Resonance Capital director lauds 'new breed' of creative agencies emerging in Scotland
Property investment and development company Resonance Capital director Angela Higgins has praised the work of the ‘new breed’ of creative agencies working in Scotland, including those working within its creative space at Skypark in Glasgow.
Speaking to The Drum about Skypart, Higgins said; "As much as we are all aware that these are challenging times, there are certain industry sectors in Scotland that have retained a determined resilience. Not for one moment are these sectors immune; but through having the desire and ability to adapt to changing times, they have remained more anchored.”
She continued to highlight the creative industry as being one such sector; “For every large agency that we know to have struggled due to the phenomenon of reduced client marketing budgets, there are others that have sprung up; adapted to the this new and rugged landscape, and are thriving. These businesses charge realistic rates that are achievable for their clients and have grown up in as hardy natives in this new economy where margins are super-tight and expectations are high. Many of these companies - in the marketing, design and PR sectors - have been borne of the demise of larger, less adaptable agencies. But these new businesses are certainly here, and galvanising, and are a new breed of tenant for business spaces such as Skypark.
Higgins claimed that such companies were searching for a ‘flexible, adaptable space’ which would also offer a social scene, highlighting Skypark as being such a place.
Companies based within Skypark include Safehinge, Skylark PR, Th!nkfrog Marketing, Pocapoc and Crear Weddings, while a number of events during Social Media Week Glasgow are also due to take place there.
“The Scottish creative sector is worth £3.2 billion to the Scottish economy. It's not immune to the challenges of the current climate, far from it, but it's robust, with exciting new businesses being brought to market and growing quickly. We must support this sector and acknowledge its value to the economy and 'brand Scotland'. The way that we in the property sector should support the creative industry is by giving them the office space that they need - flexible, adaptable, interesting and affordable. We in the property sector must adapt to the new business backdrop in order to attract them as tenants. And I think we've done just that,” she concluded.
Earlier today, the finalists for this year's Scottish Creative Awards were announced, with the winners set to be revealed in September.