Daniel Sanderson
Scottish Political Correspondent
KILTED bagpipers in front of the Forth Road Bridge, Arbroath smokies and
ceilidh dancers have become the first representations of Scotland to greet
visitors to the country, as part of a new quarter-million pound advertising
drive.
Ministers have spent more than £40,000 on photography as part of the new
campaign, with another £217,000 to go on advertising space in Scotland’s
largest airports. Pictures depicting Scotch whisky, seafood and a community
windfarm are also among 10 images to be used in a bid to promote brand
Scotland to people from around the globe.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the pictures promoted the country as a
“modern and dynamic nation”. However, the campaign, which sees some of the
photos accompanied by the unimaginative “Welcome to Scotland”, was not
well-received in other quarters, with critics accusing ministers of playing
it safe.
Tory MSP and his party’s tourism spokesperson Murdo Fraser said: “Making
the right first impression to tourists visiting Scotland is very important
and it is right that we invest in artwork that presents Scotland in the
best possible light.
“However, I am not sure that the Scottish Government’s latest ad campaign
represents value for money or is particularly innovative. Some might baulk
at spending £40,000 of taxpayers’ money on photos of men in kilts under the
Forth Road Bridge.
“Scotland has much to offer and the Scottish Government should not be
afraid to think outside the box when spending substantial sums on advertising.”
The images have appeared at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, Dundee,
Inverness and Aberdeen airports in recent days. Backdrops depicted include
the historic Abbotsford House in the Borders, Aikengall Community Wind Farm
in East Lothian and Aberdeen Harbour.
One advertising expert praised use of the popular Red Hot Chilli Pipers and
representations of Scottish ballet, but criticised an over-reliance on
traditional Scottish imagery such as kilts and bagpipes.
A simple “Welcome to Scotland” has been used regularly in similar campaigns
over the years, following the controversy over the unpopular “best small
country in the world” slogan championed by former Labour First Minister
Jack McConnell, but phased out from 2007 under the SNP.
The Government-commissioned images are also set to be used extensively on
social media in a bid to attract visitors, with the United States to be
specifically targeted.
Ms Hyslop said: “This is about creating the right first impression for
visitors to Scotland. We are blessed with beautiful scenery and wonderful
people with a flair for artistic expression, creativity and innovation.
These images capture Scotland’s strengths as a modern and dynamic nation.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government defended the cost of the
photography and wider campaign. “The images used are selected from many
photos taken as part of a broader photo shoot,” he said. “These photos will
be used in many iterations by the Scottish Government and its partners –
including VisitScotland, Universities Scotland and Scotland Food & Drink –
over the coming 12 to 18 months in posters, event stands, adverts, websites
and social media in priority markets around the globe.”
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