75 Years Ago, Television’s First Commercial Aired. This Is What It Looked Like.

As the way we consume media and entertainment has changed, so too has the way advertisers try to sell us their ideas. Whether it’s a 30-second spot on the radio or a pre-rolled commercial before our favorite Youtube video, ads are always changing with the times. Before color TV, special effects, or million-dollar advertising campaigns, TV commercials were comparatively modest affairs. You may have a hard time believing it, but it was 75 years ago when the first commercial aired on television. The ad was a 10-second clip for Bulova Watches that premiered during a Dodgers-Phillies game on New York’s NWBT station. Take a look at it, and you’ll notice just how much things have changed. This kind of commercial would never be successful today!