The Scottish Advertising Parliamentary Reception, hosted by AA Scotland, took place on 7 October 2025 in the Garden Lobby, sponsored by Daniel Johnson MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economy and Fair Work.
The reception gathered AA Scotland members and wider industry, and celebrated the brilliant work produced by the agencies, production companies, marketers and media professionals in Scottish advertising.
Stephen Woodford, CEO, began by highlighting how the Advertising Pays 2025 report by Credos found that advertising plays a vital role in Scotland’s economy, culture and communities by contributing £6.4bn in GVA and directly employing 28,000 people in Scotland alone.
Daniel Johnson MSP praised the contribution of the advertising industry, saying “there is no doubt the creative industry has an impact that goes far beyond a normal industry”. He also spoke about the importance of having a skills and education system that understands the skills that people need to work in the 21st century economy too.
He concluded by reflecting that both politicians and people working in advertising should work together on how to truly unlock the potential of Brand Scotland, stressing the importance of the creative industries to communicating the strengths and opportunities Scotland can offer on the world stage.
Our new report ‘Unlocking Apprenticeships’ was also highlighted, outlining how a reformed levy can best benefit companies and apprentices, including those based in Scotland.
A big thank you to our partner Ozone and to all those who attended!
Photo Credit: Euan Cherry
