When did advertising start?

Modern advertising began to take shape with the advent of newspapers and magazines in the 16th and 17th centuries. The very first weekly gazettes appeared in Venice in the early 16th-century. From there, the concept of a weekly publication spread to Italy, Germany and Holland.

Who started the first advertising agency in Philadelphia?

In the United States around 1840, Volney B. Palmer set up the first advertising agency in Philadelphia. In 1842 Palmer bought large amounts of space in various newspapers at a discounted rate then resold the space at higher rates to advertisers.

What was the first commercial ad?

The first commercial advertisements highlighted books and fraudulent medicines. However, by the 1650s, a significantly broader range of products started getting advertised. Later in 1835, advertising took a new turn with the very first ever billboard advertising ad in the US showed carnival/circus posters more than 50 sq. Ft.