Digital advertising histories and futures: Approaching the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Citation

MacRury I (2024) Digital advertising histories and futures: Approaching the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In: MacRury I & Manika D (eds.) Digital Advertising Evolution. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003168485-3

Abstract
Chapter2, authored by Iain MacRury, explores the future of digital advertising within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The chapter situates digital advertising amidst the rapid, transformative changes driven by “Industry 4.0”, such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and material-digital integrations. MacRury provides a historical overview, linking digital advertising to the first three industrial revolutions and illustrating how technological innovations have consistently disrupted production, provision, and consumption. These disruptions have led to significant shifts in advertising practices. By offering a “bird’s eye view” of advertising’s evolving role through these revolutionary phases, the chapter introduces contemporary and future advertising technologies. MacRury sets the stage for the more focused explorations of digital advertising in later sections, emphasising the value of understanding current developments within a broad historical framework.