If you’ve ever watched the drama series “Mad Men,” you may have the impression that the art of advertising was invented during the early 1930s to 1940s. However, the craft of creating promotional products has existed for hundreds of years, and some of the first advertising campaigns can be traced back to ancient Egypt, when scribes hand-painted promotions for consumable goods on papyrus posters in 2000 BC.
It’s useful to look back at the tricks and techniques that worked throughout the centuries and see how we can apply them to today’s marketplace. In the examples we’ve listed below, you’ll find that the best commercial promotions have two things in common, visibility and longevity. In this day and age when pop-up ads are being blocked online by pop-up blockers, how do you get your promo in front of your intended audience?
Then and now – ancient object advertisements
According to a 2009 study by Shengying Feng of the Nanhua College of Industry and Commerce, “object ads” were used by merchants during the Song Dynasty to promote their wares.
The eminent Chinese scholar, Wu Zimu, wrote that restaurants and hotels of Hangzhou City used promotional tools such as grass gourds, silver spoons, and silver bowls to advertise their services.
The familiarity of these items generated a sense of fondness, warmth, and loyalty towards the establishments that used these object ads. The philosophy behind using promotional items remains the same to this day, especially when customers are becoming more tech-savvy.
Because intrusive online advertising can quickly give negative impressions to new clients, placing your brand on ordinary, everyday products that are used in workplaces such as offices, warehouses, or factories can prove to be an understated but powerful strategy. To accomplish this, why not use the ancient techniques of the Song Dynasty merchants and use customized drinkware to promote your company?
Waterbottles.com can help you craft personalized promotional items such as custom tumblers, custom water bottles, personalized coffee mugs, and other products tailor-made to suit your needs. Make an impression that will last for thousands of years with our online selection (https://beta.waterbottles.com).