| The modern technology of producing powdered milk emerged in the early 19th century.Powdered milk,with its advantages of long-term storage,convenience,and portability,quickly became a popular product worldwide.By the end of the 19th century,as the population of Shanghai grew,the market for milk expanded rapidly,but issues of food hygiene and milk adulteration also became increasingly serious.In this context,powdered milk began to enter the Chinese market as a substitute for fresh cow’s milk.Influenced by traditional Chinese medicine,powdered milk was initially seen as a kind of supplement and was little known.As Chinese people’s understanding of nutrition and health deepened,powdered milk gradually became recognized as a high-quality,nutritious substitute for breast milk.In the early 20th century,the prosperous development of the advertising market in Shanghai and the growth in demand for milk substitutes provided an opportunity for milk powder manufacturers to advertise."Shen Bao",a comprehensive newspaper with the highest sales and influence in Shanghai at the time,became the preferred platform for many milk powder manufacturers to advertise.In 1914,the first independent milk powder advertisement was published in "Shen Bao",and the number of milk powder advertisements continued to increase thereafter.Milk powder advertisements in "Shen Bao" could be divided into four types:product introduction,emotional resonance,promotional activities,and comparative argumentation.The main advertisers were foreign agents,foreign milk powder companies,and Chinese milk powder companies.As time went on,the competition in the milk powder market became increasingly fierce,and newspaper and magazine advertisements became an important way for milk powder merchants to attract consumers to purchase their products.Through an analysis of the milk powder advertisements in Shen Bao at the time,it was found that milk powder manufacturers improved and innovated their advertisements from three perspectives:product advantages,brand image,and advertising design,to enhance the persuasive power of their advertisements.The diverse persuasive effects of milk powder advertisements were quite significant for their target audience,changing consumers’ perception and acceptance of milk powder products.The milk powder advertisements in Shen Bao played an important role in the transformation of infant feeding practices in modern China from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding,which had a certain impact on the traditional practice of hiring wet nurses.The advertisements also had a good promotional effect on increasing milk powder sales.The development of the milk powder market also attracted attention to the milk powder industry among Chinese people.In the 1920s,Chinese national capital began to enter the competition in the Chinese milk powder market,promoting the birth and development of the modern Chinese milk powder industry.The contemporary milk powder market in China is full of competition and opportunities,but few people pay attention to the historical and cultural background behind this market.Looking back to the early 20th century,the modern milk powder consumption market in China was undergoing a transformation from traditional wet nurse feeding to milk powder feeding.As one of the important carriers of commercial advertising in China at that time,"Shen Bao"not only played an important role in the development of the milk powder market but also served as a window to understand the commercial advertising culture at the time.This article will focus on exploring the milk powder advertisements in "Shen Bao",analyzing their role in the development of the milk powder market,the birth of milk powder companies,and the impact on the traditional wet nurse industry.Through analyzing this historical background,we can not only better understand the formation and development of the contemporary milk powder market in China but also deeply reflect on the cultural significance and value of milk powder as a consumer product. |
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