The introduction of the trademark was a response to businesses’ need to distinguish their products in an expanding market. From antiquity to the 21st century, society has evolved from using stamps and seals to national laws regulating brands as intellectual property. This book accompanies the reader through 2000 years of branding history, highlighting the changes in the way distinctive signs have been applied, the type of information they communicate, and their relationship with consumers. The book also focuses on brand reputation, its transmission mechanisms (word of mouth, advertising, and the press), imitations, counterfeiting, and the link between brands and production venues.

Carlo Marco Belfanti teaches Economic History at the University of Brescia.