5 MINUTES WITH...
SCOTT PEDDIE EVENTSCOTLAND EVENTS PR & MEDIA MANAGER
With the revamped National Events Strategy, ‘Scotland: Te Perfect Stage’ launched at the end of last year, government and industry have are working ever more closely together to deliver high-profile events in Scotland. After helping to deliver the World Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, we speak to EventScotland’s Events PR & Media Manager about how digital integration, emerging media and new technologies will change the way we communicate the events experience.
Recent past: Before joining EventScotland I was working as Account Manager within the Golf Division of sports marketing agency Professional Sports Group, just outside of London. Our clients included some of the biggest brands in golf, including Titleist, FootJoy and Troon.
Before that: I started my career as a Staff Writer for PSP Publishing in Glasgow and worked a range of titles there over four years, most notably Bunkered Golf Magazine. Staying in golf, I then moved to ClubGolf Scotland, the national junior programme, which was a great place to begin learning my trade in PR and communications.
Now: I’ve been Events PR & Media Manager with EventScotland since July 2015 and am relishing the challenge. As our portfolio of supported events is so diverse, I am in the fortunate position to work across many different sec- tors and with so many different partner organisations. It’s been a steep learning curve so far, but definitely an enjoyable one.
Vision: Our vision is to help make Scotland the perfect stage for events by creating an exciting port- folio of year-round events. For me, this means contributing towards raising the profile of the events we support, and therefore Scotland’s reputation nationally and inter- nationally as a visitor destination, by working with our partners and media. Te prospect of creating additional impact for events that benefit the Scottish economy is rewarding aspect of the role.
Market: We support events of all
the view to it being repurposed more effectively.
Skills: I’m really excited to see how new technologies are continually integrated in the production of events. I expect that these tech- nologies will greatly contribute to existing events and drive the creation of brand new properties. Indeed, this is already happening with augmented reality and light and sound events in Scotland. Tis will necessitate the expan- sion of skills within the events industry, as individuals from IT, technology and engineer- ing backgrounds are required in greater numbers.
sizes the length and breadth of the country through Internation- al, National and Beacon fund- ing programmes. Te range is immense; from occasions similar in scale to the Commonwealth Games to small events that are, nevertheless, of huge importance to local communities.
Place: As a team within VisitScot- land’s Event Directorate, we are located at VisitScotland’s Ocean Point headquarters at Te Shore in Edinburgh.
Best moment: It’s not a single mo- ment, as such, but the best period of my EventScotland career so far came during the World Gymnas- tics Championships back in Octo- ber 2015. As one of our supported events, I assumed a role within the event’s comms team, which was a real privilege. Having a
behind-the-scenes view of the inner workings of such a success- ful event was a real eye-opener.
Evolution: For PR & Comms gener- ally, it is likely that the evolution of the industry will focus around digital integration and how content distribution is shaped by emerg- ing media and new technologies. Expect video to become even more central to the way stories and experiences are communicated; an exciting prospect when events are considered – less so for uninspiring subject matter. But, on the contrary to the predictions of some others, I do not believe we are not about to see the death of the press release. A good press release provides the raw material with which a journal- ist can shape his own narrative around a specific subject. Tere is presently no way of communicat- ing complicated information with
Is Scotland the ‘Perfect Stage’? If you consider the events which have been staged here more successfully than in any other country, Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events is unquestionable. For a country of our size, what has been achieved in recent years is nothing short of remarkable. Tat said, further development of our facilities, infrastructure, partnerships and workforce will be crucial to attracting the world’s most pres- tigious events in future and these are central pillars to Scotland’s refreshed national events strategy, ‘Scotland the Perfect Stage’.
Event you would most like to see staged in Scotland?: As we’ve only just had the Ryder Cup, I think I’d like to see Scotland given the opportuni- ty to co-host the FIFA World Cup alongside other home nations. Tat may, however, be one for the distant future, so I’ll look forward to our matches at UEFA EURO 2020 for the time being instead.
46 | EVENTSBASE | MARCH 2016
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