Hello, I’m Jim Kite. After a long career in media and advertising agencies as diverse as TV-am, Sky, McCann Erickson and Publicis, I never lost my love for the bold charm of early brand storytelling.

I unashamedly love advertising and how it helps people discover new brands, compare product offerings as well as shape popular culture.

A special time

The history of advertising in society is constantly evolving. A key period for industry was from the late 19th century to the 1960’s, when advertising literally leapt off the page and onto the street. Cities were alive with brightly coloured enamel signs and bold slogans that stayed in place for years. It was the era of the first national and international brands, and it transformed everything—packaging, shop windows, product demonstrations, the lot.

Growing up in the Midlands in the 1970s, I caught the last of those wall ads fading as TV became the dominant medium. As the signs, shop displays and beautifully printed tins disappeared, I wanted to preserve them.

From passion to curation

For the last 40 years I have been collecting enamel advertising, tins & packaging and all manner of sales promotional materials - not to stockpile, but as an appreciation of their decorative appeal. They look fantastic in my home inside and out and always spark a conversation.

And now after decades of finding advertising antiques for my personal pleasure, I’m turning that passion into a business with Advertiques & Co. The service I offer is simple. I find and sell original, high-quality examples of classic marketing to people who want signature pieces of social history in their home or workspace.