Newcastle-based communications agency Karol Marketing is working with Visit Scotland on a unique partnership to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design.
The award-winning agency brokered the partnership between Scotland’s national tourist board and leading camping brand Vango, which this year celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Running across the summer and autumn months, the partnership which aims to raise awareness of the wealth of design talent and innovation in Scotland’s outdoor industry, includes a number of activations and is already seeing high levels of engagement.
As part of the partnership, members of the public from across the UK have been competing to win a deluxe camping trip to Scotland. Meanwhile people across Scotland are being challenged to test their speed and agility in a competition to see how quickly they can blow up a Vango Airbeam tent. It is just one of the activities on Visit Scotland’s special helian coo vans that are touring events and attractions across the country to engage with locals and visitors alike. Karol Marketing is also leading a media engagement programme to invite lifestyle and consumer journalists from across the UK to explore the country’s innovation, architecture and design for themselves.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “From textiles to technology, architecture to fashion and design, the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is shining a spotlight on this country’s greatest assets and icons, as well as our hidden gems. We are delighted to be teaming up with Vango – a Scottish company with a proud history of innovation – to promote camping in Scotland and encourage even more people to enjoy a holiday in our great outdoors.”
As one of the world’s leading camping brands, West of Scotland based Vango – an anagram of the Glasgow suburb Govan – has re-invented the manufacturing process for making tents including ground breaking innovations, such as Force Ten MTN, AirBeam® technology and TBS® – Tension Band Systems. To coincide with the Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design, it has launched a new range of family AirBeam® tents (‘Exclusive collection’) and a new AirAway® drive away awning (‘Idris’) incorporating Vango’s latest AirBeam® technology. Both are finished in striking Scottish heritage colours, with a streamlined design packed with rich features, which Vango’s strong reputation is built upon.
Karol Marketing’s founder and managing director Stefan Lepkowski commented: “We’re delighted to have been able to bring together two of Scotland’s leading brands in support of Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design. It’s a real thrill to be able to combine our strong heritage of working with outdoor and mountaineering brands and our proven-track record of working on similar campaigns across the UK to support Visit Scotland at this exciting time.”
With nearly 25 years of experience of working with brands in the outdoor industry, Karol Marketing has a proven track-record of raising awareness of technical performance clothing and equipment brands amongst wider consumer audiences. The award-winning agency, which also has a corporate PR division working across the aviation, healthcare, oil & gas, property, engineering, and retail and leisure sector, has seen an exciting period of growth in recent months with a number of new client wins. It was recently appointed as retained public relations agency to handle all UK communications across consumer, trade and regional media for global outdoor brand Montane.
Karol Marketing is one of the most awarded public relations and marketing agencies in the North East of England. It was recently shortlisted for eight Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide awards, including Regional Campaign of the Year, Best Corporate and Business Communications Campaign, and Best Media Relations Campaign. Established in 1992, it will next year celebrate its 25th birthday.