Susan Russell
Marketing Manager
Festivals
Edinburgh
History and Context
1947
1950
1978
1983 1988
1990
1994 1995
2004
History & Context
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12 Festivals
25,000 Artists
2,000+ accredited media
3,000+ shows
4.2m audiences
£261m economic impact
History and Context
FESTIVALS FORUM
CEOs of key public sector stakeholders plus independent experts
Mid to long term planning, including funding and decision making concerning
Edinburgh’s competitive position as the world’s leading Festival City.
THUNDERING HOOVES STEERING GROUP
Managers/Officers of key stakeholders
Monitoring and ensuring implementation of the action plan;
following through decisions made at the Festivals Forum
FESTIVALS EDINBURGH
FE Board: 12 Festival Directors/CEOs
FE : 8 staff
Collaboration
FESTIVALS EDINBURGH
FE Board: 12 Festival Directors/CEOs
FE Staff: 8 FTE
What is required to achieve our objectives and enhance our position?
Programming
WORKING
GROUPS
• Festival
Staff Members
• Chaired by a board
member
• Supported by FE staff
member
Environment
Marketing
Innovation
Professional Development
Development
2012: sport and culture
OPPORTUNITIES:
• Heightened international
awareness
• Global media exposure
• Cultural Olympiad/Festival
2012
2012: sport and culture
THREATS:
• No like-for-like comparisons
on other destinations
• 2012 visitor volumes - but
where?
• Avoidance of UK?
2012: sport and culture
CULTURAL OLYMPIAD:
• Edinburgh International Festival
– Speed of Light
– Shakespeare Festival
• Bank of Scotland Imaginate
Festival
Speed of Light
Marketing in 2012
• Earlier/multi-tiered
MONTH
JANUARY
– Extension
FEBRUARY
MARCH
– Displacement
APRIL
MAY
– Staycation
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPT
INT’L
UK
SCOTLAND
Marketing in 2012
• International campaign
• UK campaigns
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Expedia
Times/Guardian
NE Radio
Ryanair/Easyjet
• Year-round PR
• Year-round digital
• E-CRM
Tourism & Culture
• 2012 – the Year of Creative
Scotland
• Partnerships with
VisitScotland/VisitBritain and
Marketing Edinburgh
• Creation of trade produce –
Edinburgh Festivals Passport
• Festival impacts on Edinburgh
Edinburgh & it’s Festivals
SOCIAL/CULTURAL IMPACTS:
• 89% of Edinburgh respondents
said that the Festivals increase
local pride in their home city
• 93% of tourists say that Festivals
are part of what makes Edinburgh
special as a city
• 82% say the Festivals make them
more likely to visit Edinburgh
again in the future
ECONOMIC:
• £261m economic impact
2012 Legacy: what next?
FUTURE PLANNING
• Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth
Games
• Homecoming Scotland 2014
• What you should think about?
2012 Legacy: for you
History and Context