Entering organisation: Scottish Government

Say ‘Scotland’ to someone from America or Europe, and they’ll likely talk of tartan, whisky, and extol the enchanting vast rugged landscapes where solitude thrives. But challenge that same person to name a country that is vibrant, contemporary, and progressive? Scotland is unlikely to be the first to spring to mind.

International research has revealed that Scotland's reputation is primarily rooted in historic associations, which can swiftly lead to the assumption that Scotland is a land of quaint traditions, remote seclusion, and antiquated charm. Brand Scotland brings together the collective communications efforts of key public sector partners to harness energy, expertise, and resources to increase the impact of the team’s work in building Scotland’s global reputation.

Building on the recent campaign, ‘Scotland is Open’ which showcased Scotland’s progressive credentials, the team now needed to bring these credentials to life by telling stories that challenge the stereotypes and show the world who they are: dynamic, fair, and inclusive.

A holistic campaign was required to provide inspiring examples of how these values can be lived to increase awareness of a modern Scotland, and to showcase why it’s an incredible country in which to live, work, study, visit and do business.

The strategy centred on building resonance with individuals who share the Brand Scotland values, and consequently are more likely to want to visit, live, work, study and do business there. The team identified ‘Liberal Influencers’: progressively minded individuals, experts in their fields, and people with an interest in ethical and societal issues. Recognising this audience was astute and self-aware, they understood that to captivate them they had to challenge their preconceptions about Scotland and leverage their sense of being 'in the know' by revealing hidden dimensions of Scotland.

They coined this, ‘Scotland more than you thought’. In addition to the practical aspects, research indicated the need to convey how it would 'feel' to build a life in Scotland. SMART objectives were set, including: Total users of Scotland.org to 1,600,000 and increasing referrals to partners from Scotland.org to 80,000. The team also negotiated a Brand Uplift study with a media partner, to better understand shifts in knowledge of their values and on general consideration of Scotland.

To meet these ambitious objectives, the team created a consistent, creative theme of ‘Scotland more than you thought’ across a three-pronged communications strategy. They devised a paid-for social content series that began with the familiar and evolved into captivating new narratives which was aligned with organic activity on social channels. A partnership was formed with BBC StoryWorks, leveraging their extensive global reach (e.g., BBC Business, Travel, Work Life, Future) and expertise in crafting compelling stories. The team also used their Global Moments (e.g. St Andrew’s Day) to capitalise on a series of event-driven calendar dates that offer unique and significant opportunity to raise awareness of Scotland.

Implementing the creative strategy ‘Scotland, more than you thought’, saw the team navigating several challenges. They needed to find different aspects of Scotland that international audiences would recognise as distinct to Scotland, that could also cohesively weave into something unexpected in 20 seconds.

They needed stories that would surprise and excite the audience but importantly, connect emotionally. ‘Loved icons’ became the trojan horse. The team identified familiar occasions and recognisable landmarks that would attract attention, serving as the ‘hook’ and springboard to then reveal new stories as part of a social content series about Scotland.

Examples included: Supper/ Samosas – from a traditional Burns supper to a modern celebration with Scottish Indian fusion cuisine, Scenery/ Satellites – from vast open landscapes to Scotland’s leading role in producing nano-satellites and Golf/ Gaming – from renowned golf courses to the extensive skilled gaming workforce.

The team used a co-development process within the BBC StoryWorks partnership to ensure a connection of values between the right storyteller and the brand. To truly emotionally connect with the audience and make these films feel genuine, the team used a documentary style approach, working closely with talent to share their unbridled enthusiasm in a way that felt natural and unequivocally unique.

Case studies included exploring Scotland’s thrilling adventure tourism scene in Fort William, through the eyes of Mikayla Parton, a professional mountain bike racer, and unveiling how Scotland’s produce and relationship with food is inherent to the environment and the land around them with Pamela Brunton, Chef and Owner of the Green Michelin star restaurant, Inver.

From initial creative concept to its successful launch, the campaign was executed within four months.

The team took a brand well-known for landscapes, tartan, and whisky, and created a campaign celebrating the familiar magic of Scotland but giving it a surprising twist. By giving space to their storytellers, they created content that conveys a sense of what it feels like to live, work or study in Scotland today. Results from a BBC brand uplift study revealed that people were 141% more likely to recommend Scotland and 76% more likely to consider Scotland (as a brand or destination) having seen campaign content.

The activity delivered all its SMART objectives: Social activity reached 3.56 million people via paid-for activity (target: 2.3 million) and 5.5 million via organic activity (target: 4 million). There was a 9% net increase in annual followership vs. target of 7.5%.  The team reached over 4.1 million ‘liberal influencers’ and 16.6 million people across North America - almost double the target of 8.7 million.

Engaged sessions of Scotland.org increased to 2.08 million users against a target of 1.6 million and referrals to partners from Scotland.org increased to 84,444 (target: 80,000). The team have since begun work to refresh the brand strategy and have opened a new chapter in the uniquely engaging, powerful story behind Brand Scotland.