Interactive Timeline: History of Marketing

By yashbhanvadia5@gmail.com
  • 1450

    1450s – Printing Press and Early Advertising

    Gutenberg’s printing press enabled mass production of flyers, pamphlets, and posters.
    Impact: Enabled mass production of flyers and pamphlets, spreading advertising.

  • First Modern Advertising Agency

    William James Carlton founded one of the earliest advertising agencies in Philadelphia, USA.
    Impact: Professionalized ad creation and placement.

  • First Paid Radio Commercial

    Aired on New York station WEAF for the Queensboro Corporation (real estate).
    Impact: Introduced sponsored radio advertising to mass audiences.

  • First TV Commercial (Bulova Watch)

    Aired on NBC before a Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies baseball game.
    Impact: First U.S. television ad. Cost: $9.

  • Introduction of the 4Ps of Marketing

    E. Jerome McCarthy published Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach.
    Impact: Introduced the Product, Price, Place, Promotion framework.

  • Rise of Database Marketing

    Gained traction in the early-to-mid 1980s as companies started storing and analyzing customer data.
    Impact: Personalization and targeted marketing became possible.

  • First Banner Ad on the Internet

    ATT’s “You Will” campaign launched on HotWired.com.
    Impact: First online display advertisement, click-through rate was ~44%.

  • Launch of Facebook (Start of Social Media Era)

    Mark Zuckerberg and team launched TheFacebook at Harvard.
    Impact: Social media platforms became key marketing channels.