Murray Calder, Director, MediaCom Edinburgh, delivered his inaugural address yesterday evening (10th May) as Chairman of the IPA in Scotland, where he outlined his plans to reinvigorate the Scottish advertising industry.
10/05/2011
His agenda aims to increase the skills, connections, clout, and in turn the pride and attractiveness, of the Scottish advertising industry by focusing on two key themes: engagement and collaboration.
Says Calder: “It’s easy to sit around and moan about the decline of the advertising industry in Scotland isn’t it? But what are we actually going to do about it? It’s our industry, our community and I say it’s time we all got stuck in and did more to change things for the better."
On engagement, Calder has pledged to:
• Engage more often and more effectively with IPA members, potential members, and with anyone who works in a marketing services agency in Scotland to explain the role, value and upcoming programme of the IPA in Scotland.
• Bring more of the digital agency community into the fold.
• Establish a regular series of speaking engagements featuring inspirational leaders from inside and outside the advertising industry, such as Rockstar Games, which will appeal to all audiences, particularly to the younger end of the industry and to the creatives.
• Reach out to universities and colleges to develop mutually beneficial educational links, and to ensure that the curriculums of advertising/media courses are relevant, so that graduates can enter the industry better equipped.
On collaboration, Calder will:
• Further develop a collaborative approach to the IPA’s relationships with other marketing bodies in Scotland, including the Marketing Society and the Edinburgh International Marketing Festival (EIMF).
• Initiate contacts with Government with the aim of getting involved in The Scottish Creative Industries Partnership Co-ordination Group (which currently comprises six partnership groups; Film, Music, Product Design, Design Services, Publishing and the Performing Arts).
• Develop contacts with Scottish Enterprise to help outline the contribution the advertising industry makes to the Scottish economy.
Says Calder: “I think my agenda for the next two years is pretty simple and straightforward - a more frequent and more relevant programme of engagement with both current and prospective IPA members and a more collaborative approach between those bodies in Scotland who have an influence on the industry. But I, indeed the IPA, can’t change the fortunes of the Scottish advertising industry alone. It’ll take all of us working together to create a brighter future for the industry. I hope you’ll all join me in doing more to change things for the better.”
Read his full speech. Join the conversation on Twitter: #IPAScot
Murray Calder's biography:
After studying Economics at the University of Glasgow, Murray began his career in Glasgow with fine wine and spirit distributers The Macallan Langs Partnership. In 1994, he headed to Speyside to take up a variety of roles with The Macallan Glenlivet PLC. In 1997 he moved to Perth, along with the ownership of The Macallan, to Highland Distillers, now part of The Edrington Group, where he steadily rose through the ranks to become Global Marketing Manager for The Famous Grouse. During his time with The Edrington Group, Murray was responsible for the global relaunch of The Famous Grouse, several highly successful and innovative global product launches and the development of marketing strategies which delivered significant overseas growth for Scotland’s best loved whisky brands. Following stints at two more of Scotland’s iconic brands (Baxters and Glenmorangie), Murray finally turned poacher in September 2006 by joining MediaCom Edinburgh to head up the ‘Explore’ team, which are responsible for insight, strategy and effectiveness. He now has responsibility for new business and marketing.