Stuart Hirst Limited

Stuart Hirst Limited is an advertising agency based in Leeds, UK. It claims to be the world's oldest independent advertising agency. The company was founded in 1919 by Stuart Hirst who had worked for Yorkshire Post newspapers and saw an opportunity to improve the quality of his advertisers' ads and earn a living finding new advertisers for the newspaper.

The company grew steadily through two world wars until at its peak it employed 35 staff. Stuart Hirst was acquired in 1963 by Cravens, a Newcastle-based advertising agency but the company continues to trade under the old name as well operating as Cravens' Leeds office.

Stuart Hirst became independent again in the early 1970s and still continues to trade from offices in Leeds. The company is privately owned by Michael Wappett, the Managing Director and has grown rapidly over the last few years and still has some clients that have been with Stuart Hirst for half a century.