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The Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution began in England in the mid-1700s, with petrol and coal powered energy revolutionising many industries, including branding and advertising.

Industrialisation paved the way for mass production; making it possible to produce large amounts of goods in a cost-effective way. Early forms of advertising sought to spread information about products, aiming to reach not just the rich, but the rapidly emergent middle class- the new mass market. With buyers now able to choose from a wide selection of products for the first time, logos were used to not only indicate the manufacturer, but to act as a symbol of quality.

Advertising agencies began to appear in England in the 1800s, and companies used them to find increasingly new and innovative ways to reach customers. As many people did not read newspapers, other advertising tactics were used, including the use of banners on hand-held poles, people wearing placards, and umbrellas with signs on them. Companies began to promote their ‘brand names’ through attractive packaging and eye-catching slogans.

The progress of the times brought about a wave of extraordinary advances, introducing new products like the car, the vacuum cleaner and the electric iron. Advertising and branding became more successful with the rise of literacy rates, supported by the invention of typewriters. Increased use of mass media, alongside the creation of the telephone, a more effective postal system and better railways made communication over long distances easier than ever before.

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The Gutenberg Printing Press and the 1400s

At the start of the 15th century every English text still had to be copied by hand, an arduous process which used up much time and energy. With the emergence of a literate middle-class, came a higher demand for the written word. German businessman Johannes Gutenberg saw a gap in the market for mass-produced books, and began to experiment with printing methods.

Gutenberg utilised the typesetting technologies of Asia to create a printing press, along with metal letter moulds. His new printing system was more efficient than anything that had come before, and spread literature to the masses for the first time, propelling Europe into the Renaissance.

From then on, printed information could be easily distributed, and advertising become a popular and effective way to sell goods. The first English language advertisement, in the form of a leaflet promoting a book, appeared. Soon thereafter, great quantities of posted advertising, announcing information and promoting goods, hung all around London.

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