广告一词，据考证是一外来语。它首先源于拉丁文advertere，其意为注意、诱导及传播。中古英语时代（约公元1300—1475年），演变为Advertise，其含义衍化为“使某人注意到某件事”，或“通知别人某件事，以引起他人的注意”。直到17世纪末，英国开始进行大规模的商业活动。这时，广告一词便广泛地流行并被使用。此时的“广告”，已不单指一则广告，而指一系列的广告活动。静止的物的概念的名词Advertise，被赋予现代意义，转化成为“Advertising”。汉字的广告一词源于日本。
1890年以前，西方社会对广告较普遍认同的一种定义是：广告是有关商品或服务的新闻（News about product or service）。
1894年，Albert Lasher（美国现代广告之父）认为：广告是印刷形态的推销手段（Salesmanship in print,driven by a reason why)。这个定义含有在推销中劝服的意思。

1948年，美国营销协会的定义委员会（The Committee on Definitions of the American Marketing Association）形成了一个有较大影响的广告定义：广告是由可确认的广告主，对其观念、商品或服务所作之任何方式付款的非人员式的陈述与推广。
美国广告协会对广告的意义是：广告是付费的大众传播，其最终目的为传递情报，改变人们对广告商品之态度，诱发其行动而使广告主得到利益。
《韦伯斯特词典》对广告的定义是：广告是指在通过直接或间接的方式强化销售商品、传播某种主义或信息、召集参加各种聚会和集会等意图下开展的所有告之性活动的形式（韦伯斯特辞典1977年版）。
在现代，广告被认为是运用媒体而非口头形式传递的具有目的性信息的一种形式，它旨在唤起人们对商品的需求并对生产或销售这些商品的企业产生了解和好感，告之提供某种非营利目的的服务以及阐述某种意义和见解等（韦伯斯特辞典1988版）。
《简明大不列颠百科全书》（15版）对广告的定义是：广告是传播信息的一种方式，其目的在于推销商品、劳务服务、取得政治支持、推进一种事业或引起刊登广告者所希望的其他的反映。广告信息通过各种宣传工具，传递给它所想要吸引的观众或听众。广告不同于其他传递信息的形式，它必须由登广告者付给传播的媒介以一定的报酬。
《中华人民广告法》中“广告”的定义是，指商品经营者或者服务提供者承担费用，通过一定媒介和形式直接或者间接地介绍自己所推销的商品或者所提供的服务的商业广告。

古代
我国有着5000年文明史，经历了长达2000多年的封建社会。封建社会虽然以自给自足的自然经济为主，但也存在着一定程度上的商品经济。与不太发展的商品经济相适应，也出现了形式简单但富于民族特色的广告活动。
1、实物广告
早在公元前3000年，我国开始有了交易活动。由于农业、畜牧业和手工业的发展，产品出现剩余，部落之间偶尔进行着以物易物的物品交换，如以布换羊羔，锄具换大米等。这就是原始的实物广告。进入奴隶社会和封建社会后，物品更为丰富，实物广告随之增长。
2、叫卖广告
在兜售商品时，通过卖啥吆喝啥来吸引买主，称为叫卖广告。如卖油翁一边敲“梆子”，一边吆喝“卖油啰”。叫卖之声，清晰悦耳，且不同的行业，叫卖声各有特点。这种叫卖广告说明了广告与音响的关系，它是音响作为广告要素的原始形态。
3、招牌和幌子
招牌主要用以表示店铺的名称和记号，又称“店标”，其中有横招、竖招、墙招、坐招等等，把字号题写在门、柱、屋檐、墙壁或柜台上。招牌形式比较固定，但文词各有千秋。如北京“全聚德”、“六必居”、“同仁堂”等。老字号招牌，实际上已成为经营者的品牌标志，流传至今，比如“王麻子剪刀”、“狗不理”等。不少招牌还隐藏着许多人文故事，成为我国一大文化特色。幌子主要表示商品不同类别或不同服务项目，又称为“行标”，可分为形象幌、标志幌和文字幌。
形象幌即是以商品或实物、模型、图画等为特征，使经营的商品突兀，显赫，一目了然。如烟店门前挂一木制大烟斗、酒店门前挂葫芦或放置一酒坛。中药铺门前摆放一制作药材的铁“碾子”、袜铺门前挂袜子。形象幌在当时是比较流行的。
标志幌主要是旗幌，即酒旗。如《水浒传》景阳冈酒店前的酒旗。另外，旅店、饭店以灯笼做幌子也是古代比较普遍的一种广告形式。尤其是夜晚，炫目灯笼格外吸引人，近似于现代的霓虹灯广告。
文字幌多以单字如茶、药或双字及双字以上表示经营的商品品种，如米局等。有时招牌和幌子相互结合运用，尽现民间特色。
4、印刷广告
我国现存最早的工商业广告是收藏在上海博物馆的北宋时代济南刘记针铺广告，比英国第一张推销图书的英文印刷广告早四五年。元明时期，雕版印刷业得到发展，印刷广告不断增加，到清代，木版年画甚为流行，内容多取材于民间故事，戏剧人物及“福”、“禄”、“寿”、“喜”等吉祥字画；许多商人用木版画做商品包装，包装广告得到了发展。
近代
鸦片战争后，中国开始沦为半殖民地、半封建社会，外国列强进入中国。外国商人为了推销产品，开始在中国创办商业报纸。如香港英文报《中国之友》等，刊登商品、行业等广告。1853年香港出现第一份中文报《遐迩贯珍》，开始经营广告业务。1858年中国人自己创办的第一份中文商报《香港船头货价纸》，即后来的《香港中外新报》。《中外新报》以商情、船期等广告为主要内容。19世纪60年代，上海成为中国经济枢纽，报业也蓬勃发展。如著名的《申报》 大量刊登广告。1919年《申报》的发行量增加到3万份，其广告占整个版面约50%。 1914年爆发了第一次世界大战，列强无暇东顾，我国民族工业获得发展，广告进入了发展时期，内容遍及银行、香烟、百货、医药等行业。据上海《新闻报》1923年记载，广告费收入每年几乎上百万元。同时广告注重文字、编排、绘画等形式，图文并茂，增强了广告艺术性。除报刊广告，其他广告形式如广播广告、霓虹灯广告、路牌广告、橱窗广告等相继出现，各类招牌广告争奇斗妍，引人入胜。
广告代理也开始在上海兴起，当时华南广告公司创办人林振彬，被称为“中国广告之父”。与广告业的发展相适应，我国广告学的研究、教育也在“五·四”运动时期起步。1913年，我国出版美国人休曼的《实用新闻学》，1918 年，北京大学青年教授徐宝璜在《新闻学》一书中，设专章论述“新闻纸之广告”，被广告史家称为我国最早涉及广告与研究的着述。虽有上述成绩，但总体看来，中国广告业取得了一定发展，却极不均衡，水平低下，成就不大。
现代
1949年，中华人民共和国成立后，广告业有了一个短暂的发展时期，但随之进入停滞。改革开放以来，我国广告产业进入了良性发展的阶段。1979年上海电视台率先向上级主管部门呈送了经营广告业务的请示报告，当即获得批准，1 月28 日，1分30秒的“参杞药酒”广告在上海电视台播出。之后，电视广告在中央电视台亮相。随之广播广告、报纸广告等粉墨登场。这样，中国广告业进入了春天，一片欣欣向荣。
为了规范我国广告业，1994年全国人大常委会通过了《中华人民共和国广告法》， 使得我国广告活动和广告管理有法可依、有章可循。广告业步入法制化轨道后得到空前发展。
2002年，我国各类广告公司已超过8.9万家，从业人员75万余人，电视广告、报纸杂志广告以及网络媒体广告，总计收入可达以亿元为单位的三位数字，其他广告如户外路牌、灯箱广告等具有中国特色的广告形式也不断被开发利用。
现在广告已成为我国经济发展的加速器，也是促进国际贸易、增加外汇、扩大受众视野的一个重要途径。从1994年以来，我国广告营业额平均每年以约20%速度递增，高于同期国民生产总值的增幅，广告在国民生产总值中所占比例，由20 世纪80年代的0.01%上升到1998年的0.68%。
 

通过报刊、广播、电视、电影、路牌、橱窗、印刷品、霓虹灯等媒介或者形式，在中华人民共和国境内刊播、设置、张贴广告。具体包括：
（一）利用报纸、期刊、图书、名录等刊登广告；
（二）利用广播、电视、电影、录像、幻灯等播映广告；
（三）利用街道、广场、机场、车站、码头等的建筑物或空间设置路牌、霓虹灯、电子显示牌、橱窗、灯箱、墙壁等广告；
（四）利用影剧院、体育场（馆）、文化馆、展览馆、宾馆、饭店、游乐场、商场等场所内外设置、张贴广告；
（五）利用车、船、飞机等交通工具设置、绘制、张贴广告；（六）通过邮局邮寄各类广告宣传品；
（七）利用馈赠实物进行广告宣传；
（八）利用网络Email、BANNER等进行广告宣传，数据库营销的一种
（九）呼叫中心，数据库营销的一种
（十）利用短信（sms）、彩信进行广告宣传，数据库营销的一种
（十一）利用其他媒介和形式刊播、设置、张贴广告。
（十二）现在还有人用口头广告
(十三)通过手机短息和彩息服务传播广告,还有诸如邮箱中发布广告，近期也在泛滥

The word advertising, according to textual research is a foreign language. It first comes from the Latin advertere, which means attention, induction and dissemination. The Middle English period (C. 1300 - 1475), the evolution of Advertise, its meaning evolved into "make sb.aware something", or "to inform someone of something, to attract the attention of others". It was not until the end of the seventeenth Century that the British began large-scale commercial activities. At this time, the word advertising is widely popular and used. At this time, "advertising", not only refers to an ad, but refers to a series of advertising activities. The concept of the Advertise, a static object, is endowed with modern meaning and transformed into "Advertising"". The advertising of Chinese characters comes from japan.
Prior to the 1890, the western society is generally accepted as a definition of advertising: advertising is related to goods or services news (News about product or service).
In 1894, Albert Lasher (the father of modern advertising in the United States) believes that advertising is a form of marketing (Salesmanship in print, driven by a reason why). This definition contains the meaning of persuasion in marketing.
In 1948, the American Marketing Association (The Committee on Definitions of the American Marketing Association) to form a greater impact on the definition of advertising: advertising is by identifiable advertisers, statements and promotion of non personnel type in any way for the idea, the payment of goods or services.
The meaning of the Advertising Association of the United States is: advertising is paid for mass communication, and its ultimate purpose is to transmit information, change the attitude of the people to the advertising goods, induce their actions and make the advertisers get the benefits.
"Webster dictionary" definition of advertising: advertising refers to a direct or indirect way to strengthen the sale of goods and the dissemination of some doctrine or information, participate in various meetings and meetings convened under the intention to carry out all the activities in the form of (the 1977 edition of the Webster dictionary).
In modern society, advertising is considered using the media rather than a form with the purpose of information transfer in oral form, it aims to arouse people's demand for commodities and the production or sale of these goods enterprises understanding and goodwill, to provide a non-profit service and explain the significance and some opinions (Webster dictionary 1988 edition).
"Concise Encyclopaedia Britannica" (15 Edition) the definition of advertising: advertising is a way of disseminating information, the purpose of selling goods, services and other reflect political support, promote a cause or cause the advertisers want. Advertising information is passed on to the audience or audience that it wants to attract. Advertising is different from other forms of information, which must be paid by the advertiser to the medium of communication.
"The people's advertising" in the definition of "advertisement" is refers to the commodity operator or service provider pays for, through certain media or forms directly or indirectly introducing sell their own goods or services provided by commercial advertising.Through newspapers, radio, television, movies, signs, windows, prints, neon lights and other media or forms, in the territory of People's Republic of China published broadcast installed or posted ads. Specifically include:
The use of newspapers, periodicals, books, directories and other advertising;
(two) the use of radio, television, movies, videos, slides and other broadcast advertising;
(three) the use of streets, squares, airports, stations, terminals and other buildings or space setting signs, neon lights, electronic display boards, windows, light boxes, wall advertising etc.;
(four) the use of theater, stadium (Hall), cultural centers, exhibition halls, hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, shopping malls and other places outside the installation and posting of advertisements;
(five) the use of vehicles, ships, aircraft and other means of transport to set up, draw, post ads; (six) through the post office to send all kinds of advertising;
(seven) using gift in kind advertising;
(eight) the use of network Email, BANNER, such as advertising, database marketing
(nine) call center, a kind of database marketing
(ten) (SMS) using SMS, MMS advertising, a database marketing
(eleven) the use of media and other forms of publication, installation and posting of advertisements.
(twelve) there are people who use oral advertising
(thirteen) through the mobile phone short message and the color of the service to spread advertising, as well as advertising in the mailbox, the recent flood

Ancient
China has 5000 years of civilization, has experienced more than 2000 years of feudal society. Although the feudal society is based on the self-sufficient natural economy, there is a certain degree of commodity economy. With the development of the commodity economy is not suitable, but also the form of simple but rich in national characteristics of advertising activities.
1, physical advertising
As early as 3000 BC, China began to trade activities. Due to the development of agriculture, animal husbandry and handicraft industry, products appear surplus between tribes occasionally with barter goods exchange, such as lamb to change cloth, hoe for rice etc.. This is the original kind of advertising. After entering the slave society and the feudal society, the goods are more abundant, and the physical advertisement increases accordingly.
2, selling advertising
In selling goods, by selling what crying what to attract buyers, known as selling advertising. Such as oil peddler, while knocking the clapper, while crying "sell the oil". The sound of Hawking, clear and beautiful, and different industries have different characteristics, cries. This illustrates the relationship between advertising and selling advertising sound, it is sound as the original form of advertising elements.
3, signs and guise
The main signs to indicate the name of the shop and mark, also known as the "store", which has horizontal strokes, vertical strokes, strokes, strokes and so on the wall to sit, the name inscribed in the doors, column, roof, wall or on the counter. The sign form is fixed, but the words each one has its own merits. Such as Beijing "Quanjude", "change", "Tongrentang" etc.. Time-honored signs, has actually become the operator logo, spread so far, such as the "Wang Mazi scissors", "Goubuli" etc.. Many signs also hide a lot of human stories, become a major cultural characteristics of china. The main goods of different classes or under the guise of different services, also known as the "standard" can be divided into image signs, signs and text sapporo.
The image and is based on goods or goods, model, picture and other features, make the merchandise abrupt, prominent, at a glance. Smoke shop door hung a wooden pipe in front of the hotel, or a hanging gourd placed jars. Chinese herbal medicine shop placed in front of a production of medicinal materials "roller", iron sock shop socks hanging in front of the door. The image and is more popular at the time.
The main signs are Sapporo flag, the flag of wine. Such as the "Water Margin" Jingyanggang hotel before the flag of wine. In addition, hotels, restaurants in order to make lanterns under the guise of the ancient is also a common form of advertising. Especially at night, dazzling lanterns very attractive, similar to modern neon advertising.
The text and in words such as tea, medicine or more than double word and double word said merchandise varieties, such as rice Bureau etc.. Sometimes the signs and under the guise of combined use, play folk characteristics.
4, print advertising
China's earliest commercial advertising is the collection of the Shanghai Museum in the Northern Song Dynasty, Ji'nan Liu pin shop advertising, than the first British to promote the sale of books printed in English advertising as early as four or five years. Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the printing industry development, print advertising continues to increase, to the Qing Dynasty, woodblock New Year paintings was popular content based on folk stories, drama characters and "Fu", "Lu", "Shou", "joy" and other auspicious calligraphy and painting; many businessmen with woodcut do commodity packaging, packaging and advertising the development of.
Modern
After the Opium War, China began to become a semi colonial and semi feudal society. In order to promote their products, foreign businessmen began to set up commercial newspapers in china. Such as the Hongkong English newspaper "Friends of China", etc., the publication of goods, industry and other advertising. Hongkong in 1853 the first Chinese newspaper "Chinese serial", began advertising business. In 1858 Chinese his first Chinese daily "founded the Hongkong ship price paper", which later became the "Hongkong foreign news". "Chinese and foreign news" to business, advertising is the main content of shipment. In 1860s, Shanghai became China's economic hub, the newspaper industry is booming. Such as the famous "Declaration" a large number of advertising. 1919 issue of circulation increased to 30 thousand copies, accounting for about 50% of the entire layout. In 1914, the first World War broke out, the great powers had no time to attend to the East, the development of China's national industry, advertising entered the development period, the contents of the banking, cigarettes, department stores, medicine and other industries. According to the Shanghai News reported on 1923, advertising revenue of nearly one million yuan per year. At the same time, pay attention to advertising text layout, painting, illustrations, enhanced advertising art. In addition to other forms of advertising, such as newspaper advertising, radio advertising, neon advertising, advertising signs, window advertising appeared in succession, all kinds of advertising signs themselves, fascinating.
Advertising agencies also began to rise in Shanghai, when the Southern China advertising company founder Lin Zhenbin, known as the father of Chinese advertising". Adapt to the development of the advertising industry, research and education of Chinese advertising in the "May 4th" movement during the period of starting. In 1913, China published the "practical" Shewman American journalism, 1918, Peking University professor Xu Baohuang in the "youth journalism" in one book, a special chapter discusses "news paper advertising, advertising is known to historians as China's earliest work involved in advertising and research. Although the above results, but overall, China's advertising industry has made some progress, but very uneven, low level, little success.
modernmodern
In 1949, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the advertising industry has a short period of development, but with the stagnation. Since the reform and opening up, China's advertising industry has entered a stage of benign development. Shanghai TV in 1979 took the lead to the higher authorities submitted the advertising business to consult the report, immediately approved, in January 28th, 1 minutes and 30 seconds of "Shenqi wine" advertising on Shanghai tv. After that, the TV ads appeared in CCTV. With the radio ads, newspaper ads and so on. In this way, China's advertising industry into the spring, a thriving.
In order to standardize the advertising industry in China in 1994, the NPC Standing Committee adopted the "People's Republic of China advertising law", making China's advertising and advertising management laws and rules. Advertising industry has entered an unprecedented development.
In 2002, various types of advertising company in China has more than 8.9 employees, more than 75 people, TV commercials, magazine and newspaper advertising and Internet media advertising, the total income of up to million yuan to three digits in other units, such as outdoor signs, advertising light box advertising has China characteristic form of advertising is being developed by.
Advertising has become an accelerator of China's economic development, but also an important way to promote international trade, increase foreign exchange, expand the audience's vision. Since 1994, China's advertising turnover the average annual increase rate of about 20%, higher than the GDP growth, the proportion of advertising share in GDP, rose from 0.01% in 1980s to 0.68% in 1998.