Advertising is a particular need, and since there has been production and exchange of goods, advertising has also appeared. The early advertising in the world is carried out through sound, called oral advertising, also known as hawking advertising, which is the original and simple form of advertising. As early as in the early days of slave society in ancient Greece, people publicized and shouted rhythmic advertisements by selling slaves and livestock. The streets of ancient Rome were filled with the cries of vendors.

In ancient times, Carthage, a trade zone in the vast Mediterranean region, was famous for its countless cries of selling. Brand names are also one of the ancient forms of advertising. The name of the shop originated in the ancient city of Pompeii. In the ancient Roman Empire, they were used to advertise gladiatorial fights and circus performances. Trademarks are symbolic, such as an ancient Roman milk factory marked with goats; A mule pulling a millstone represents a bakery; A child being whipped is a sign adopted by one school. In medieval England, an arm swinging a hammer meant a goldsmith's workshop; Three doves and a scepter represent a spinning mill. The mark of an Indian cigar factory in London was carved by shipbuilders from the masts of ships.

Our country is one of the countries that have the advertisement early in the world. As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, audio advertising appeared. There is a verse of "Xiao Guan Bei Ju" in the chapter of ZhouSong Yougu in the Book of Songs, according to Zheng Xuanzhu of the Han Dynasty: "Xiao, make small bamboo pipes, and now sell them to blow." Tang Kong Yingda also said: "The time to sell people, blowing xiao from the table also." It can be seen that in the Western Zhou Dynasty, sugar vendors already knew how to drum up business with the sound of blowing pipes. In ancient China, after the sound advertising appeared is the "hanging banner" advertising. "Han Fezi · Foreign Reserve said" Song people have exegetical wine, ascension is very flat, meet guests very modest, for the wine is very beautiful, hanging very high." This is our wine and wine flag early records. The hotel is opened in a fixed place, in order to attract customers, throw out "a wine flag", which is to attract customers in the form of advertising. This form has been used continuously since, such as the Tang Dynasty Zhang Ji has "high wine flag hanging river mouth", Du Mu has "water village mountain Guo wine flag wind" and other verses. "Water Margin" also has this description: "Wu Song on the road for a few days... I saw a hotel in front of me, holding a banner in front of the door, on which were written five characters: 'Three bowls but no post'." "Yuan Qu · Courtyard Flower" in the "three feet of cloth in front of the hotel, come and look for customers", not only explains the size of the wine flag, but also explains the role of the wine flag. In addition to the wine flag, other industries also have a variety of iconic advertising forms. According to "Fei Changfang" said that "the city has old man selling medicine, hanging pot in wantou". It is to use fenugreek as a symbolic sign of the medicine shop, hanging on the street or in front of the medicine shop. Here, the "hanging flag" and "hanging pot" give people a very striking visual effect, in modern words, is "signboard advertising".