Advertising has been around in one form or another for centuries. It is always a mistake to think that anything in this field is new. Take advertising flags, for instance. Did you know they were used to advertise during Shakespeare’s time?
A Question of Literacy
During the time of Shakespeare (1564-1616) and Elizabeth the First (1533 -1603), the general populace did not often know how to read or write. This meant advertising in any form of written medium such as broadsheets was out. It also defeated the purpose of putting up playbills on posts or scattering them throughout London or anywhere else a theater company may perform. Yet this did not prevent people from trying to get the message out about their product during the Elizabethan era. The staff of the Globe Theatre knew exactly how to attract the crowds. They advertised their plays using flags.
Advertising Flags
Advertising flags were ideal for their purpose. They were simple and directly conveyed a message. They could be hoisted as quickly as the director or company manager could change and arrange to put on a new play. This was extremely important when such theatres as The Globe were known to trot on stage as many as 20 different plays a month – many of them not Shakespeare in more ways than one.
Best of all, for owners and managers, even at that time looking towards keeping a healthy bottom line, this form of advertising not only required little preparation it also was extremely cost effective.
How it worked
Placed high above the Globe Theatre was a small tower. At its peak was a staff or flag pole. On the day a play was to be performed, a flag was raised. The flag indicated the play was to be performed that afternoon. Different colors would provide the information to the intended advertising audience of play goers what type of play would be performed – drama and comedy each having a specific color assigned to them.
- White Flags: This indicated to patrons of the Globe that the play was to be one containing lighter material, generally a comedy of some sort.
- Black Flags: This showed patrons of the Globe that the play was going to be dark. Death and destruction would be an integral part of this play. Black flags usually indicated the work to be performed was a tragedy.
- Red Flags: This color flag revealed the play was going to be of a historical nature. Like black flags, the patrons could expect lots of blood.
The flag may or may not also display a picture indicating the specific play to be performed. The flag would remain in view until the play was finished that day.
Not a Rare Instance
These types of advertising flags were quite common during the period. The Chamberlain’s Men, for example, when they planned to open a new theater raised a flag. This one featured a depiction of Hercules holding the weight of a Globe on his shoulders. It just goes to show that even when the majority of the people could not read or write smart individuals still saw a way to advertise their product. Advertising flags, then as is the case of now, were capable of making their point clearly, concisely and inexpensively.
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