6/5/2020
`
`BillboardsIn | A Brief History of Billboard Advertising
`
`Billboards.
`
`,tn~ ciftf,
`
`Email Address
`
`Log In
`......___ __ ____,)('-----------'J .___I___.
`
`Password
`forgot?
`
`Blog
`
`A Brief History of Billboard Advertising
`
`June 13, 2018 › Published by Mary Lavelle
`
`When it comes to pinpointing the first billboard advertisement in history, you may get mixed
`answers. Some attribute the earliest billboards with the ancient Egyptians as their obelisks
`communicated government laws and information to its citizens. While this may not truly be the first
`billboard, this along with other pivotal moments in history helped pave the way for the modernized
`billboard industry we know today.
`. ~~~
`Starting in the 1440s, the world saw a big change with Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the
`printing press. This allowed for handbills, posters, flyers, pamphlets, and other materials to be
`produced in large quantities. It wasn’t until the 1790s that we saw Alois Senefelder’s invention of lithography. Using the repulsion of oil and water, this
`printing process enabled mass production of illustrated posters in color!
`
`1}
`
`~
`
`I-.
`;,\
`t·• ~\
`
`1_,Y'" ___ /
`
`With these technological advancements, Jared Bell was able to create what is widely considered the first billboards. These large, 50 square-foot
`posters were used to promote the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey’s Circus in New York City in the 1830s. At this time, however, billboard
`space was not being leased nor were billboards controlled by any laws or standards.
`
`The earliest record of billboards being leased occurred in the 1860s. By the 1870s, roughly 300 small sign-painting and bill posting companies were
`in operation. The billboard industry was rapidly growing so much that organizations were formed to promote its advancements. In 1891, the
`Associated Bill Posters’ Association of the US and Canada was formed whose name would later change to the Outdoor Advertising Association of
`America (OAAA.)
`With the 41,000 mile-long interstate highway system created in the 1950s, the billboard industry was booming and perhaps a little bit too much. In
`1965, the Highway Beautification Act was signed to maintain scenic beauty along interstate highways by limiting the number of billboards and
`creating size, lighting, and spacing regulations, among other things.
`
`Today, there are likely over 2 million billboards in the United States including those on local and state roads. Furthermore, the billboard industry
`continues to spark change and innovation. While we pay tribute to the many “firsts” in billboard history, we’re certainly happy to be past the days of
`hand-painting signs and moving into the future with digital and interactive billboards.
`
`To search and find billboards across cities like never before, visit BillboardsIn.com
`
`Important Links
` About BillboardsIn
` Small Business Ads
` FAQs / Glossary
` Billboard Blog
` Careers
` Contact Us
`
`Top Billboard Markets
` Billboards in Atlanta
` Billboards in Denver
` Billboards in Detroit
` Billboards in Minneapolis
` Billboards in Philadelphia
` Billboards in Tampa
`
`Top Transit Markets
` Transit Ads in Atlanta
` Transit Ads in Denver
` Transit Ads in Detroit
` Transit Ads in Minneapolis
` Transit Ads in Philadelphia
` Transit Ads in Tampa
`
`Top Movie Theater Markets
` Movie Theater Ads in Atlanta
` Movie Theater Ads in Denver
` Movie Theater Ads in Detroit
` Movie Theater Ads in
`Minneapolis
` Movie Theater Ads in
`Philadelphia
` Movie Theater Ads in Tampa
`
`© 2020 Copyright BillboardsIn. Powered by DOmedia.
`
`Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
`
`https://www.billboardsin.com/a-brief-history-of-billboard-advertising
`
`1/1
`
`Glux Visual Effects Tech, et al. Ex. 1024
`Page 1 of 1
`
`