Many seem to think of Content Marketing as a modern marketing buzzword or a fad of the 22nd century. But the fact is Content marketing is more than a century old and it all began in 1895!

1. April, 2016
http://www.camasmedia.com/
By Camas Media

2. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN...
Many seem to think of
Content Marketing as
a modern marketing
buzzword or a fad of
the 22nd century
It all began in 1895
But the fact is that
Content marketing
is more than a
century old!

3. • Agricultural machinery manufacturers
John Deere Corporation published a
consumer magazine called “The Furrow”
• Topics related to making farming
profitable made it popular amongst the
public
• By 1912 it enjoyed a readership of 4
million readers
• Today it has a circulation of nearly 1.5
million readers across 40 countries
• The magazine talked ‘with’ the readers
instead of ‘at’ them holding up a very basic
principle of Content Marketing.
The First Step
YEAR: 1895
The
Furrow
Magazine

4. • Michelin Tires published a 400-page guidebook to
assist French drivers with various aspects of
automobile maintenance
• Initially 35,000 copies of the guidebook were
distributed for free
• With time as the popularity grew, it expanded itself
into a series of annual guidebooks for different
countries
• Guide has information on hotels and restaurants
that motorists may want to visit
• This exercise helped Michelin grow in public
memory and drive demand for their product
Content Marketing Takes To
the Road
YEAR: 1900
The
Michelin
Tires

5. • In the earlier 20th century, this popular American
brand had dismal sales figures
• Plagued by heavy losses, Jell-O Corporation
distributed free copies of a cookbook, with recipes
to use their product in various dishes
• In a span of just 2 years post that, Jell-O not only
became a household name, it also saw its sales rise
more than $1 million
The Sweet Tooth
YEAR: 1904
The Jell-O
Cookbook

6. • With the popularity of radio in 1920-30 America, it
became an marketing channel
• In 1933, Proctor & Gamble began the broadcast of a
radio serial drama called “Oxydol’s Own Ma
Perkins”, sponsored by their product Oxydol soap
• Show was targeted to appeal to the housewives and
women
• During breaks, P&G would advertise its soap
products
• The show was so popular that the term “soap opera”
was first coined for it
The Advent of “Soap Opera”
YEAR: 1933
Procter
&
Gamble

7. • Founder of Nike Bill Bowerman publish a
booklet on jogging
• It talked about how jogging should be done,
and help an average American get on track and
do it right
• The 19-page booklet simply titled “Jogging”
inspired a generation of Americans to get
physically active
• While doing that, the shoe brand foremost on
their minds was Nike
Content Marketing Made
America Jog!
YEAR: 1960
Nike

8. • In 1982 Hasbro and Marvel innovated in
their approach to Content Marketing
• The G.I.Joe action figure was developed into
a cartoon for television and comic books
which became hugely popular
• This was perhaps one of the first examples of
visual content marketing
G.I. Joe: A Visual Treat
YEAR: 1982
G.I. Joe

9. The Big Bang
YEAR: PRESENT
Content Marketing has truly evolved over the period of
time
Many modern marketers & top brands are heavily
investing in Content Marketing
The boom of the internet and social media has given it
a whole new twist for the better.

10. In one sentence
Camas Media is an online perception management company that
creates content driven digital experiences for a new type of consumer. To
know more about us connect with us on
Camas Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn