Member content
Already a member? Sign in below
Yesterday, we announced the first five businesses that will be taking part in AAccelerate Scotland, our pilot project to enable SMEs across the country to advertise more and boost their bottom line.
The first businesses who will benefit from expert advertising advice are a supplier of online booking and scheduling solutions, Appointedd; Green Tourism, which offers advice and accreditation to tourism businesses; a bespoke timber frame kit houses manufacturer, Fleming Homes; OOni, an outdoor cookware company; and Vets Now, an out-of-hours emergency service for pets.
These businesses will be working in collaboration with The Lane Agency, Story and Frame to put together multi-channel campaigns. They will also work with Scottish media owners, AA members and supporters of AAccelerate Scotland.
On Monday, we are hosting a fringe panel discussion at the SNP conference in Glasgow, focusing on AAccelerate and SME growth. Bobby Hain, MD of Broadcast at STV is leading a conversation with Ivan McKee MSP and Leah Hutcheon. Leah is the founder and Chief Executive at Appointedd, one of the first 5 SMEs to sign up to the AAccelerate Scotland pilot.
Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills Jamie Hepburn commented: “Advertising is vitally important to the Scottish economy, supporting businesses and helping brands to grow. It also helps us deliver Scotland the brand to new markets, including through our new collaboration, “Scotland Is Now”.”
He went on to say that he is “looking forward to seeing what campaigns are developed and what impact that they have.”
We attended the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham this week. The Treasury team made a strong case in support of the free-market, notably Liz Truss, and there was also a big push on entrepreneurialism and investment in high growth small businesses. In a populist move, the Chancellor announced proposals for a digital tax, though interestingly this was criticised in The Daily Telegraph as a disincentive to R&D in the UK’s digital and tech economy. Other Cabinet Ministers chose to discuss prospective internet regulation, including the Home Secretary and DCMS Secretary who are jointly working on an Online Harms White Paper, due to be published in 2019.
On Tuesday evening, we co-hosted a dinner at the conference with ISBA. Discussion largely focused on issues around HFSS advertising, and prospective ways forward in the debate.
The Prime Minister and Home Secretary gave further indications of their intentions for the post-Brexit migration system this week, with the Home Secretary insisting the UK has an “incredible opportunity” to reshape the UK’s immigration rules. Final detail will come in the Autumn White Paper, however for the moment we know that free movement will end, and Government wants a single immigration system that treats EU and non-EU migrants in the same way – although our future trade agreement with the EU could include an agreement on mobility.
The new migration system will be ‘skills based’, focusing on highly skilled workers, and applicants will need to reach a minimum salary threshold. The CBI led an industry initiative to express the industry’s views and needs on a new immigration policy. Stephen Woodford joined the leaders of 35 trade associations in writing to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for BEIS.
International talent plays a crucial role in the UK ad industry, as shown in our Advertising Pays 6 report here.
On Monday, Channel 4 announced that the Royal Air Force and Engine have won the broadcaster’s Diversity in Advertising Award 2018. For winning the award, the brand will receive £1 million worth of commercial airtime for a campaign that addresses the portrayal of women in advertising, which will air in February 2019.
The judging panel was made up of the IPA; The Marketing Society; Thinkbox – and included our very own Karen Fraser MBE, Director of Credos, advertising’s think tank.
Karen said: “Channel 4’s awards have completely changed the way that UK advertising approaches diversity in its work. Although the industry fully embraces representation of people from all different backgrounds in advertising, the competition has provided a further incentive to create the very best work.”
You can read more here.
You’ve made it this far – why not treat yourself to watching our ad of the week?
Already a member? Sign in below
If your company is already a member, register your email address now to be able to access our exclusive member-only content.
If your company would like to become a member, please visit our Front Foot page for more details.
Enter your email address to receive a link to reset your password
Your password needs to be at least seven characters. Mixing upper and lower case, numbers and symbols like ! " ? $ % ^ & ) will make it stronger.
If your company is already a member, register your account now to be able to access our exclusive member-only content.