Gribbon finally nets top marketing title

THE managing director of an Edinburgh-based brands consultancy has been chosen ‘Marketeer of the year’ at the annual awards run by the Marketing Society (Scotland).

Glen Gribbon, of charteredbrands, beat off the challenge of three other contenders to the take the title, having been nominated on two previous occasions.

Its client list ranges from a pomegranate liqueur to toilet cleaners, Gribbon cracking a joke during his acceptance speech that – how sad was he? – he knew, to the decimal point, the toilet cleaner share of the market.

He was up against Philip Hogg, of Miller Homes; Lynne McPhee, of Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 and Malcolm Roughead, of VisitScotland.

Meanwhile, Rory Paterson, of Mediacom Edinburgh, was chosen as ‘Young marketeer of the year'; VisitScotland, ‘Brand company of the year'; The Union, ‘Marketing services company of the y’ear; Speyside High School, the ‘Schools award’ winner; and Susan Mitchell, the ‘Student of the year’.

This year, there were 162 entries from 50 organisations, but judging panel chair, Ken Grier, said he is hoping, next year, for more entries from small-to-medium-sized businesses.

One of the biggest cheers of the evening went to The Leith Agency, for its TV advert, How the Snowman Took on Father Christmas and Won – which took the advertising excellence title.

The other prize winners:

Brand development: charteredbrands

International marketing: Scottish Enterprise

Internal marketing: Business Stream

Marketing capabilities: Feather Brooksbank

Business start-up: Rick Shaw’s World Cuisine Ltd

Customer insight: Miller Homes

Business innovation: Miller Homes

Cause-related and not-for-profit: Martin Currie Investment Management Ltd

Alan Frame Award for marketing achievement by an SME: Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014

Design excellence: Hampton Associates Ltd

Direct marketing excellence: Story

Promotional excellence: The Edrington Group

Media excellence: Mediacom Edinburgh

Online excellence: Ambergreen

PR excellence: Tennent Caledonian Breweries

Event excellence: Platinum One

Sponsorship excellence: Bank of Scotland and Material