Graeme Atha: Diversity, equality and inclusion are some of the values we can celebrate

The Marketing Society in association with the Scottish Government view St Andrew’s Day as an opportunity for everyone across the country to celebrate our shared values of kindness, fairness and inclusivity.

Last years new Fellows with their personalised Famous Fellow whisky: Steven Pearson  Whyte and Mackay, Pauline Aylesbury  Scottish Government, Pam Scobbie  Wire,  Alan McGarrie  Tennents

The Scottish Government have recently launched a campaign to encourage us all celebrate our national day by making someone’s day with a simple act of kindness. This could include supporting one of over 100 St Andrew’s Fair Saturday events happening across the country.

The Marketing Society will host a St Andrew’s Day Dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh on 28 November .

Our guest speaker is David Duke MBE, founder and CEO of Street Soccer Scotland, a non-profit social enterprise that uses football to help create a positive change in the lives of socially disadvantaged adults and young people.

Graeme Atha, Director of The Marketing Society

David will be interviewed by Clare English, a former BBC Scotland presenter who has been involved in various events and discussions on education, mental health and well-being.

We also use this occasion to present our Employer Brand of the Year Awards as part of a programme to promote Scotland as a great place to study, work and invest in marketing talent.

We invite nominations for client and agency organisations who have developed a reputation for being an excellent employer.

The nominations are judged using the following criteria:

Values and Culture

Vision and Purpose

Employee Feedback

Approach to attracting, selecting, developing and retaining marketing talent

The shortlists for this year’s awards sponsored by Denholm Associates are as follows:

Clients: Brodies; Edrington; Edrington; Beam Suntory UK

Agencies: Sunshine Communications; The Union; Whitespace

We also work with the Scottish Government to help promote Scotland as an outward looking and progressive country where no one has to be defined by the circumstances or characteristics of their birth, or held back by poverty, ethnicity or culture.

Diversity, equality and inclusion are some of the important values we look for in our Employer Brand nominations.

At our St Andrew’s Day Dinner we will also announce Marketing Society Fellowships and Honorary Fellowships. Fellowship are awarded to members and marketing leaders who have made a significant contribution to The Marketing Society.

Being awarded Fellowships this year are: Fiona Burton – The Leith Agency; Mick Doran – Sainsbury’s Bank; David Roberts – Multiply; Anna Vaughan – RBS.

Honorary Fellowships are awarded to inspirational leaders in their own areas of expertise.

We will make awards to the following Honorary Fellows:

Paul Bartlett

Paul has had an impressive career in marketing starting at Nestle then Mars before making his name in the drinks industry with Scottish & Newcastle, Heineken and then C & C the owners of Tennent’s and Magners where he spearheaded the introduction of minimum unit-pricing – much to the dismay of most of his competitors but to the benefit of society. For many years Paul has also fought his own battle with MS – much to the admiration of many in the industry.

Gerry Farrell – Gerry Farrell Ink

Gerry is an advertising legend

His first published ad was for Martin & Frost Furniture with the copy line “Forget the silk lingerie this Christmas. Buy her wooden drawers.” Gerry built his career at the Leith Agency where over many years as Creative Director he won countless awards for clients such as Tennent’s and Irn Bru before starting his own agency in 2014 where he continues to win clients and creative awards.

Jan Gooding – Stonewall

Starting off in the agency world Jan went on to build her career in marketing with a wide range of blue-chip brands including Aviva, BT, British Gas, Diageo and Unilever. She is chair of the LGBT equality charity Stonewall and President of the Market Research Society. Earlier this year she delivered an inspiring Ogilvy Lecture on the subject of trust at the Amplify Marketing Festival.

Our new Fellows will be awarded with a personalised bottle of Famous Fellow whisky and we will toast them with a glass of The Famous Grouse – our other sponsor for the evening.

We will finish a night of celebration being entertained by Rob Broderick aka Abandoman, the improvising hip hop musical comedian and big hit of the Edinburgh Fringe.

For further information visit www.marketingsociety.com

Graeme Atha, Director of The Marketing Society