An Historical Analysis to Explain the Evolution of Advertising Agency Services

Abstract

Young people interested in careers in advertising often ask: Do advertising agencies offer good career opportunities? What functions do agencies perform, and why? How will agencies evolve in the future? This article traces the evolution of services that advertising agencies perform and identifies major factors that explain such evolution. The reader may wish to perform the same kind of analysis to predict or anticipate future evolution of advertising agencies. The intent is not only to explain or predict changes, but also to exhibit “systems thinking” which is appropriate for the historian.