How Edinburgh's quality newsbrand is powering local business marketing

As it edges closer to its 150th year in 2023, Edinburgh's leading quality newsbrand has never been more important to its loyal readers and commercial partners.
Part of the Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team, from left: Adam Fenech, Kylie Duncan, Keiran Delaney and Karina Sirakjana.Part of the Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team, from left: Adam Fenech, Kylie Duncan, Keiran Delaney and Karina Sirakjana.
Part of the Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team, from left: Adam Fenech, Kylie Duncan, Keiran Delaney and Karina Sirakjana.

Its daily newspaper, first published in 1873, and thriving online equivalent which generates over 6 million pageviews a month, places the Edinburgh Evening News firmly at the heart of quality, trusted reporting on the issues that matter to those in and around Scotland's Capital.

And according to its commercial lead Adam Fenech, this creates powerful opportunities for business advertisers of all shapes and sizes. "We know Edinburgh because we live and breathe Edinburgh everyday," he says. "And we know the kind of content our loyal audience values, so we see it as our mission to deliver this to them and help local businesses flourish through better marketing at the same time."

The Corstorphine resident heads up a partnerships team established to help firms take the pain out of marketing themselves effectively to Edinburgh residents.

From left: Euan McGrory Editor of Edinburgh Evening News, Visual Artist David Fleck and Neil Small of Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team inspect giraffe sculpture from upcoming Giraffe About Town art trail.From left: Euan McGrory Editor of Edinburgh Evening News, Visual Artist David Fleck and Neil Small of Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team inspect giraffe sculpture from upcoming Giraffe About Town art trail.
From left: Euan McGrory Editor of Edinburgh Evening News, Visual Artist David Fleck and Neil Small of Edinburgh Evening News Partnerships Team inspect giraffe sculpture from upcoming Giraffe About Town art trail.

"Great content, useful marketing, happy readers and more customers for our advertisers are all possible with the right approach," Adam explains. "We enjoy fewer things more than sitting down with a local business over a coffee and helping them to be more successful through clever and cost-effective marketing, whether that's online, in our newspaper, via social media, video content, podcasts or event sponsorship.”

Adam maintains: “If local business wins and our loyal audience wins, then we do too – and that's what gets us out of bed each day."

His team counts a diverse mix of delighted organisations from across the Lothians on its impressive list of partners, including the iconic Edinburgh Zoo and Rosslyn Chapel, fibre broadband network provider CityFibre, Edinburgh's top-ranked pizza restaurant @Pizza and family-run local law firm Gibson Kerr.

Edinburgh Zoo's Head of Marketing and Sales Lisa Robshaw is in no doubt when it comes to the value provided by the team at Edinburgh Evening News. "Adam, Neil Small and the entire team of people behind the scenes are simply wonderful to deal with and genuinely care about the success of the zoo and our conservation charity,” she says.

@Pizza@Pizza
@Pizza

“Not only have we benefited from the impactful marketing campaigns they've structured but we have been introduced to other local businesses who we have since formed partnerships with. The service from the Evening News team is first-class and, just as importantly, we have a good laugh along the way."

Edinburgh Evening News is the official media partner of the Zoo's upcoming Giraffe About Town Trail which will see more than 40 giraffe sculptures adorned with unique artwork displayed in key Capital locations this summer.

@Pizza Head of Sales & Marketing Alex Reily is similarly full of praise when it comes to the marketing services provided by Edinburgh's leading quality newsbrand.

"We have worked with Adam and his team for the past 3 years and have a wonderful partnership which effectively raises @pizza’s profile in the local area," says Alex.

@Pizza, who are headline sponsors of the Edinburgh Local Hero Awards (an Edinburgh Evening News event) have ambitious plans to expand beyond its West End and Royal Mile locations in the coming months and have already seen first-hand the value of clever marketing campaigns planned by the Evening News team.

"Whether it was for our successful £1.25m crowdfunding round in late 2019, our drive thru pizza pivot during lockdown restrictions, the recent opening of our Royal Mile restaurant, or the launch of our haggis topped pizza in association with Simon Howie Foods for Burns Night; Adam, the commercial, and editorial teams have supported us throughout. We particularly value the creative approach that allowed us to hand out 200 empty pizza boxes as vouchers, support excellent local causes and reach beyond traditional print marketing." Alex says.

So what advice does Adam have for local businesses out there struggling to make sense of their marketing or simply looking to boost the number of customers it currently has?

"Let's have a chat," he says. "Your success is our success but the plan starts with a conversation. Give me or my team a call today and let's find out what's going to make sense for you and your particular set of circumstances.

“The chances are we can help directly but even if we can't we will make sure to connect you to someone who can. Our success as a newsbrand for a century and half has been built on trust so you are guaranteed honest recommendations when you deal with us and hopefully the beginning of another successful partnership. We look forward to hearing from you."

Contact Adam and his team today on:

0131-370 0828