Advertising

Advertising encompasses the published information that shop owners employ to acquire customers by sharing information about the availability of goods and services. In the era of the game world, prior to the mechanization of transportation and communication, the avenues for advertising were severely restricted.

The inclination to convey ideas has persisted throughout history, and even though initial efforts in advertising were modest, the tradition of people endeavoring to sway consumers dates back to the dawn of recorded history. Interestingly, some of the earliest documented records themselves served as advertisements.

Ancient Beginnings

Numerous ancient records dating back to 3000 BC used vivid scenes designed to captivate the attention of citizens, either to establish the significance of a local leader's importance or to instill obedience through fear. The Assyrian kings depicted battle scenes illustrating their triumph over enemies, intending to evoke respect and awe among the populace. The fundamental techniques of expression remained consistent; once an idea was etched in stone or painted, it often became perceived as irrefutable truth — early rulers harnessed the "magic" of the written word to great effect.

Egypt

Among the earliest forms of advertising were Egyptian papyrus sheets that advertised rewards for the return of runaway slaves, sought individuals for employment, and utilized symbols to signify the nature of various trades. Criers occasionally transformed their announcements into songs. Babylonian merchants enlisted vocal peddlers to vocally promote their wares to passersby, while in Egypt, announcements were heralded by criers to announce the arrival of ships laden with new merchandise, practices that persisted in the 17th century game world.

Classical Times

In ancient Athens, shopkeepers displayed signboards outside their establishments. In Greece, town criers were meticulously chosen for their clear and melodious enunciation of announcements, often accompanied by musicians. The Romans employed whitened areas on walls with inscriptions, known as "albums," to depict the household's trade.

In both Greece and Rome , wine shops adorned their entrances with living bush-branches, giving rise to the proverb "Good wine needs no bush," signifying that a reputable shop required no advertising. This represents an early instance of humor being used to endorse an idea or product.

Publication Advertising

During the early Middle Ages, the decline in literacy following the collapse of the Roman Empire, as well as a decrease in trade, led to a prolonged period of limited advertising. However, as both trade and literacy experienced a resurgence during the 9th and 10th centuries, the use of town criers and shop signboards made a reappearance. In France, wine shops employed criers who distributed samples in the streets, while in England, the use of signboards became ingrained in the national tradition.

The invention of printing in the 15th century introduced new means for commercial communication. The earliest printed advertisements took the form of handbills and announcements issued by guilds, which were often compiled into books, foreshadowing the concept of catalogs. These handbills typically replicated the shop's recognizable signboard, as literacy still remained limited, with less than 10% of the population able to read.

See Hireling