An advertising company is a potentially very successful and enjoyable business, but only if done correctly. Advertising promotion is older than most people think, and here is a brief history of advertising companies.

There are four very influential inventions that have shaped the media and thus the advertising industry - the printing press, radio, television and the Internet. The printing press made the wide dissemination of information with words on paper possible, mainly advertisements in newspapers and magazines. Selling material had to be created and advertising agencies were born.

The first advertising agency, Volney B. Palmer, was opened in Philadelphia in 1841. By 1861 there were 20 advertising agencies in New York City alone. Among them was J. Walter Thompson, today the oldest American advertising agency in continuous existence. Radio became a commercial medium in the 1920s.

For the first time, advertising could be heard, not just seen. Soap operas, music, and serial adventures populated the new medium, and as radios appeared in virtually every home in America, sales of products advertised on the air soared. Advertisers rushed to write infectious advertising jingles, an art form that still has its place in the advertising repertoire of today.

Then television changed everything. Although TV was invented in the 1920s, it didn’t become a mass commercial medium until the 1950s when the prices of television sets began to approach affordability. Print and radio had to take a back seat because, for the first time, commercials were broadcast with sight, sound and motion.

The effect of the telvesion on the advertising industry and the way products were sold was remarkable. Advertising agencies not only had to learn how to produce these mini movies in units of 30 and 60 seconds, they had to learn to effectively segment the audience and deliver the right commercial message to the right group of consumers.

Cable television was the next great innovation, offering a greater variety of channels with more specific program offerings. That allowed advertisers to narrowcast. Before the advent of cable television, the networks attempted to reach demographics by airing at different times throughout the broadcast period. Soap operas were broadcast during the day to reach women, news in the evening to reach an older target audience.

Cable television, on the other hand, brought with it channels like MTV that catered to young music lovers, ESPN, for (typically) male sports fans, and the Food Network, for people who love cooking (or at least love to watch others cook). These new advertising channels were delightful for advertisers who wished to target certain audiences with specific interests, though less so for the networks who saw their share of ad revenue dwindle.



By: Tom Sample

About the Author:

Choosing a Forex Broker

Nominated for 18 Emmys and 15 Golden Globes in its thirteen season run, Dallas is the 1,000-pound gorilla of the prime-time drama/soap opera genre. Premiering in 1978 as a five-part miniseries, the show combines the classic sex and innuendo of boilerplate afternoon soap operas with the freewheeling adventure of Texas wildcats and filthy rich capitalist oil barons. The explosive combination of rampant love affairs and high stakes business dealings scored well with both men and women, prompting CBS to make Dallas the lynchpin of its Friday night lineup (back when people actually watched Friday night television). As a result, Dallas became one of the most successful TV series in history. In fact, the famous ‘Who shot J.R.?” episode (”A House Divided” Air Date: 3-21-1980) still holds its spot as the second most watched television show ever (the season finale of MASH is #1). With arguably the most memorable TV villian ever created, it’s little surprise that Dallas held the #1 or #2 spot in the Nielsen ratings for most of the 1980s decade.

Undoubtedly, the unrivaled success and popularity of Dallas was in large part due to Larry Hagman and his portrayal of J.R. Ewing. Hagman’s real life Texas roots, unique charm, and wholehearted commitment to his craft helped to create one of the most loveable villains in history, and his treachery is on fully display in season five. Although J.R. is a vindictive cutthroat, the audience grows to love his sinister smile in the aftermath of a one-sided business deal and/or a selfish act of calculating revenge. In sharp contrast, J.R.’s brother Bobby (Patrick Duffy) brings the Ewing karma back into balance with his all-American smile and impeccable character. Patrick Duffy brings his own style of charm to the small screen, and it makes for an interesting clash of personalities.

The Dallas (Season 5) DVD features some of the best episodes of the series. The initial ones center around Sue Ellen’s attempt to leave J.R. once and for all. With Dusty and Clayton Farlow by her side, Sue Ellen (Linda Grey) begins a new life at the Southern Cross ranch in San Angelo. The ensuing war between the two over baby John Ross makes for some of the most enjoyable prime time drama ever produced. The onscreen chemistry between Hagman and Grey is simply magic. They manage to portray a believable love-hate relationship between a husband and wife, and it’s one of the ongoing conflicts which launched the show to the top of the Nielsen ratings for almost fourteen years (making it the longest running prime time drama in television history).

Below is a list of episodes included on the Dallas (Season 5) DVD:

Episode 78 (Missing Heir) Air Date: 10-09-1981

Episode 79 (Gone, But Not Forgotten) Air Date: 10-16-1981

Episode 80 (Showdown at San Angelo) Air Date: 10-23-1981

Episode 81 (Little Boy Lost) Air Date: 10-30-1981

Episode 82 (The Sweet Smell of Revenge) Air Date: 11-06-1981

Episode 83 (The Big Shut Down) Air Date: 11-13-1981

Episode 84 (Blocked) Air Date: 11-20-1981

Episode 85 (The Split) Air Date: 11-27-1981

Episode 86 (Five Dollars a Barrel) Air Date: 12-04-1981

Episode 87 (Starting Over) Air Date: 12-11-1981

Episode 88 (Waterloo at Southfork) Air Date: 12-18-1981

Episode 89 (Barbecue Two) Air Date: 01-01-1982

Episode 90 (The Search) Air Date: 01-08-1982

Episode 91 (Denial) Air Date: 01-15-1982

Episode 92 (Head of the Family) Air Date: 01-22-1982

Episode 93 (The Phoenix) Air Date: 01-29-1982

Episode 94 (My Father, My Son) Air Date: 02-05-1982

Episode 95 (Anniversary) Air Date: 02-12-1982

Episode 96 (Adoption) Air Date: 02-19-1982

Episode 97 (The Maelstrom) Air Date: 02-26-1982

Episode 98 (The Prodigal) Air Date: 03-05-1982

Episode 99 (Vengeance) Air Date: 03-12-1982

Episode 100 (Blackmail) Air Date: 03-19-1982

Episode 101 (The Investigation) Air Date: 03-26-1982

Episode 102 (Acceptance) Air Date: 04-02-1982

Episode 103 (Goodbye, Cliff Barnes) Air Date: 04-09-1982



By: Britt Gillette

About the Author:

Debt Consolidation