The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

June 3, 2011 | 2 min read

Stirling Castle is launching its biggest ever marketing campaign to promote the reopening of its Renaissance Palace, which has undergone a £12m refurbishment.

The campaign comprises TV and radio advertising, PR, a redesigned website, a leaflet drop, social media and targeted email and text messaging.

Edinburgh agency Newhaven was responsible for the parody 'Stewart Dynasty' creative concept, design and advertising elements.

Newhaven was given the brief from Historic Scotland. Its marketing manager, Laura Cheyne, said: "Our goal for this campaign, which runs till the end of October, is to drive just under half a million visits from the palace’s opening date until the end of March 2012 – a pretty challenging target given the current economic climate and difficult period for visitor attractions."

Newhaven ccount director Campbell Ferguson said: "We wanted to create a campaign which would leave behind any negative perceptions of the castle having cold empty rooms so we focused on the lives and the stories of the characters of the Stewart Court.

"The campaign parodies classic soap opera title sequences which our target audience of adults with families can relate to. This reflects the actual visitor experience which really does bring the drama and intrigue to life with costumed actors sharing stories and gossip in fully decorated and furnished rooms."

The TV ad will run from Monday 6 June in prime-time evening slots on STV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. There will be a further burst of TV advertising in October.

Radio ads will run on Real Radio, Radio Forth and Radio Clyde throughout this month with repeats again in October.

Ads are also being featured on Facebook and YouTube and on various forms of outdoor channels, from Park and Ride buses to transvision screens in train stations. Media planning was handled by MediaCom Edinburgh.

The new Stirling Castle website was redesigned by Newhaven alongside Historic Scotland's in-house team.

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