In 1978, a message about a new word processing system went out to about 400 users of Arpa-net…that’s the U.S. Government sponsored progenitor of the World Wide Web. It was the first example of what we now know too well as internet spam. In 1978, the mad men era was snuffing out its last cigarette, the seeds of celebrity endorsements were bursting open, and dawn was about to break on digital. That same year, Ad Week launched. The publication is marking its 35th anniversary with a look at some pivotal, shocking and subtle moments in the advertising industry.
David Griner is a contributing editor at AdWeek.