The Advertising Agency

A full service advertising agency is a company that specializes in the creation and production of advertisements for a client’s products or services. Full service means these agencies may also offer public relations and marketing as part of their services, if they have skilled staff trained in these specific disciplines.

History

Advertising agencies were first created in London, England In 1812, George Reynell opened “Reynell and Son” as the first advertising agency in the world.

The first advertising agency in the United States was opened by Volney B. Palmer in 1850. This Philadelphia-based agency specialized in the placement of client produced advertisements in local newspapers. His advertisements were some of the first to use typeface and fonts that were set apart from other publications printed on the page.

As technology progressed, the development of magazines meant that businesses had a new way to reach consumers. Many businesses began to contact advertising agencies to come up with more creative ways to advertise their products and services. One of the first magazines to sell advertising space was a religious magazine printed by William James Carlton in 1864. Enlisting the help of James Walter Thompson, he began to sell and print advertisements.

Eventually, both men realized that if they produced the advertisements themselves they could make more money. With that revelation, Thompson opened up the James Walter Thompson Company. He hired a staff of writers and artists and put together the first known creative department within an advertising agency. The James Walter Thompson Company is the oldest advertising agency in the United States.

Modern Agencies

Today, the modern advertising agency offers a variety of services. Many agencies develop advertising concepts for television, radio and print advertising mediums. Often times an advertising agency will also offer services related to public relations, marketing and Internet advertising.

Just like the introduction of the magazine into the media world, the Internet has also expanded the advertising playing field and changing the way marketers approach advertising. Advertising professionals have yet again been forced to reinvent themselves and find new creative ways to reach consumers. By developing new Internet advertising methods, advertising agencies are able to keep a clients products and services relevant to consumers all over the world.

Advertising agencies like THAT! Company specialize in mixed media marketing and utilize the Internet’s wide range of capabilities to serve their clients. Their comprehensive team specializes in Internet advertising services such as Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click Management. They take pride in offering the latest innovative advertising concepts and new media marketing to their clients while still keeping traditional advertising alive. THAT! Company is a full-service advertising agency looking forward and anticipating future developments in the advertising industry.