The evolution of advertising: from centralised to decentralised models

Advertising has evolved dramatically over the centuries, adapting to new technologies and platforms. Recently, digital advertising has emerged as the dominant form, powered by major centralised players like Google and Facebook. However, centralised digital advertising models have led to a lack of transparency, privacy violations, high fees, and rampant ad fraud. These systemic issues point to the need for a new, decentralised approach to advertising.

ADVERTISING: A GUIDE TO ITS EVOLUTION

As you know, advertising is everywhere. From billboards that we see while driving, to the sponsored posts on our favourite social media, advertising is an integral part of our daily lives. It not only informs us about products and services but can also have the power to shape our perceptions, attitudes and behaviours.In this blog, we will look at many different aspects of advertising, its history, types of advertising, current trends, its criticisms and finally, the future of advertising.

To understand how we got here, it's important to look back at advertisements' roots. Let us take a look:

THE HISTORY OF ADVERTISING

The history of advertising is a tale of creativity, innovation, and adaptation to new technologies and cultural trends.it - This website is for sale! - trends Resources and Information. all began in ancient civilisations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where advertising was often in the form of signage, such as posters or painted walls, promoting products and services.

During the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, like everything else, advertising underwent a major transformation. With the rise of mass production and consumer culture, businesses needed to find new ways to reach a wider audience. This led to the development of print advertising, such as newspaper and magazine ads, as well as the use of billboards and posters.

Imagine walking down the streets in the 1800s and seeing a massive poster advertising the latest patent medicine, promising to cure everything from headaches to heart disease. 

The Rise of Centralised Digital Advertising 

The 20th Century saw the rise of mass media, including radio and television, which provided new platforms for advertising. Advertisers could now reach a national or even global audience through commercials and sponsorships.

In the early days of the internet, online advertising focused on channels like search engines and banner ads on websites. As social media usage exploded in the 2000s, platforms like Facebook and Instagram became dominant channels for digital advertising. The automated, auction-based system of programmatic advertising also took off, allowing advertisers to target users across sites.

In the digital age, advertising has undergone yet another major transformation. With the rise of Web1 and Web2, the internet and social media, advertising has become more personalised and data-driven. Advertisers can now use algorithms and artificial intelligence to target specific demographics and track user behaviour.

However, centralised platforms extract huge fees and user data. The opacity around ad placement and auction processes also enable issues like ad fraud to spread. Advertisers have little visibility into how their budgets are actually spent. At the same time, user privacy is disregarded in favour of targeted behavioural ads.

To learn more about what is programmatic advertising, find our blog here. (programmatic advertising blog)

The Emergence of Decentralised Advertising Blockchain 

Blockchain technology has given rise to decentralised networks for applications like cryptocurrency and, now, digital advertising. Decentralised advertising leverages blockchain to facilitate transparent, direct exchange of value between parties.

Without centralised intermediaries, decentralised advertising improves transparency in areas like spend visibility, ad placements, and performance. Blockchain's immutable ledger also prevents the extensive ad fraud seen in centralised networks. Most crucially, decentralised advertising puts user privacy first with solutions like data wallets.

To find out more about how blockchain is revolutionising advertising, read our blog here.

Blog S1E5 - A Deeper Look at Blockchain Technology

Alkimi Exchange's Decentralised Ecosystem 

Alkimi Exchange is building an innovative, decentralised advertising exchange to challenge the status quo. Powered by blockchain technology, Alkimi facilitates transparent programmatic advertising to deliver measurable value for all stakeholders.

By cutting out middlemen through peer-to-peer exchange, Alkimi reduces fees and provides spend transparency. Robust fraud prevention ensures seen ads are 100% viewed by real people. User privacy is preserved through encryption and data control.

Alkimi represents the next evolution in digital advertising.

The Future of Decentralised Advertising

As adoption of blockchain technology increases, decentralised advertising is poised for massive growth. By 2025, over 15% of the global digital advertising market could employ blockchain solutions. Users are also increasingly demanding transparency, privacy, and value from ads. Alkimi Exchange and other innovators are leading advertising into this new decentralized era that benefits all stakeholders.

Conclusion

Throughout its history, advertising has adapted to new technologies and cultural trends, evolving into the complex and dynamic industry we know today. As society and technology continue to evolve, the advertising industry will undoubtedly continue to innovate and adapt, finding new ways to reach consumers and promote products and services.

As centralised digital advertising models continue struggling with lack of transparency, high fees, and disregarded user privacy, decentralised solutions offer an alternative focused on driving real value. Through blockchain-based advertising exchanges like Alkimi, the future of digital advertising looks more transparent, efficient, and user-focused.