not read. So shops used visual signboards instead of written signs.

A cobbler might display a boot. A tailor might display a suit. These symbols helped customers find what they needed quickly.

Street advertising also mattered. Market sellers used town criers to announce where goods could be found.

A well-known collection of these calls appears in Les Crieries de Paris, a 13th-century poem by Guillaume de la Villeneuve.

4) The 18th century: newspapers, print ads, and regulation

In the 18th century, advertisements began appearing in weekly newspapers in England.

Early print ads often promoted:

• Books and newspapers

• Medicines and remedies

As print advertising grew, so did the problem of misleading claims. This helped push the development of advertising standards and regulation.

5) Modern advertising: the message is the same, the channels multiply

Advertising has changed massively, but the goal is familiar: get attention, build trust, and stay memorable.

That is why branded merchandise still works. A useful item keeps your brand visible long after the first interaction.

Where promotional products fit in the history of advertising

Promotional products are a modern version of an old idea: make your message tangible.

A branded item can:

• Create a positive first impression
• Keep your name in daily view
• Reinforce trust through usefulness

The best promotional products do not feel like ads. They feel like tools people choose to keep.

Want to use branded merchandise as part of your modern advertising strategy? Total Branded can help you choose promotional products that match your audience and your goals, from events to onboarding and customer retention.