#media-evolution

#media-evolution

We might be exposed to more ads and commercials today than ever before in human history, but the idea of advertising itself is certainly not a new concept. According to Instapage, the first signs of advertisements actually appeared in ancient Egyptian steel carvings from 2000 BC. Meanwhile, the first printed ad was published in 1472, when William Caxton decided to advertise a book by posting flyers on church doors in England.

When it came out in 2001, 7x7 Magazine was one of the first to focus solely on local businesses and lifestyle topics like food, art, culture, style, and travel.

Some really good writing tips hold up. 'Get the name of the dog' reminds us there's power in the particular. Verification is crucial, even of the obvious.

Executives who have been in their industries for decades will likely remember the days of long-form think pieces in prestigious publications. Those media mentions were the gold standard for showcasing thought leadership and building brand awareness.

One major difference that is tough to even remember, let alone to describe to someone who didn't live through it, was how parochial information was back then. Take any obscure factoid, for example: What happened downtown this afternoon? Where was a certain rock star born? Who was the goaltender on the 1980 Swedish Olympic team? Today, you can call it up in a matter of seconds; back then, you had to either have the knowledge, have someone who did, or have access to people or resources that did. Otherwise, you shrugged and went on with your day. There was no falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes.

"I think some brands are still confusing DEI with diversity," says Edgar Hernandez... marketing to diverse audiences isn't about politics. It's about growth."

Gary Stix notes that when he started at Scientific American in 1990, the magazine operated without the Internet as we know it today, emphasizing the radical evolution of science journalism.