First advertising agency
Who
Unknown
Where
UK (Warwick Square,London)
When
1800
James "Jem" White founded the advertising agency 'R. F. White & Son' in Warwick Square, London, UK in 1800. His first client was his old school, Christ's Hospital, which Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Charles Lamb attended. The agency, with a staff of around four including an office boy, also handled the advertising for the War Office, customs, crown agents for the colonies and Royal Engineers. White first came into contact with the newspaper and advertising world, centred around the taverns and coffee-houses along Fleet Street, when he was asked to place advertisements for Christ's Hospital School. Taking on other requests for placements, he quickly realised that the advertising business could be extremely lucrative and devoted himself to it full time. White was not only married to a New Bond Street bookseller's daughter but he was also a frequent guest at suppers given by Charles and Mary Lamb, which were attended by many of the best known literary and newspaper personalities of the time.