The Evolution of Advertising Blocks to Digital Feeds

Kanawha Valley Hustlers · Sep 18, 2025 · 8m

I talk about how the advertising blocks we grew up with shaped the media we see today. Saturday morning cartoons and TGIF were not just shows, they were designed spaces for ads. That same idea has carried into the age of algorithms. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook track what we watch and then feed us more of the same, measuring not only topics but colors, faces, and reactions.

This is not new. It started with newspapers and magazines in the 1800s, then moved into radio with soap operas that targeted homemakers. Brands like Kraft and Campbell’s built entire shows around…