Students majoring in advertising can benefit from a study of that field in its historical context because such study helps them to understand current practices and to foresee future developments. One model of teaching advertising history within a required course about advertising and society begins with some basic definitions of the advertising field, its scope and size, and its relation to marketing and societal processes. After this introductory period, the students brainstorm about areas of contemporary interest or concern in the advertising field, listing the topics according to such categories as law, management, media, organizations, and content. The teacher then presents course materials about the topics within a framework of communication, literacy, and mercantilism--the three basic concepts that are critical not only to advertising development but also to all historical development. The value of this course organization model is that it prepares students for a conceptual study of advertising history without overemphasizing the rote learning of names, dates, and events. (Source materials useful in the historical study of advertising are suggested.) (RL)