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CHAPTER THREE PRE TARTAN WEEK
3.1 As in 2005, the programme for Tartan Week 2006 was managed and implemented by key personnel in the International Division at the Scottish Executive's offices in Edinburgh and the Scottish Executive's Scottish Affairs Office in Washington DC. The communications strategy element of the programme was managed and implemented by the Scottish Executive's Communications Office, whilst the marketing and PR activity was managed by the International Marketing Division.
3.2 The overall objectives of Tartan Week were set by the Tartan Week team within the International Division. Discussions with event organisers highlighted that it was not made clear to them at the outset what the key objectives for Tartan Week 2006 were, although there was an assumption by many that the event aimed to increase awareness of Scotland and/or to show a contemporary, modern Scotland.
"What are Scottish Executive's objectives for Tartan Week? I don't know."
Event organiser
"Scottish Executive's objectives? That's an interesting question. It seemed to change dependent upon to whom you were speaking."
Event organiser
"I think the Scottish Executive wants to promote the very best of Scotland through Tartan Week and we try to contribute to that at a high level of excellence."
Event organiser
"It aims to promote the contemporary Scotland."
Event organiser
3.3 Event organisers' involvement with Tartan Week 2006 tended to stem from discussions with "Scottish Executive personnel" or because they had previously been involved with Tartan Week celebrations. One organisation had been directly approached by the Executive and asked whether they wanted to stage an event at Tartan Week in New York. Discussions with event organisers suggested that there was no structured approach in terms of inviting Scottish organisations to apply for funding to attend Tartan Week.
3.4 One of the key findings from the 2005 evaluation 1 was that Tartan Week needed "to develop a marketing campaign for the entire programme". In response to this recommendation, marketing and PR personnel within Scotland's International Image were responsible for planning and implementing a focussed marketing and PR approach for Tartan Week 2006. The three main elements of the marketing for the 2006 event were:
- Development of a marque incorporating the Saltire and tartan. The reasons behind establishing the marque were to provide a consistent look for all Tartan Week activity with partner agencies and to ensure that all Tartan Week activity was recognisably part of the overall brand for Scotland as represented by the Saltire. All event organisers were informed that they had to use the marque as a condition of Scottish Executive funding. The literature gathered from event organisers during this evaluation highlights that all those who received funding had indeed used the marque, with no event organiser reporting any problems incorporating the marque into their literature.
- The development of a single website www.tartanweekny.com (in collaboration with VisitScotland) to promote Tartan Week events. The Scottish event organisers were provided with information to enable them to update information onto the website and were empowered to change this when necessary. Discussions with event organisers indicated that some may not have been totally aware of how to manage the site effectively, despite written information from the Scottish Executive. In future, event organisers may require further assistance at the initial stages of their involvement with Tartan Week.
- The development of an events programme which clearly detailed the dates, venues and times for each activity relating to Tartan Week. The programme was distributed at the Scotland Run at the launch of Tartan Week and around Grand Central Station where the Scotland Village was located.
Other marketing of Tartan Week 2006 included a one page advertisement in Time Out, a four page insert into the New York Times, the distribution of Scotland Now postcards at event venues and the launch of three literary podcasts promoting Scotland as a great place to live and work. Finally, the Scottish Executive worked in partnership with WPLJ radio on the promotion of the Scotland 10k Run.
3.5 Event organisers were very positive about the introduction of the website and the events programme, which they felt increased awareness of Tartan Week and its activities. Very positive comments were also made about the marketing activity that took place around Grand Central Station and was funded by VisitScotland. It was agreed that around the Grand Central Station area a "real buzz" had been created and this was an improvement on 2005.
"The promotion around Grand Central Station and Manhattan was so much better than in 2005."
Event organiser
"There was a huge improvement in the marketing and PR organised by the Scottish Executive this year. The programme they produced was very good."
Event organiser
"My only issue withwww.tartanweekny.comwas the functionality. You weren't able to go onto the site and access all events relating to one organiser. The website is good but it just needs to have better functionality."
Event organiser
"There was definitely far more of a buzz this year and a sense of something happening. New York is a very difficult place to make an impact."
Scottish Executive
3.6 It was suggested that as a central "hub" for Tartan Week, a box office at the Scotland Village, would have provided visitors with the opportunity to buy tickets to other Tartan Week events and would have acted as a signpost to the other Tartan Week venues.
3.7 Much of the Scottish Executive's pre-event negotiations with Tartan Week event organisers was not in written format. Letters to event organisers confirming the level of funding they would receive from the Scottish Executive for Tartan Week were not distributed until January 2006, giving many event organisers insufficient time to plan their event and secure appropriate venues.
"It took some time for us to receive written confirmation that we were going to receive any funding."
Event organiser
"There was no formal communication. Nothing in writing."
Event organiser
"Planning needs to start around September time to give us enough time to find a venue, etc. We need to know then if we are getting funding."
Event organiser
"Once we got the letter we had just eight weeks to plan everything from venue to marketing to speakers."
Event organiser
3.8 The letters confirming level of funding were greeted with disappointment by some event organisers as the final sums mentioned within the written communication differed from the amount of monies mentioned during verbal discussions with Scottish Executive staff.
"We had our money cut towards the end because they said they were over committed."
Event organiser
"Prior to the written documentation we sent to event organisers, no precise budgets had been agreed upon."
Scottish Executive
3.9 During the pre-event stage, event organisers were invited to attend meetings at the Scottish Executive's offices to discuss plans. Event organisers criticised these meetings for being "too large" and "without agenda", implying that there was little outcome from each meeting. Some event organisers criticised other event organisers because they did not come to these meetings sufficiently prepared, whilst the Scottish Executive noted that event organisers missed the opportunity to instigate collaborative opportunities at these meetings when all event organisers were present.
"I was surprised that some event organisers came to the meetings obviously not prepared and I suppose this reflected their own lack of organisation."
Event organiser
"We were keen to collaborate with others but anyone we approached said they wanted to do their own thing."
Event organiser
"The meetings provided event organisers with the opportunity to see who else was taking part in Tartan Week and to establish any collaborative work at that stage."
Scottish Executive
3.10 The majority of event organisers felt that Tartan Week would have benefited from the services of an event manager who would co-ordinate all elements of Tartan Week and be a main point of contact at all stages from planning to post event. This individual would have the appropriate skills to ensure that the event runs efficiently and could be from within, or outwith, the Scottish Executive.
"We do festivals really well all over Scotland. There are a number of people who could manage Tartan Week effectively or feed into the management of the event."
Event organiser
"An Event Manager - and one who is based in America who knows the American market - is what is needed."
Event organiser
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