The document provides an introduction and overview of advertising. It defines advertising as a paid form of non-personal communication using mass media to inform or influence people about goods, services, or ideas. Advertising helps companies sell large quantities of mass-produced goods and informs consumers about new products. The development of advertising is then traced from early signs and notices to the growth of newspapers and mass media in the industrial era. Key players in advertising like advertisers, agencies, media, and audiences are also outlined.