The Definitive History of Billboards

Most people know that billboards have been a fixture of American advertising for over a century. P.T. Barnum helped popularize them, and for years, tobacco ads dominated the landscape. But did you know billboard history actually dates back to ancient Egypt?

The story of billboards is filled with controversy, competition, and creativity. From legal battles over their right to exist, to critics dismissing them as a “wasteful” medium, to Barnum borrowing the idea from someone else entirely—this format has always sparked debate. Even its early ties to lithography earned it a chilly reception from the fine art world.

Billboard advertising has evolved dramatically over the centuries, and its journey is far more dramatic than you might expect. Let’s dive into the unexpected and fascinating history of billboards—starting with the earliest forms of public display in ancient Egypt.

History of Billboards

Archaeologists agree that the earliest known examples of billboards date back to around 3250 B.C. in ancient Egypt. While these weren’t advertising commercial products, they served a similar purpose—projecting messages to the public on a grand scale. These early forms of outdoor media were more about propaganda than promotion, but by definition, they were billboards.

Outdoor Advertising in Ancient Egypt

Egyptian rulers used massive stone carvings and hieroglyphics to assert their power and influence, displaying them prominently throughout their territories. These visual declarations—etched in stone and towering over passersby—communicated dominance, order, and control. In many ways, they represent the undisputed origins of billboard advertising as a public-facing medium designed to influence perception.

Fast-Forward to Europe in the 1440s

Enter Johannes Gutenberg—a young man from a wealthy German family who was displaced after a political uprising against the patrician class. Originally training as a goldsmith, Gutenberg found himself needing a new path.

In a rather curious detour, he began selling “holy relic” mirrors—items that supposedly captured the divine light of religious ceremonies (yes, they were just mirrors, but in 1439, it was a convincing pitch). After that venture failed, Gutenberg shifted his focus to something far more enduring: the invention of the printing press.

His breakthrough in movable type revolutionized communication. It also laid the groundwork for printed advertising—flyers, handbills, posters—all of which were predecessors to the modern billboard. For the first time, businesses could mass-produce visual messages and share them with the public at scale.

Lithography Comes of Age in the 1790s

While billboards rely heavily on print, they also rely on art—and that element became much more accessible in the 1790s when Alois Senefelder invented lithography. This early printing technique, essentially an 18^th-century copying machine, made it easier to reproduce illustrations (including in color), paving the way for widespread graphic advertising.

Of course, the innovation wasn’t universally welcomed. Art critics—snobbish even in the 18th century—dismissed the idea that art could be replicated so easily. They criticized the concept and those who embraced it.

Yet the combination of the printing press and lithography marked a turning point: businesses could now cheaply mass-produce advertisements. Newspaper ads were still costly for many, but posting handbills on fences, building walls, and other public spaces? That was free. In fact, this DIY style of advertising could be considered the earliest version of Wild Posting®—a guerrilla marketing method still thriving today.

When Were Billboards Invented?

The first known billboard in the United States appeared in 1835, when Jared Bell created large, colorful posters to advertise a circus. These eye-catching displays grabbed public attention and proved highly effective. Recognizing the impact, P.T. Barnum began using a similar strategy—securing billboard space in towns ahead of his circus’s arrival to build anticipation and boost attendance.

P.T. Barnum Did NOT Invent the Billboard

While P.T. Barnum is often credited with inventing billboard advertising, that claim doesn’t hold up historically. Jared Bell deserves recognition as the true pioneer. That said, Barnum did help usher in the modern era of billboard advertising, using it in a more strategic and widespread way than anyone before him. His influence helped shape the billboard industry as we know it today.

Growing Pains as the Outdoor Industry Booms

After thousands of years of evolution, outdoor advertising exploded in the United States in the mid-19th century. By 1867, businesses had begun leasing billboard space, and just three years later, more than 300 companies were actively painting signs and producing promotional materials. In a post–Civil War America still uneasy in its newfound peace, the billboard industry emerged as a steady and fast-growing sector.

By 1872, a group in St. Louis formed the International Bill Posters’ Association of North America, formalizing the trade. A booklet published in 1910, titled The Poster, documented the early development of what would become the modern billboard industry—though not without its critics. As billboards multiplied, some viewed them as wasteful eyesores.

In 1887, the New York Star ran a scathing editorial, lamenting the “thousands of tons of paper and oceans of paste consumed in decorating the fences,” and noting that “to successfully carry on the bill-posting business in any large town or city of the United States, considerable capital must be invested.”

The newspaper estimated that $2 million was being poured into the industry annually—$150,000 in New York alone. It claimed that between 50 and 100 men were working to paste up flyers across the city, posting an estimated 10 million sheets each week during peak seasons. (Though, admittedly, the numbers may have been a bit inflated.)

So Many Industry Billboard Groups

By 1891, many U.S. states had formed their own billposter organizations, helping to bring some order to the rapidly expanding outdoor advertising space. In 1900, the industry reached a major turning point with the introduction of a standardized physical structure for billboards.

Interestingly, this new structure addressed some of the environmental concerns raised in previous decades—like those highlighted by the New York Star in 1887. Standardized billboard sizes made it possible to run the same ad in multiple locations with less waste and fewer resources. Planning became easier, and execution more efficient.

Around this time, national brands like Coca-Cola and Kellogg began incorporating billboards into their core marketing strategies. By 1912, most major U.S. cities featured some level of national outdoor advertising.

Naturally, no media industry growth comes without a bit of drama. In 1925, two of the earliest outdoor ad agencies—The Fulton Group and the Cusack Co.—merged to form the General Outdoor Advertising Company (GOAC), one of the first true billboard giants.

That dominance didn’t go unnoticed. In 1950, the U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against GOAC, alleging it operated a monopoly. That same year, it also went after the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, accusing it of price fixing—adding a layer of legal intrigue to the industry’s rapid ascent.

The Evolution of the Modern Billboard Industry

By 1955, annual billboard sales in the U.S. had soared past $100 million. Just a few years later, in 1958, the first wave of federal legislation was introduced, encouraging states to regulate billboard placement along interstate highways. This marked the beginning of a long-standing tug-of-war between anti-billboard advocates and the outdoor advertising industry—a debate that still flares up today. In fact, four states have gone so far as to ban billboards entirely. (We say: their loss.)

A major shift occurred in 1970 when the federal government banned tobacco advertising on broadcast media. That opened the door for billboards, magazines, and newspapers to become go-to platforms for Big Tobacco’s massive ad budgets. It was a short-lived win. By 1999, following mounting legal pressure, tobacco companies agreed to remove all outdoor advertising as part of a settlement with state attorneys general.

The 2000s brought major innovation. Digital billboards began popping up nationwide, revolutionizing the format with dynamic content and real-time updates. Around the same time, the industry adopted audience measurement tools—such as outdoor ratings—to provide advertisers with data on how many people were actually seeing their ads.

What’s next? We’ve got thoughts on that, too. From ancient hieroglyphics to AI-powered signage, the billboard industry has come a long way—and the ride’s far from over.