This book provides an accessible resource for understanding the world behind the advertising jingles and Super Bowl commercials and digital algorithms. Advertising has become a ubiquitous force in American life, penetrating almost every aspect of our daily routines. Additionally, as technology has evolved throughout American history, so too has advertising proliferated as media has become increasingly sophisticated and ever-present, whether it takes the form of algorithms governing your social media feed, television commercials, paid influencers, or stadiums branded with the names of corporate sponsors/owners.

This authoritative one-stop resource provides a rich overview of the evolution and present state of advertising in all its forms, as well as the multitude of connected issues—data collection, privacy, consumerism, technology, and others—regarding advertising and its role as both a shaper and reflector of American culture. It surveys various advertising media, discusses the social and cultural contexts in which it is consumed, and highlights key moments in the history of advertising in the United States. In addition, the book is supplemented with carefully curated primary sources, personal essays, a glossary of advertising terms, and other resources to provide readers with a full picture of advertising as both an industry and a shaper of American culture.