The Evolution of Advertising:
From Town Criers to AI-Driven Campaigns

The Evolution of Advertising: From Town Criers to AI-Driven Campaigns

Advertising has always been about one thing: capturing attention. From the early days of merchants shouting in busy markets to today’s AI-powered digital campaigns, the way businesses reach consumers has evolved dramatically. Each era has brought new innovations, reshaping how brands communicate and how consumers engage.

In this article, we’ll take a journey through the history of advertising—where it started, how it transformed with each technological leap, and where we are today.

The Beginnings: Word-of-Mouth and Early Written Ads

Long before billboards, television commercials, and digital ads, advertising relied on word-of-mouth. In ancient markets, merchants hired town criers to announce products and services, ensuring their messages reached as many people as possible.

Some of the earliest recorded advertisements date back to 3000 BC in Egypt, where papyrus scrolls promoted goods and services. Ancient Romans and Greeks took this further, using painted wall advertisements in public spaces to spread information about everything from political campaigns to gladiator fights.

Even in these early forms, one principle remained the same: advertising was about visibility—the more people saw or heard about something, the more likely they were to act.

The Print Revolution: Newspapers and the Birth of Mass Advertising

The invention of the printing press in the 15th century changed advertising forever. By the 17th century, newspapers began featuring classified ads, allowing businesses to promote goods and services in a structured format.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, newspapers and magazines became essential advertising channels. As industrialization led to mass production, businesses needed ways to market their products to a growing consumer base. The rise of advertising agencies in the mid-1800s signaled the start of organized, strategic advertising.

One of the first iconic print ads? A 1900 Michelin Guide advertisement encouraging drivers to travel more—an early example of content marketing before it was even a term.

The Radio and TV Boom: Reaching the Masses

In the early 20th century, radio emerged as the next major advertising platform. Live-read ads and sponsored radio programs allowed brands to engage audiences in a more personal, narrative-driven way.

Then came television in the 1950s, which took advertising to another level. TV ads combined sight, sound, and storytelling, making commercials more engaging and memorable than print or radio. Brands like Coca-Cola, Ford, and McDonald's became household names through highly produced TV campaigns, setting the stage for modern brand advertising.

With mass media came mass influence—advertising was no longer just about information but about shaping culture and consumer behavior.

The Digital Shift: The Internet Changes Everything

The late 20th century saw the rise of internet advertising, marking the biggest transformation yet. Suddenly, brands could reach specific audiences with precision targeting rather than broadcasting messages to the masses.

Key developments included:

• 1994: The first online banner ad (AT&T’s famous “Have you ever clicked here?” ad).
• Early 2000s: Google AdWords (now Google Ads) introduced pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, revolutionizing search-based marketing.
• Mid-2000s: Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter offered new, highly targeted ad placements.

By the 2010s, digital advertising had overtaken traditional media. Brands now had access to data-driven insights, allowing them to track consumer behavior, personalize messaging, and optimize campaigns in real-time.

However, the rapid rise of digital advertising also led to consumer fatigue, privacy concerns, and ad-blocking technologies, pushing marketers to rethink how they engage audiences.

The AI-Powered Present: Smarter, Faster, and More Personalized Advertising

Today, we’re in the age of AI-driven advertising. Artificial intelligence has transformed how brands create, optimize, and deliver ads, making campaigns more data-driven, personalized, and efficient than ever before.

Some of the biggest changes include:
✔️ AI-powered audience segmentation—Platforms analyze behavior to serve hyper-relevant ads.
✔️ Automated ad buying—Programmatic platforms optimize campaigns in real time.
✔️ Conversational AI and chatbots—Brands engage consumers directly through AI-powered messaging.
✔️ Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) ads—More immersive, interactive ad experiences.

Companies like AppLovin are at the forefront of this transformation. By using AI-powered ad targeting, they help brands drive more efficient, scalable campaigns. In fact, AppLovin’s Axon Engine uses machine learning to predict user behavior, optimizing ad delivery across mobile platforms—an approach that has fueled massive growth for mobile-first brands.

Similarly, companies are investing in privacy-first advertising solutions, responding to the decline of third-party cookies and the push for greater data protection. AI-powered contextual advertising (ads placed based on content relevance rather than user data) is becoming a viable alternative.

Where Advertising is Headed Next

As we look to the future, advertising will continue to evolve in response to technology, regulation, and consumer expectations. Some key trends to watch include:

📌 Cookieless Advertising: Privacy laws are reshaping how brands collect and use data. First-party data and contextual targeting will become more critical.

📌 AI-Generated Creative: Brands will use AI to create ad copy, images, and videos dynamically—customizing content in real time based on user behavior.

📌 More Immersive Advertising: AR, VR, and the metaverse will introduce new ways for brands to interact with consumers in fully digital environments.

📌 Greater Focus on Ethics & Sustainability: Consumers expect brands to align with social, environmental, and ethical values, making purpose-driven advertising more important.

The brands that embrace these changes, leverage AI effectively, and maintain trust with consumers will define the next era of advertising.

Final Thoughts: The Only Constant is Change

From town criers to AI-driven automation, advertising has undergone centuries of transformation. But one thing remains the same: brands that adapt and innovate will always have the advantage.

We’re in an era where data, AI, and automation are shaping the future of advertising. How brands use these tools—responsibly and creatively—will determine their success.

At Stringo Media, we help fintech brands navigate the complexities of paid media, data, and attribution to drive growth in a constantly evolving landscape.

Want to future-proof your advertising strategy? Let’s talk.