Speyside based communications agency SPEY beat off competition from the whole of the UK to win Small Consultancy of the Year at the Public Relations and Communications Association ‘Dare’ Awards. The PRCA is the world's largest PR professional body and exists to raise standards in PR and communications.
In contrast to most communication agencies which are based in cities and urban areas, SPEY was established in the town of Aberlour in 2016 in the heart of Speyside, a stone’s throw away from more world-class brands than anywhere else in Scotland. With a focus on retaining and attracting talent to an economically fragile rural area, the agency has created quality professional jobs in the creative industries which didn’t exist before, including PR, marketing, digital and design.
It’s been a big year for the Managing Director and founder of the business, Jennifer Robertson, who didn’t make the UK finals in Manchester because she gave birth to her first child in June. She said:
“In contrast to other communications agencies, our HQ is in a rural area with a satellite office in Edinburgh to help power our north USP. In this day and age even blue-chip clients are turning away from large global conglomerates in search of brilliant ideas from small and nimble creative communications agencies that can do a bit of everything.
Our beautiful Highland setting gives us a much better insight into our clients’ businesses and a unique clarity of thought that has eluded most agencies.
In just three years the agency has built up a client base across several consumer sectors delivering communication campaigns for them on a global level. This is done by our experienced team of strategists and creatives, many of whom have either moved to Speyside or been able to stay because we have created professional jobs in the creative industries which didn’t exist before in an economically fragile area.
“We are thrilled that the value of our approach and the quality of our work has been recognised with this UK award.”
