III. How Advertising Developed

Advertising is as old as civilization itself. In the ruins of ancient Egypt, explorers have found papyrus posters offering rewards for the return of runaway slaves. In the ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, archaeologists have discovered political advertisements painted on walls along streets bearing such entreaties as, “Vote for Cicero, the friend of the people.” However, until the advent of mass selling in the nineteenth century, advertising played only a minor role in the conducting of business. In early Greek and Roman days, signboards were placed above the doors of business establishments, and town criers proclaimed that merchants had certain wares for sale. These were merely means to attract customers to a shop, however; in contrast with modern advertising and sales techniques, the display of merchandise and personal selling were depended upon to make the sale.

After the invention of movable type accelerated printing in the mid-fifteenth century, handbills, posters, and then newspapers were used in increasing quantities to advertise products. Advertisements appeared in early American newspapers, but the volume did not grow to sizable proportions until trade began to flourish in the metropolitan centers in the early days of the republic. Almost all selling was local until about 1840, when the development of railroad transportation enabled industry to send its products to consumers who lived far from the manufacturing plants. National advertising resulted as business people used both magazines and newspapers to broaden their markets. The first advertising agency in the United States was organized by Volney B. Palmer circa 1840. His agency, and those that followed his, did not prepare copy but served primarily as publishers’representatives. By 1860 approximately 30 agencies were selling space for more than 4000 American publications. Since there were no public lists of these publications and no way of substantiating circulation claims, the agents could manipulate the buying and selling of space to substantiating personal advantage.

In 1869, however, George P. Rowell began publishing Rowell’s American Newspaper Directory, a rather complete list of newspapers, together with careful estimates of circulation. Soon other agencies were started along professional lines of providing planning and space buying services for their clients. There was an upsurge in the use of pictorial art in advertisements, and the nation began to be conscious of the first widely quoted slogans such as Ivory Soap’s “99 44/100 Per Cent Pure” and “It Floats,” Eastman Kodak’s “You Press the Button – We Do the Rest,” and “Good Morning, Have You Used Pear’s Soap?”

As newspaper and magazine circulations increased and new technological advances were made, at the turn of the century advertising developed new slogans, better copywriters and artists, and improved methods of analyzing products, media, and markets. Because much advertising was deceptive and grossly exaggerated, a strong movement to regulate advertising was begun in the 1910s. This involved both federal and state laws and control systems initiated by responsible advertising leaders.

The advent of radio and a steady improvement in the techniques of advertising, such as copy-testing, the study of psychological appeals, and plans for integrated campaigns, characterized the 1920s. Advertising fought to hold its own during the depression years of the 1930s against both the near-paralysis of business and organized consumer objections to improper practices. During that decade, advertisers increasingly used research methods, such as readership studies and audience measurement.

During World War II, the War Advertising Council was established by advertising agencies, media, and advertisers as a voluntary contribution to the war effort. So successful was the council in promoting the sale of war bonds, donation of blood, rationing, and the like, it was continued as the Advertising Council, Inc., headquartered in New York. This private, non-profit organization conducts more than 30 major public service campaigns each year pertaining to such matters as health and safety, education, the environment, the disadvantaged, consumerism, the economy, and community and international projects.

During the past four decades Smokey the Bear has told Americans that forest fires cost them money as well as the loss of recreational facilities and the natural beauty of the country (“Smokey Says: Remember, Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!”). More recent council campaigns have borne slogans such as: “Thanks to You It Works for All of Us: The United Way,” “ People Start Pollution; People Can Stop It!,” “Take a Bite Out of Crime,” “Red Cross Is Counting on You,” “55 Saves Lives,” and “Let’s Save Energy Now!”

Major American advertisers provide volunteer coordinators. The agencies alternate in conducting the campaigns, and the media offer free time and space for the ads. Each year the media donate approximately $600 million in time and space in support of these campaigns. Urging Americans to participate in the 1980 census consumed almost $38 million in such donations. The media’s total dollar contribution has exceeded $9.2 billion.

The booming economy after World War II produced rapid growth in all areas of advertising. Staffs were enlarged, branch offices of agencies proliferated, and small agencies formed networks to provide reciprocal services for their clients across the country. Television – described by industry leaders as the most important development affecting advertising in the twentieth century –accelerated the trend toward larger agencies because it increased the complexities of advertising. Television arrived at a most opportune time, for advertisers were introducing hundreds of new products and products and consumers were eager to learn their merits. Advertisers turned increasingly to research to provide facts about their products and services and to discover the motivations of consumer markets.

During the 1960s and 1970s, advertising was confronted with the staggering task of helping to move into the hands of consumers an unprecedented volume of manufactured goods. Periodic recessions made this task more difficult. More money was entrusted to advertising personnel, and their responsibilities mounted. Management demanded more efficient methods of measuring the effectiveness of advertising as distinguished from other marketing functions. Many large agencies went public – that is, converted their proprietorship to shares that were traded and priced on the stock market. In order to generate greater profits for principals and stockholders, some agencies diversified into side businesses, such as retail stores and product manufacturing.

The computer, long used for the common chores of accounting and billing, came into more sophisticated use, providing the breakouts and analyses necessary for sound manufacturing and marketing decisions. As information increased, the computer helped management, advertising, and marketing people understand the new world of product proliferation, market segmentation, automated distribution, population shifts, and the profit squeeze. National computer networks were established by large agencies using high-speed data transmission telephone lines and other communications facilities. The computer was used to analyze consumer surveys, to assist in media buying, to help in predicting the effectiveness of one media plan as opposed to another, to calculate television program cost efficiencies in relation to client objectives, and in numerous other ways.

(From “Introduction to Mass Communications” by Warren R. Agee, Phillip H. Ault, Edwin Emery)

IV. Render the following item in English:

Журнальная реклама имеет целый ряд преимуществ по сравнению с газетной. Обычный иллюстрированный журнал, не говоря уже о специальном, имеет довольно чётко очерченную по специальным параметрам аудиторию. И кроме того, во многих случаях чисто полиграфические возможности журналов гораздо шире, чем газет. Выбирая журнал для публикации рекламы, учитывают не только аудиторию, но и частоту выхода журнала, возможность пограничного размещения материала. Конечно, величина даже самого большого объявления в журнале не может соперничать с размерами газетных реклам, но зато само качество подачи рекламного материала (от бумаги до цвета) здесь несомненно, гораздо выше. Реклама, размещенная в деловых журналах, должна содержать большое количество подробностей о продукте: техническую информацию, условия продажи, конкретные производственные проблемы. Реклама в популярных журналах должна быть выдержана в более дружеском тоне.

В качестве иллюстрации в журнальной рекламе чаще всего используют фотографию – черно-белую или цветную, так как фотография более четко передает образ продукта. Фотография должна использовать преимущества товара.

Также рекомендуется приложить к журнальной рекламе что-то, что привлечет читателя: рецепт, в котором используется данный товар, купон на скидку, образцы продукта, которые можно поцарапать, понюхать, пощупать.

Всю газетно-журнальную рекламу классифицируют по следующим группам:

1) реклама в традиционных газетах;

2) реклама в цветных иллюстрированных журналах;

3) реклама в специальных рекламных изданиях;

4) реклама в региональных и местных изданиях.

V. Render the following item in English: