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Milestones in Print Advertising (Click to launch)

"Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise" is the industry motto - whether it's on the Internet, television and radio, in newspapers or magazines, or at a local movie theater near you.

Today, Internet advertising has morphed into the practice of reaching consumers where they shop, pay bills, and communicate with friends. Unlike advertising practices of ages past, that means advertising has to step up its game to actually engage readers on an interactive two-way street (unlike radio or television) that exclaims "Click here!"

Gone are the days when banner or pop-up ads attempted to steal a Web surfer's attention. As advertisements become more and more targeted to a specific audience, "dayparting" has become a familiar phrase to those who want to advertisie their wares online to, say, people working 9-5 -- or, in reverse -- to a leisurely weekend audience with play and recreation on the agenda..

Other clever ways to brand a product today include "advergaming" in which products launch games in their online advertising.

With all the changes taking place within the industry, advertising remains an excellent gauge of society's mood and what the traffic will bear. You decide - as we check out some of the best sites and examples on the topic for a decade-by-decade account of the history - and mystery - of what sells...

also in Sports -> Super Bowl Commercials

More about advertising around the Web:

Ad Age - Register free for up-to-the-minute breaking news covering the industry and offering special reports, the latest ad spot reviews, job postings, industry resources and check out their history of The Advertising Century for picks of the Top 100 Ad Campaigns, favorite jingles, slogans, ad icons and a timeline of the best advertising of the past 200 years.

Adweek - The online publication featuring the latest updates and ad analysis, entertaining story features and insider industry rumors and gossip.

The Clio Awards - The Oscars of the industry, with background info on the annual awards for the year's best advertising and design, with an archive of past winners featuring video clips.

AdAccess - Fortified with an image archive numbering in the thousands, and featuring print ads from the early 1900's to the '50's searchable in a database or browseable by category, including Beauty and Hygiene, Radio, Television, Transportation, and World War II.

The Ad Council : Campaigns - From the people who brought you "a mind is a terrible thing to waste," McGruff the Crime Dog, and Smokey Bear, with more on their most successful classic campaigns in words and pictures.