(A) the origin of advertising research

Throughout human history, it can be said that advertising has a long history. Human ancestors began to use gestures (such as dancing), sounds (such as selling) and firelight (such as bonfires) to spread advertisements, and later invented and used languages and characters, which expanded the depth and breadth of advertising communication. (Note: He Meng, editor. Modern Advertising, Fudan University Press, 1996, p. 2. The emergence of mass media such as radio and television has brought about a qualitative change in human advertising communication again. With the continuous development of advertising media, the formation, popularization and development of professional advertising companies since19th century have accelerated the process of advertising research. 18 12, the world's first advertising professional company opened in London; 1869, Al&Son Advertising Company was established in Philadelphia, USA. (Note: edited by Zhao Yuji. Modern Advertising, China Commercial Press, 1987, p. 6. All these show that advertising has developed from static words and patterns to dynamic advertising activities, which has contributed to the emergence of advertising.

Advertising practice and advertising theory are interactive. Advertising is an operational social practice, and advertising is a scientific theoretical system about advertising, a special social phenomenon and its movement law. Advertising originated in the economically developed United States. 190 1 year, American psychologist Walter? 6? 1 Deere? 6? 1 Scott proposed for the first time at a rally in Chicago to develop the practice of modern advertising activities and advertising work into science. 1903 edited the book advertising principles, and discussed advertising as an academic theory for the first time. "Any important practical undertaking needs a theoretical basis" (Note: Modern Advertising, edited by Zhao Yuji, China Commercial Press, 1987, p. 7. )。 From 65438 to 0908, Scott wrote the book Advertising Psychology. He used psychological principles to analyze consumers' acceptance psychology and began a systematic exploration of advertising theory. In addition, during the period of 1902- 1905, the economics departments of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California, and the University of Michigan all started to offer advertising courses. The above research and theoretical discussion can be said to be the beginning of world advertising research, which laid the foundation for the formation of advertising theory.

/kloc-from the end of 0/9 to the beginning of the 20th century, some American economists paid attention to studying the changes of market rules for the needs of market competition. During the period of 19 12, professor hejietch of Harvard university visited many large business owners, and after studying their marketing activities and advertising activities, he compiled a textbook mainly teaching advertising methods and promotion methods, in which advertising theory was deeply discussed. (Noe: Ding Junjie: General Theory of Modern Advertising, China Price Publishing House, 1997, p. 43. With the deepening of research, advertising has gradually differentiated from marketing and formed an independent discipline. From 65438 to 0926, the National Association of Marketing and Advertising Teachers was established in the United States, which conducted more extensive and in-depth discussion and research on advertising and wrote a number of teaching materials and books on advertising. For example, Harold's advertising manuscript was published in 1926, and Wei Zhizhi's advertising composition was published in 1928. (Note: edited by Liu Linqing. Advertising in China, People's Daily Publishing House, 1988, pp. 6 and 7. Subsequently, some economically developed countries also carried out research on advertising, such as Britain and other countries published "Advertising and Practical Advertising" and other works. During this period, the development of advertising academic theory has expanded from the study of single advertising strategy and advertising planning in marketing to the cross-study of psychology, sales and management involved in advertising. The research in this period is still in its infancy and has not formed a systematic and rigorous theoretical system.

(B) the start of advertising research in China

The earliest published monograph on advertising research in China is "Advertising Description" edited by Gan Yonglong. (Noe: Chen Peiai: A History of Chinese and Foreign Advertising, China Price Publishing House, 1997, p. 53. ) This book was first published by the Commercial Press in June 19 18, the seventh edition in June/925, 1 1. It is translated from the book How to Advertise in America. This book is not long. Among them, Chapter 14, Manuscripts are the Soul of Advertising, holds that advertising is: "Announce the facts about selling products to the public and announce their prices."

However, in the 1920s and 1930s, the influence of advertisements on social and economic activities was very limited.

(3) the concept change of modern advertising theory

The development of China's advertising theory in the 20th century, its profound thinking comes not only from the deepening of the research on advertising theory, but also from the infinite vitality of China's advertising industry in the reform and opening up. Since the 1990s, China's modern advertisements, with market economy as the core and modern society as the support, have shown a trend of development and innovation in both practical operation and theoretical construction. The actual operation of the advertising industry in China pays more attention to the effective communication of advertisements, advertising activities, consumers' acceptance psychology, and the "IMC" integrated marketing communication with unified allocation of information resources, so that advertisements can be more strictly brought into the track of scientific operation and embody the scientific spirit. The overall promotion of China's advertising industry in practice benefits from the comprehensive reform of China's advertising theory and concept at the end of this century. (Note: Meng Jian: "On the conceptual change and operational form of China's advertising industry", 2nd edition of Nanjing University News Communication Forum. ) It is mainly manifested in the following three aspects:

(A) the establishment of the concept of economics

While some people still insist on the dispute between the scientificity and artistry of advertising, since the 1990s, people have more deeply felt the positive catalytic effect of advertising on economic development. Advertising plays an outstanding role in guiding consumption, accelerating circulation and stimulating economic growth. At present, the world economy is developing towards the information economy, and information is becoming a great wealth in the new round of competition. Advertising industry has the industrial characteristics of information economy, and will surely develop into an important industry for China's economic development in the future. In the industrial development planning, the state has clearly stipulated that "advertising industry is a high-tech industry with knowledge-intensive, technology-intensive and talent-intensive". (Note: State Administration for Industry and Commerce and State Planning Commission: Planning Outline for Accelerating the Development of Advertising Industry, edited by Deng Baiyun: China Advertising Practical Manual, p. 575. The establishment of the concept of economics has changed the economic thinking of "advertising provides commodity information" and "advertising promotes market sales" in the past, and deepened the analysis and research on the economic structure of advertising industry.

(B) the establishment of the concept of culturology

Culture is a very broad concept, and it goes without saying that advertising is regarded as a kind of culture. Its main purpose is to improve the cultural and artistic taste of advertisements, tap the cultural and artistic connotation of advertisements, enhance the artistic expression tension of advertisements, and make advertising go beyond the scope of general advertising and enter a broad and profound field of vision of culturology, thus enhancing the scientific level and actual effect of advertisement operation. As a product of social development, especially as a companion of modern commodity economy, the position and influence of advertising in social development can not only stay in the materialized form of economic behavior, but should be investigated as a unique cultural phenomenon. For example, Coca-Cola, which people often drink, is not so much carbonated drinks as American culture. Coca-Cola's "cultural content" makes it appear "softened" consumption characteristics. This "image concept" can be shaped by advertising and should seek the support of culturology. For another example, the social benefits of advertising have become an important subject of advertising culturology, and the cultural character and morality in advertising can promote the construction of spiritual civilization.

(C) the establishment of the concept of communication

The advertising industry in China is influenced by the concept of communication, which is economics and culturology after all. Judging from the history of the development of advertising, the training of advertising talents is mainly based on art disciplines, and later turned to economic disciplines, and now the greater turn is communication disciplines. When advertising is closely related to art, ignoring economics and not understanding communication, it is difficult to say that the research and operation of advertising is a scientific act. The strong subjective consciousness, emotional color and irrational activities in art often run counter to the scientific spirit of modern advertising. Communication studies systematically analyze the advertising phenomenon as a unique communication phenomenon, which exudes a rigorous scientific spirit. Communication systematically summarizes all the complex contents of various media, including the types, properties and functions of all media and affiliated media, and discusses the selection and application of media. Advertising is a series of information transmission activities and a very typical communication behavior. It is necessary to clarify the intention of advertisers and spread information such as products and services to the audience on the basis of charging. Advertising, as the content of communication, should be guided by the basic theory expounded by communication. For example, the theory of five elements of communication process, the theory of "two-way communication" and the enlightenment of communication theory to advertising and practical operation all provide scientific basis for advertising research. Advertising is to further study the special contradictions and laws in the advertising field on the basis of the general laws of the overall movement of information dissemination revealed by communication science. Communication is a highly theoretical and operational discipline. Once this subject becomes attached to advertising, its operability is very prominent. The practical application of advertising can basically find the corresponding counterpoint in communication, such as controller research, communication process research, receiver research, communication effect research, etc., all of which reflect the speculation of empirical philosophy and promote the scientific positioning of advertising as a systematic discipline.

The conceptual transformation of modern advertising theory reflects the whole and essence of advertising practice in the new period, reveals the internal relationship of advertising industry more correctly, and accelerates the process of modern advertising breaking through the traditional advertising model. The prosperity of advertising theory construction injected a profound and huge impetus into the advertising industry in China at the end of the century, and a brand-new picture appeared in modern advertising operation. Its outstanding performance has the following characteristics: first, the values of advertising are based on the needs of the public and social development. At present, the development of advertising has deviated from the concept of "informing" and tends to the concepts of marketing and social marketing. The concept of marketing is that everything is centered on customer demand and based on buyer's demand, emphasizing the integrity of marketing activities. The concept of social marketing emphasizes correctly handling the contradiction between consumer desires, consumer interests and long-term social interests, so as to coordinate interests and make overall plans. Second, advertising operation procedures are increasingly "integrated and strategic". Mainly reflected in the advertising industry's growing awareness of the planning of the overall advertising campaign, the overall advertising campaign is more diverse. "IMC" integrated marketing theory strengthens the unified allocation and use of information resources and improves the utilization rate of information resources. Third, advertising products are increasingly highlighting "additional image". When the functional image of the product has been generally recognized by consumers, it is necessary to attract consumers' attention with the help of "additional image" to enhance the cultural taste of the product and obtain better advertising effect.

To sum up, the development of China's advertising theory in the 20th century was based on the introduction and reference of western advertising theory, and was promoted by the continuous development of China's advertising industry. After long-term exploration, accumulation and deepening, it has gradually formed its own theoretical system and developed into an independent discipline. Especially since the reform and opening up, the rise of advertising education in China has promoted the prosperity of the theoretical construction of advertising, promoted the overall level of the advertising industry in China, and made the advertising industry and advertising disciplines develop together.