[How About This Book] The World's First Advertisement Was "Looking for a Runaway Slave"

Kim Donggyu's "The Strategy of Seduction, A World History of Advertising"
Advertising as a Mirror Reflecting the Times
A Core Institution Sustaining Capitalism
Analyzing the Aspects of Each Era Through Its Evolution

“Male slave Sam has escaped from his good master, the Hapu master. All good citizens of Thebes are requested to help him return. He is Hittite, 5 feet 2 inches tall, with a healthy complexion and brown eyes. (...) A gold coin will be given to anyone who brings him directly back to Hapu’s shop, the textile artisan who weaves the finest fabrics tailored to customers' needs.”

It is the oldest existing advertisement discovered in the ruins of Thebes, the capital of the 11th Dynasty of ancient Egypt around 2000 BC, containing a message seeking a runaway slave. Provided by Pureun History

The oldest advertisement preserved in documents is a wanted poster for a runaway slave discovered in ancient Egypt around 2000 BCE. It was written on papyrus, and the detailed shop promotion cleverly included while providing personal information about the runaway slave is impressive. At that time, slaves were treated as commodities featured in advertisements. The Pompeii ruins of ancient Rome, well-preserved in their original form, vividly reveal the situation of the time. The signboards called ‘Albus’ mainly announced matches of slave gladiators.

Advertisements are also mirrors reflecting the spirit of the times. The author, who has worked at leading domestic advertising companies, analyzes the characteristics of each era through the history of advertising. The author defines advertising as a core social institution that sustains capitalism. If mass production and mass consumption are the two wheels of a bicycle, advertising is the power that pedals it forward.

According to the author, advertising is the act of persuading customers. This is divided into ‘hard sell’ and ‘soft sell.’ Hard sell primarily uses logos, appealing to rational reasoning and thought. It is a highly logical persuasion method, such as “This product is of good quality, affordable, and unmatched.” On the other hand, soft sell targets pathos, stimulating emotions. It induces product purchases by arousing anger, anxiety, envy, competitiveness, and so on.

John Everett Millais, considered the greatest painter of the 19th century, used his grandson as a model for the painting "The Child's World" and added a soap illustration to use it as a Pierce Soap advertisement leaflet. Provided by Pureun History

If slave advertisements were the first hard sell, the first soft sell was the ‘Pierce’ soap advertisement. In 1789, Andrew Pierce, who made translucent scented soap, achieved great success by purchasing the famous painting ‘The Child’s World’ by Millet and using it in the soap advertisement. He targeted consumers through the feeling conveyed by the image without direct advertising phrases. Meanwhile, Millet, who sold the painting, had to endure criticism that he exchanged his artistic spirit for a few coins until his death in 1896.

An interesting point is that these two types of advertising appear differently depending on economic conditions. To conclude, soft sell gains popularity during economic booms, while hard sell dominates during recessions. This pattern, which emerged in earnest in the late 19th century, has been established since the 1920s and 1930s. During prosperous times, emotional challenges are allowed, but such luxury is not tolerated during recessions.

Flyer advertisement of 'Pasqua Rose,' the first coffee house opened in London in 1652. Courtesy of Pureun History

Another characteristic during pronounced economic recessions is the prevalence of exaggerated advertisements. A 1652 London coffeehouse flyer introduced coffee’s effects as “aiding digestion, preventing coughs, swelling, gout, and scurvy,” presenting it at the level of a medicine surpassing beverages. The concept of exaggerated advertising appeared early with the 1534 ‘Fitzherbert Act’ related to horse trading between individuals, but since the law’s essence was “buyer beware,” consumers had no choice but to be cautious themselves.

Lucky Toothpaste advertisement published in the August 11, 1955 newspaper. Courtesy of Pureun History

Although the content from the West, where advertising history is long and developed, overwhelmingly dominates, the latter part dealing with modern and contemporary times also somewhat covers domestic situations. The August 11, 1955, print advertisement for ‘Lucky Toothpaste’ used the phrase “exactly the same as American-made (manufactured with American ingredients and American formula).” This reflects an attempt to rely on the public’s favorable perception of American aid goods after the war.

An advertisement leaflet for 'Hite' beer from the early 1990s. Provided by Pureun History

The competition between OB Beer, which dominated the beer market in the early 1990s, and its challenger Hite is significant in that it was an important opportunity for consumers to newly recognize ‘water,’ the raw material of beer. At that time, OB Beer had to endure negative views due to its parent company’s affiliate, Doosan Corporation, discharging phenol poison into the Nakdong River, polluting the lifeline of Gyeongnam and Gyeongbuk provinces. Taking advantage of this, competitor Hite launched the slogan “Pure beer made with 100% natural water from 150 meters underground,” followed by provocative advertisements such as “If the water is different, the taste is different” and “90% of beer is water, would you like to drink boiled beer?” Eventually, OB Beer lost its top industry position to Hite three years later.

Yuhan-Kimberly’s ‘Our Mountains and Rivers, Greener and Greener’ campaign is cited by the author as a representative example of domestic environmental advertising. Environmental advertising has the effect of positively packaging stakeholders surrounding the company. Recently, models with the character of public service advertisements that exclude even such purposes have appeared, but at least for Yuhan-Kimberly, there is no disagreement that it is a highly successful case of gaining a positive image through environmental advertising.

The author illuminates the history of advertising and analyzes and explains the changing patterns of advertising according to the times. The book broadly covers cases such as the decline of the advertising industry due to taxation on advertisements in the UK, precedents of political propaganda use, the emergence of a new trend emphasizing lowest prices during the Great Depression, and modern advertising reaching the level of art. It is a fascinating masterpiece introducing the background of the times hidden behind the text.

The Strategy of Seduction, A World History of Advertising | Written by Kim Dong-gyu | Pureun History | 45,000 KRW