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A retrospective, from ancient times to present, on the media and methods of advertising.

Throughout history, as long as humans have engaged in trade with one another, commercial messages, political displays, product branding and other forms of advertising have been found. Evidence of this is found in all the early human civilizations: political campaign displays in ancient Arabia; sales messages and wall posters on papyrus in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; wall and rock painting throughout Asia, Africa, and South America. In the 15th and 16th centuries, with the advent of printing technology, we began to see handbills and eventually daily newspapers.

Here in the 21st century at Microsoft AdCenter Labs, we are on the cutting-edge of this evolutionary process. Today, as throughout history, those offering products or services need to employ creative ways to communicate with the people who can benefit from their services. Microsoft AdCenter Labs is engaged in developing innovative methods to make online advertising more specific and relevant to end users.

In honor of this timeless process of connecting the advertiser with the consumer, we've developed a series of banners that offer a retrospective on "Advertising through the Ages". Enjoy!