Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 135, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1917 — ADVERTISING IS AN OLD ART [ARTICLE]

ADVERTISING IS AN OLD ART

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans Knew Something About the Value of Publicity. Advertising was well known In the palmy days of Egypt. Of course, they didn’t have the electric signs blazing across the sky, they didn’t know that red makes the best color for advertising, green 7 the sfitoml and black the next, but they did understand the-flrst principles and npplh d them in dally life, says the Detroit Free Press. * Perhaps the first bit of advertising copy was the “lost,-strayed or stolon” advertisement written by an Egyptian on a slip of papyrus when his favorite slave was missing. The Greeks bad even greater skill. They advertised their concerts, musical affairs, plays and contests. They gave us the'Men of using bands to attract a crowd, for tpey sent around their cities a town crier, accompanied by a musician playing a harp or a lyre. He, praised extravagantly In the best of Greek the thing he was advertising. Later the people began to advertise privately, on the walls of their homes, giving information about.the standing of’the family occupying the house and the state of their finances. The Rot inns went them one better. They named their streets, advertised shows, sales and exhibitions in their public baths, notified the public of sales of estates, posted lists of articles lost and found ami houses for sale or rent. When the Huns swept down upon Rome the advertisements disappeared with the Roman power and did not return until the town crier of the middle ; ges began advertising again.