The year 1978 marks the first year in which China’s advertising started afresh. This industry has changed a lot in the past 30 years. In 1979, the advertising industry revenue was only ten million yuan, and less than 1,000 people worked in the industry. By 2007, it has grown into a 174.1 billion yuan industry with 1.11 million workforce.

In the past 3 decases, China advertising industry has gone through three stages.

Stage 1:
1978 to 1991, Recovery and Development Stage.China Advertising Association was established and the first advertising major was launched by Xiamen University.

Stage 2:
1992 to 1997, Fast Growth of China’s Advertising Industry. China formally launched advertising agency system, and in 1994, the “Advertising Law of People’s Republic of China” was put into effect. Modern Advertising was also launched during this period and being accepted as one of the authoritative journals directly under the China Advertising Association.

Stage 3:
1998 to 2007, Stable and Diversified Growth. China’s advertising industry is opening out to world based on WTO agreements. Though its growth is slowing down, it started to see structural adjustment, aided by the capital injection and growth of new technologies.

In the past 30 years, China’s advertising industry maintained a 30% growth rate significantly higher than the country’s GDP growth. China became a fast developing country in the advertising world. In 2003, China’s advertising industry revenue broke into 100 billion yuan mark. Advertising has became an important engine for China’s economic growth.

China’s advertising industry is entering a new era after thirty years of fast growth, during which it has been driven by quantitative growth. Aided by hi-tech and capital, it is moving forward toward structural reform and stable growth.