Monday, 31 August 2026

HISTORY OF MEDIA - HSNCU - CLASS NOTES

Module 1: History of Press

Pre-Independence Press- Newspaper – the rise of the voice of India during British rule, India’s Freedom Struggle and Role of Media,

 Rise of vernacular press with special reference to Marathi press

Post-Independent Press- Independence and rise of Newspapers; 

Press During Emergency; 

Post LPG evolution of Indian Press, 

Effect of Covid

Press Regulations - Pre-independence and post-independence

Iconic personalities- Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Raja Rammohan Roy, M. K. Gandhi, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, etc. 

Module 2: History of Broadcasting- Radio and TV

Radio & Television as Mass Media

Radio and Television Broadcasting- The beginning of Radio and Television Shows

Radio: History of AIR, Evolution of Programming, Privatization of Radio Broadcasting, FM, Community Radio

Prasar Bharati and its role: SITE, Privatization of TV, Regulatory Mechanism

Satellite Television & Privatisation in Broadcasting: A New Era in Broadcasting in India

Internet Protocol Television 

Module 3: Evolution and Growth of Advertising and Public Relations

History and Growth of PR: Evolution of PR in Indian and Global Context, Edward Bernays, Ivy Lee’s role in Establishing PR, evolution of public relation in public and private sector

History of print advertising, evolution of advertising agencies, emergence of broadcast advertising, advent of OOH advertising and emerging trends, advertising regulations, iconic ad campaigns, important advertising personalities

Module 4: Evolution of New Media and Way Ahead

Advent of Internet, emergence of web 2.0 and beyond, social networking sites, impact of social media on communication, impact of digital and new media on legacy media


IMPORTANT ADVERTISINGN PERSONALITIES

Several individuals have played an important role in developing modern advertising.

1. David Ogilvy: David Ogilvy is one of the most influential figures in modern advertising. He emphasised:

  • Research
  • Strong headlines
  • Clear communication
  • Understanding consumers
  • Building brands

He is associated with Ogilvy, one of the world's major advertising agencies.

2. Claude C. Hopkins: Claude Hopkins was an important early advertising professional. He emphasised scientific advertising, testing and measuring advertising effectiveness.

3. Leo Burnett: Leo Burnett was famous for creating memorable advertising characters and developing strong brand personalities. His agency created famous characters such as: Tony the Tiger, Marlboro Man. His approach focused on creating advertising that was simple, memorable and human.

4. Mary Wells Lawrence: Mary Wells Lawrence was an influential American advertising executive and one of the prominent women in the advertising industry. She was known for her creative and innovative advertising campaigns.

Important Indian Advertising Personalities

1. Sylvester daCunha: Sylvester daCunha was an important Indian advertising professional. He is particularly famous for his contribution to the Amul advertising campaign and the development of the iconic Amul Girl.

Iconic Ads of Sylvester daCunha: https://youtu.be/7rdMQ42Ovdw

2. Alyque Padamsee: Alyque Padamsee was one of India's best-known advertising personalities. He contributed significantly to Indian advertising and theatre. He was associated with memorable campaigns and helped establish the importance of creative storytelling and brand personalities in Indian advertising.

Alyque Padamsee ad collection: https://youtu.be/OrJmYs15mUM

3. Piyush Pandey: Piyush Pandey was one of India's most influential advertising creatives. He was associated with several memorable Indian campaigns and was known for using Indian culture, humour, emotions and everyday life in advertising. His work helped make Indian advertising more distinctive and relatable.

 Piyush Pandey ad collection: https://youtu.be/vm7JF4M9E3E 

The history of advertising shows a continuous movement from simple printed notices to sophisticated digital and integrated campaigns. Advertising agencies have also changed from media-space sellers to strategic communication partners. At the same time, advertising regulations have become important to ensure that advertisements are truthful, responsible and fair.

Iconic campaigns and advertising personalities have demonstrated the power of creativity, storytelling, humour and emotional connection in building successful brands.

Iconic ads from the 90s: https://youtu.be/AwGob_s-HIs

ICONIC AD CAMPAIGNS

An iconic advertising campaign is a campaign that becomes highly memorable and remains strongly associated with a brand.

Such campaigns are remembered because of their:

  • Creative ideas
  • Slogans
  • Characters
  • Music
  • Storytelling
  • Emotional appeal

Important Examples

1. Amul – "Utterly Butterly Delicious": The Amul girl became one of the most recognisable advertising characters in India. The campaign is famous for using humour and topical issues.

2. Asian Paints – "Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai": The campaign connected the brand with homes, emotions and memories.

3. Fevicol – "Dum Laga Ke Haisha": Fevicol became famous for humorous advertisements showing the strength of its adhesive.

4. Vodafone – ZooZoos: Vodafone's ZooZoos became highly popular for their simple visual storytelling and distinctive characters.

5. Surf Excel – "Daag Achhe Hain": The campaign gave a positive meaning to children's messy activities and connected them with learning and relationships.

Importance: Iconic campaigns help brands achieve:

  • Brand recognition
  • Brand recall
  • Emotional connection
  • Consumer loyalty
  • Long-term identity

Successful campaigns show that advertising is not simply about selling a product. Creativity, emotion, humour and storytelling can create a strong connection between a brand and its audience.

ADVERTISING REGULATIONS

Advertising has a strong influence on consumers. Therefore, advertisements need to follow certain laws, ethical standards and industry guidelines.

Advertising regulations aim to prevent:

  • False claims
  • Misleading advertisements
  • Offensive content
  • Unfair practices
  • Harmful advertising

Advertising Standards Council of India

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is an important self-regulatory body for advertising in India.

It promotes responsible advertising and deals with complaints about advertisements.

The basic expectation is that advertisements should be:

  • Honest
  • Truthful
  • Fair
  • Responsible
  • Non-misleading

Major Areas of Regulation

1. False Claims: Advertisers should not make false claims about their products.

2. Misleading Advertisements: An advertisement should not create a false impression about a product or service.

3. Children: Advertising directed at children needs special care because children may be more easily influenced.

4. Health Claims: Advertisements for health-related products should not make unsupported claims.

5. Tobacco and Alcohol: These products are subject to strict legal restrictions on advertising and promotion.

6. Surrogate Advertising: Advertisers cannot simply use another product or brand extension to indirectly promote restricted products where such promotion is prohibited.

Advertising regulation protects consumers and society and encourages advertisers to communicate honestly and responsibly.

ADVENT OF OOH ADVERTISING & EMERGING TRENDS

Meaning of OOH Advertising: OOH means Out-of-Home advertising. It refers to advertisements that people see when they are outside their homes.

Examples include:

  • Billboards
  • Hoardings
  • Bus shelters
  • Railway stations
  • Airport advertisements
  • Posters
  • Transit advertising
  • Digital screens





Development of OOH Advertising

Earlier, outdoor advertising mainly consisted of painted signs, posters and large hoardings.

With the development of cities, roads and public transport, outdoor advertising became more organised.

Businesses used large hoardings to create brand visibility.

Modern OOH Advertising: Technology has transformed OOH advertising.

1. Digital Billboards: Large LED screens can display changing advertisements.

2. Transit Advertising: Advertisements are placed on:

  • Buses
  • Trains
  • Metro trains
  • Taxis
  • Auto-rickshaws

3. Airport Advertising: Airports provide opportunities to reach business travellers and tourists.

4. Interactive OOH: Some advertisements allow people to interact using:

  • QR codes
  • Smartphones
  • Touchscreens

5. DOOH: Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) uses digital screens and technology for outdoor advertising.

Emerging Trends

  • Digital billboards
  • LED screens
  • QR-code campaigns
  • Interactive displays
  • Location-based advertising
  • Mobile integration
  • Augmented Reality (AR)
  • Data-driven advertising

OOH advertising has changed from simple posters and hoardings to technology-driven digital and interactive experiences.

EMERGENCE OF BROADCAST ADVERTISING

Broadcast advertising refers to advertisements delivered through radio and television. It brought sound, music, voice, movement and visuals into advertising.

A. Radio Advertising: Radio became an important advertising medium because it could reach people in their homes, workplaces and vehicles.

Radio advertisements use:

  • Voice
  • Music
  • Sound effects
  • Jingles
  • Dialogue

Radio advertising became particularly important with the growth of All India Radio (AIR). Later, the growth of FM radio created new opportunities for advertisers.

Example A food brand may use a catchy jingle on FM radio to make the brand memorable.

B. Television Advertising: Television brought a major change because advertisements could combine: Sound + Image + Movement + Story

Television advertising expanded rapidly in India after the growth of television and especially after the introduction of private satellite television channels in the 1990s.

Advertisers could now demonstrate products visually. For example, a detergent advertisement could show the product removing a stain.

Advantages of Broadcast Advertising

  • Large audience
  • Strong visual impact
  • Emotional appeal
  • Music and storytelling
  • High brand recall

Limitations

  • Expensive
  • Short duration
  • High production costs
  • Audience may skip advertisements

Broadcast advertising transformed advertising from static print messages into audio-visual experiences. Radio created the power of sound, while television added images and movement.

EVOLUTION OF ADVERTISING AGENCIES

An advertising agency is an organisation that helps clients plan, create and distribute advertisements.

Advertising agencies developed because businesses needed professionals who could help them communicate effectively with customers.

Early Stage: Initially, advertising agencies mainly worked as space brokers. They helped advertisers purchase space in newspapers and other publications. Their main job was: Advertiser → Agency → Newspaper

Development of Creative Services: Gradually, agencies began offering more services such as:

  • Copywriting
  • Designing
  • Campaign planning
  • Market research
  • Media planning

The agency was no longer just selling advertising space.

Full-Service Agencies: Modern advertising agencies provide many services under one roof. These may include:

  • Research
  • Strategy
  • Creative development
  • Copywriting
  • Graphic design
  • Media planning
  • Digital advertising
  • Social media
  • Public relations
  • Brand management

Advertising Agencies in India: The Indian advertising industry developed along with newspapers, radio, television and later digital media. Some well-known Indian advertising agencies include:

  • Ogilvy
  • Mudra
  • FCB
  • JWT
  • McCann
  • Lowe Lintas

Digital Transformation: Today advertising agencies also work with:

  • Social media
  • Influencers
  • Search advertising
  • Websites
  • YouTube
  • Mobile applications
  • Data analytics
  • Artificial Intelligence

Advertising agencies have evolved from simple media-space brokers to complete communication and brand-building organisations.