History of TV advertising
From 1941 to 1990s

Firsts
The first TV ad in the history of television advertising was broadcast on NBC’s WNBT for the Bulova® Watch Company before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. The ad featured a Bulova® watch displayed over the map of the United States. The Bulova® Watch Company paid 9 dollars for a 10 second spot and went down forever as the first TV ad in the history of both the world and U.S. television advertising.
By 1948, many additional advertisers were using television spots to reach the large audience that owned television sets. Television's spreading popularity merited the formation of the American Association of Advertising Agencies to regulate commercials. Television was so popular during that era that even the movie studios feared that television would dominate all other media! It's shocking to compare the first commercial's 9 dollar price tag to a modern day 30-second TV spot during the Super Bowl which costs several million dollars!
The first TV commercial shown in Britain was for Gibbs S R Toothpaste, which lasted 60 seconds, and was broadcast on September 22, 1955. This commercial earned its place as a first in the history of TV advertising completely by chance. In a lottery drawn with 23 other commercials to determine who would go first, Gibbs S R Toothpaste was the one that came up the winner.
The 1950s also brought about significant changes in television advertising. More advertising options became available and companies gained opportunities to sponsor entire programs that showcased their products. Kraft, Colgate, and General Electric were only a few of the companies that took advantage of this trend and sponsored their own shows. Networks began charging more money for these spots, which led to even more changes in the later decades.

In the 1960s, an executive at