Blog Post #3

Like last class, we began the lecture by recapping a bit on our last lecture concerning the industrial era.

Up until the industrial revolution, printing had not advanced a whole lot. The first iron printing press (1800) was made by Earl Stanhope. (Stanhope press) a big advancement at the time because it made printing quicker and cheaper. Hence much more accessible for the general public.

This period of time then brought what we recognize today as the “luddites”
( someone resisting technology). When industrialization first came in, it affected the fabric industry a lot. Mostly because there was no need for so many workers, and an automatic decrease in job opportunities. This then led on to the formation of a rebellion guided by Ned Lud, who went against the idea of development and technology.

With this then comes the development of the “Penny Papers” i.e newspapers sold to the average person on the streets, giving a wider range of people the possibility to receive information, and at the same time this meant that there was now a wider range of interests to be covered by the companies that distributed them. An example of one is “The Sun”.
They started of visually conservative, mainly because nothing else had been explored by that time.

So now if we take ourselves back into this time, we realize that it was at this particular moment that the entire development of communication begins to speed up. Having the possibility to communicate to the general public in such an easy manner, meant it was the perfect place to spread the word of products being sold. Which is where advertising first came into play. John Hooper, starts the first ad agency.

If we continue down the timeline, we then come across the Victorian Era, recognized for its aesthetic confusion, and also because it loosely relates to the reign of queen Victoria.
This era was marked by strong moral beliefs, particularly religious beliefs.

An era which also gave rise to the middle class. People begin to want more and more things, which is where advertising begins to grow as an industry. Taking advantage of peoples greed, and their constant want of things. They began to use the methods such as news papers, and mobil forms of marketing to sell their products to these people.


Unfortunately there was also a radical decline in the quality of craft. A lot of stuff was being produced, but most of it wasn’t good.


Another aspect for which this era is also recognizable, is for the extensive use of lithography and chromolithography (stone printing with color). Scrap cards are created.
It’s also where packaging first comes in. Particularly metal packaging, for products such as lucky strike or Lipton. The first ever packaged food product was “Underwood deviled ham” .

With the industrial revolution, and the bombarding of advertised products, the products themselves began to loose their individuality.
In response to this, the companies decide to give their products a face. Something that the consumer could relate or sympathize with.

The first icon ever to be created was for Quaker oatmeal. The company needed an icon that inspired honesty and simplicity. What better way than giving them an image of a Quaker! who wouldn’t trust this icon?

They begin to put images next to the articles, realizing that this would attract the viewers eye. They also being to play with the combination of images, on the right side you would have the “ideal” image .

Minimalism is then first introduced. The “reductive style” of ads was cheaper, and differentiated itself from other ads of the time that were usually very crowded.

The industrial revolution wasn’t just a period for development particularly in the area of printing, but it was an essential part for the advertising industry. From here on, the development is exponential. Ad agencies begin to open, the concept of marketing and design shifts and an entire new strategy of selling is brought out to the public!