The Story of Early Indian Advertising

Ever wondered about the history of the everyday objects and brands you are surrounded by? Or how they were marketed several decades ago? This landmark issue focuses on the rise of early Indian advertising in the 19th and 20th century via the varying forms of visuals that came to define it. It looks at the arrival of Western goods and publicity campaigns within the subcontinent as well as the generation of indigenous products and adaptations as an answer to these. Richly illustrated, the essays explore a vast archive of material, including print ads, calendars, cards, posters and matchboxes. These are placed against the broader background of the companies, creative and entrepreneurial personalities, and politics that influenced the growth of a certain kind of consumer culture—one that would shape the familial values and social aspirations of a modernizing nation and create new forms of public awareness and identities.