|
Scottish Thistle Awards 2001 - Small Business Marketing Initiative
Winner - 5pm.co.uk
5pm.co.uk launched in spring 2000 as an innovative online restaurant booking service. It encourages restaurants to sell unsold tables at short notice while enabling customers to eat out more frequently at quality restaurants at very affordable rates.
 |
|
The system has been developed and marketed using both on line and more traditional off line marketing routes.
Indeed it is the adherence to basic marketing principles that has contributed to 5pm exceeding its initial performance targets. |
 Very clear objectives; first class research; carefully chosen partners and unstinting enthusiasm have also been employed by this highly motivated team. Plans for expansion into the rest of the UK and overseas are well under way, thereby ensuring more diners have access to this excellent initiative.
Finalist - Ledard Farm Ltd: ''Ducks to the Rescue!''
Farmers as well as tourism operators, the owners of Ledard Farm and the Scottish Wool Centre decided not to take the Foot and Mouth crisis lying down, but rather focussed on the positive. Substituting ducks for sheep in the Sheep Theatre, this marketing initiative demonstrates how even on a limited budget, a negative situation can be turned to advantage with lateral thought, imagination and humour! The media were invited to a demonstration of the sheep dogs rounding up the ducks which resulted in extensive TV, press and radio coverage. With splendid ''spin doctoring'', not only did the Scottish Wool Centre manage to stay open, it experienced its busiest Easter and May holiday weekends since opening in 1992.
Finalist - Taste of Scotland
The judges considered this to be a very strong entry, conveying how impressive changes to the 2001 Taste of Scotland Guide, together with a careful choice of distributor have led to a marked increase in sales, with the guide being ''sold out'' for the first time. New markets, including North America, are now being penetrated as a result of this successful partnership. As a non-profit making company, Taste of Scotland have shown good management of publicity and marketing on a limited budget as well as good use of distribution channels, the web and online sales. The inclusion of more information and an effective and practical redesign have resulted in an enhanced product for both consumers and members and a greater demand for the Guide.
Award Description
This award was open to businesses with 20 or less employees and an annual turnover of less than 1 million and seeks to recognise those that can demonstrate a successful and creative marketing initiative.
Judges were looking for an initiative which has clear objectives, is well researched, uses creative marketing techniques and can demonstrate success using rigorous evaluation procedures.
British Midland generously gave the winner a 2 night break in Copenhagen for two, including flights from Edinburgh or Glasgow, B&B in a 3 star hotel plus two Copenhagen Cards offering free admission to the city''s principal attractions.
Link
|
