The advertising revolution: from Gutenberg printing to billboards
The history of print is a fascinating journey of innovation that has fundamentally changed the dissemination of information and knowledge. In China, printing developed as early as the second century AD, where the basic elements of printing were paper, ink and embossed text surfaces. Although the principle of printing had been known long before this, it was not until the 15th century in Europe that printing was developed, when cultural and economic conditions allowed it to develop and be put into practice. The first printing press was created by Johann Gutenberg around 1450, laying the foundations for modern printing.
Gutenberg's work was subsequently perfected and printing spread throughout Europe. Rotary technology was also revolutionary, allowing printing to be faster and more efficient. The concept of rotation and the use of cylinders streamlined the printing process, opening the way for various forms of printing, including rotogravure and offset printing.
Offset printing, discovered in the early 20th century, is a process where the image is first transferred from the printing plate to a rubber roller and then to paper. This technology has enabled the mass production of printed materials and has become one of the most common methods of printing.
During the 19th century, new methods for reproducing images and illustrations were also developed, including lithography and heliogravure, which allowed for more accurate and detailed reproduction of images.
Today, although the print industry is facing competition from digital and audio-visual media, print continues to play a key role in the dissemination of information and the preservation of documents. Despite all the challenges and changes, print remains an integral part of our cultural and scientific heritage, which is constantly evolving and adapting to new technologies and ways of disseminating content.
Such content also includes advertising and all surfaces where it can be placed - from posters to car wraps or large-scale printing of billboards and bigboards.
Billboard advertising has also experienced a dynamic evolution since its inception in the 19th century. In its early days it was associated with circuses and the entertainment industry, but soon its format became standardised, and it began to spread massively. With the advent of the automobile and the construction of highways, billboards became an essential part of the advertising industry, and their placement alongside roads marked a fundamental shift in the strategic approach to advertising. Later, in the 1960s, the Highway Beautification Act adapted billboard advertising to new regulations that shaped its future development. Considering the digital era, billboards underwent a transformation to electronic form, reducing costs and increasing the interactivity and flexibility of advertising campaigns.
One of the companies that deal with printing and creativity in Slovakia is Imagewell. They have been on the market for more than 23 years and are one of the leading providers of large format printing and outdoor advertising. The key to their success is their constant innovation and experience in graphic design, enabling clients to effectively raise the profile of their brands and products. Imagewell specialises in complex advertising campaigns from design to installation, with an emphasis on a personal approach and adaptability to the requirements of their customers, to whom they offer a wide range of services including printing on a variety of materials, outdoor advertising, and advertising media production, making them a reliable partner for any marketing strategy.
We visited them with our Made in Slovakia project and filmed an interesting reportage video, in which you will not only learn something from behind the scenes of the production itself, but together we will also look at how such a large billboard gets to its place of honour, where you can admire it too.
If you are interested in more such videos and want to see how quality Slovak products are made, don't forget to look at our video section, where we regularly add interesting new facts from the world of local production.