What History of Advertising Trust does

The History of Advertising Trust (HAT) is a UK-registered charitable trust (charity no. 276194) founded in 1976 to preserve and provide access to British advertising and brand communication heritage. Operating from a BS 4971:2017-accredited archive facility of more than 8,000 square feet in Raveningham, Norfolk, HAT holds what it describes as the world's largest archive of brand communication, spanning from 1800 to the present and encompassing over 5,000 reference volumes plus collections from major agencies (Ogilvy & Mather, JWT, FCB, DDB, MullenLowe) and iconic brands (Hovis, Heinz, Butlin's, McVitie's).

The organisation operates as an integrated archive ecosystem rather than a discrete product company. Its core offering is the HAT Online Catalogue, a searchable digital database providing self-service access to digitised commercials, print advertising, and curated collections. Layered on this are professional archive services (documentation, cataloguing, conservation packaging, long-term preservation), brand heritage management for enterprise clients, agency legacy preservation, commissioned research, and material supply to broadcasters and publishers. The Ad-Memoire digital reminiscence app extends the archive into healthcare, using vintage advertisements for dementia and elderly care. Curated collections such as Ghost Signs (outdoor advertising heritage) and Desert Island Ads supplement the catalogue. Education initiatives include the HAT Education Summit, classroom resources, and group study visits.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining fee-based archive and heritage services to enterprise clients, commissioned research and material licensing, donations and grants from industry bodies and individuals, and retail income via an eBay shop. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees including senior industry figures from Google, Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, the IPA, and ISBA, reflecting deep institutional ties to the UK advertising sector. HAT is not publicly traded, has no parent company, and operates on a strictly not-for-profit basis.

Name

History of Advertising Trust

Legal name

History of Advertising Trust

Website

https://hatads.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The History of Advertising Trust (HAT) is a UK charitable trust operating the world's largest archive of brand communication, providing archive management, heritage services, and digital access for brands, agencies, broadcasters, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raveningham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Archive Client Services: Fee-based archive and heritage management services to business clients including brand heritage management, commissioned research, and material supply for broadcasters and publishers.
2. Donations and Grants: Funding from industry bodies, individuals, and charitable donations supporting education and dementia care projects.
3. eBay Sales: Sale of archive merchandise through HAT eBay shop.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

History of Advertising Trust (HAT) is the UK's specialist archive of advertising history, founded in 1976 and headquartered in Raveningham, Norfolk. It preserves vast collections of advertising materials spanning from 1800 to the present day and offers archive management, brand heritage support, agency legacy services, commissioned research, broadcast material supply, and educational resources to brands, agencies, broadcasters, academics, and the general public.

Product overview

The History of Advertising Trust (HAT) operates as a unified archive and educational charity rather than a traditional product company. Its core offering is the HAT Online Catalogue - a comprehensive digital database providing searchable access to thousands of commercials, print ads, and collections spanning British brand communications from 1800 to present. Supporting this are specialized services including Archive Services (professional arrangement, documentation, and BS 4971:2017 accredited preservation), Brand Heritage (secure storage and curation for major brands), Agency Legacy (preservation for advertising agencies), and Ad-Memoire (a digital reminiscence app for dementia care). The organization also maintains curated collections like the Ghost Signs Archive and Desert Island Ads, while offering Research Services, Education Resources, and material supply services. The portfolio functions as an integrated archive ecosystem rather than modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ad-Memoire: A digital reminiscence app for older people, including those living with dementia, using vintage TV adverts as prompts for happy memories.

Products and services

• Archive Management Services
• Brand Heritage Services
• Commissioned Research
• Broadcast and Production Material Supply
• eBay Shop Sales

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, strategic and flagship.

• Addo Food GroupsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• BritvicsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• BPsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Butlin's (Bourne Leisure)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• FordsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Guinness ArchivesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Diageo IrelandsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• HenkelsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Hoover/CandysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• HovissupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Kellogg'ssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Kraft Heinz CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• LegosupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• MarssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• MattelsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• MondelezsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• NestlésupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Nomad FoodssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• PepsiCosupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Premier FoodssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Princes Foods LtdsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Procter & GamblesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Reckitt Benckiser Group plcsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Shell International LtdsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• UnileversupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• Vauxhall Motors LimitedsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising featured in Ad-Memoire reproduced by kind permission. Ad-Memoire uses vintage adverts for reminiscence therapy with older people including those with dementia.
• ISBAstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimon Michaelides, Director General of ISBA, joined HAT's Board of Trustees. Both organisations see this as a time of historic significance for collaboration.
• British ArrowsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured supporter partnership. British Arrows Awards have celebrated the very best film and talent in British advertising for 40 years. HAT hosts British Arrows collection including 23,983 items.
• IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry body supporter. Featured in testimonials and video content. IPA Director General Paul Bainsfair serves as HAT Patron.
• WPPsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry supporter with executive Jeremy Bullmore featured in testimonials praising HAT's archive value for brand service.
• ITV MediasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner with representation in HAT's footer. ITV uses HAT's archive services for productions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Film Institute (BFI): UK national archive for film, television, and moving-image content including advertising material. Comparable as a national cultural archive with heritage remit, though operating at significantly larger scale and across broader media categories.
• The National Archives (UK): UK government national archive. Comparable as a publicly funded archive institution with accredited standards, conservation facilities, and researcher services, though covering all of UK public record rather than advertising specifically.
• Internet Archive: Large-scale US non-profit digital archive with collections of TV commercials and web advertising. Comparable as a digitised archive providing self-service catalogue access to historical media including advertising content.

Emerging players

• WARC: Global advertising intelligence and research subscription service for agencies and brands. Comparable as an advertising-industry research and insight resource, though focused on effectiveness data rather than heritage archive content.
• Vintage Advertising: Online collection and marketplace for vintage advertising imagery. Comparable as a digitised consumer-facing advertising archive with e-commerce monetisation similar to HAT's eBay shop, though without the institutional archive function.

Direct peers

• John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History: Duke University's special collection holding the largest US-based advertising archive. Closely comparable academic advertising archive serving researchers, with digitised catalogues and reference services analogous to HAT's core offering.
• Museum of Brands: London-based heritage museum dedicated to British consumer brands, packaging, and advertising history. Closest direct peer to HAT in mission and geography — both curate brand-communication artefacts, run education programmes, and serve research visitors.

Others

• IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising): UK advertising industry body that supports HAT (its Director General is a HAT Patron). Comparable as an industry-aligned institution serving UK advertising heritage and professional development, though focused on commercial agency interests rather than archive preservation.
• Library of Congress — Prints & Photographs Division: Major US national library division holding poster, print, and photographic advertising material. Comparable as a publicly funded heritage archive with deep advertising holdings, serving similar academic and licensing use cases.
• Advertising Association: UK advertising industry trade body. Comparable as a connected industry-institution supporter and partner of HAT, providing cross-promotion, donation channels, and access to agency members for archive acquisitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HatAds
• Facebookfacebook.com/historyofadvertisingtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-history-of-advertising-trust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about History of Advertising Trust