Brand revitalisation is one of the most challenging tasks facing any marketing leader. It requires sensitivity to heritage, clarity of purpose, and the courage to correct past mistakes. Few case studies illustrate this better than Hull City AFC — a club approaching its 125th anniversary, now undergoing a thoughtful and ambitious transformation under Turkish owner Acun Ilicali, who purchased the club for £20m in January 2022.

Hull City’s journey shows that revitalising a brand is not about cosmetic tweaks. It is about reconnecting with your core audience, strengthening the product, and building a story that resonates emotionally and culturally. For marketing directors, the club’s story offers a rich playbook of what a great brand revitalisation looks like — and what it absolutely should avoid.

1. Heritage is the Foundation of Revitalisation

The Allam era’s (1) attempt to rename the club Hull Tigers remains a textbook example of how not to handle brand change. The backlash was immediate because the proposal ignored the club’s heritage — its name, its identity, and also its connection to the city of Hull.

Heritage is not a constraint. It is a strategic asset.

Under Ilicali, the club has restored its traditional identity, reinforced its connection to Hull, and embraced its history rather than rewriting it. Even the club’s website — now wearehullcity.co.uk — signals a return to authenticity and community.

Brand revitalisation lesson

• Brand revitalisation succeeds when it amplifies heritage, not erases it.
• Names, symbols and stories carry emotional equity that cannot be replaced by novelty.

2. Build on Strengths — Don’t Invent New Ones

The club’s new home shirt, designed with Hull-based partner Oxen, is a masterclass in heritage-led design. Celebrating the 1978–79 season (2), it draws on a period of pride and identity, while the away strip and third strip honour other chapters of the club’s past and city heritage. Personally, I prefer a shirt with a tiger badge – and thankfully that’s arrived in the new ‘away’ strip.

This is revitalisation through continuity — rather than reinvention.

The club describes the new kit as a way for “the city to speak”. And it matters: very few brands are lucky enough to have customers who willingly wear their identity. Football shirts are walking billboards of belonging. They create emotional connection, pride, and also sense of shared story.

Brand revitalisation lesson

• Local partnerships (like Oxen) deepen authenticity and strengthen community ties.
• Revitalisation works when design celebrates identity, though not when it tries to overwrite it.

3. Emotional Connection is the Engine of Brand Revitalisation

Hull City’s recent strategy has focused on rebuilding emotional connection with supporters — a crucial element of any revitalisation effort.

Examples include:

• Flying 500 supporters to Turkey on a Hull City–liveried jet
• Lower ticket prices for youngsters to build the next generation of fans
• A more open, enthusiastic, and human leadership style
• Proactive engagement with fans through supporter panels, Q&As
• Visible pride in the city and its people

These are not gimmicks. They are signals of respect, belonging, and also a shared identity and dream.

Brand revitalisation lesson

• When supporters feel ignored, they become opponents.
• Emotional connection is not a “nice to have” — it is the core driver of revitalisation.
• When customers feel valued, they become brand advocates (and even dip in their pockets in tough times to pay staff wages).

4. The Product Must Improve Alongside the Brand

No brand revitalisation can succeed if the underlying product remains weak. Hull City’s on-pitch progress, and promotion to the Premiership — despite FA restrictions on expenditure — has been impressive. Recruitment has been smart, targeted, and increasingly international (13 hires for the start of the 26/27 season).

The club has also shown courage in making difficult decisions, including changing managers at the start of the 2025–26 season to maintain momentum. These choices demonstrate a commitment to excellence, not sentiment.

Marketing lesson

• Revitalisation fails when the story improves but the experience does not.
• While brand is a promise; proof lies in the pudding or product.

5. Correcting Past Mistakes Is a Strength, Not a Weakness

One of the most powerful aspects of Hull City’s revitalisation is its willingness to acknowledge and correct past missteps. The Allam era’s alienation of supporters, disregard for heritage, and also top-down decision-making damaged trust and attendance.

The new ownership has drawn a clear line under that period.

Marketing lesson

• Revitalisation requires humility.
• Brands must be willing to admit when they got it wrong — and act decisively to fix it.

6. Building an International Brand Through Authentic Synergy

Hull City’s growing international profile is no accident. Ilicali’s ownership of Turkish media assets, and recruitment of Turkish players helped attract a significant overseas following, particularly from Turkey. Further overseas recruitment in 2026, from France, Greece, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Ecuador, Australia and Canada – will further revitalise the brand and extend global appeal.

This is not opportunistic. It is strategic synergy: using media reach, cultural connection, and player recruitment to build a broader and stronger brand footprint.

Brand revitalisation lesson

• Internationalisation works best when it is authentic, not forced.
• Synergy between ownership, media, and product can accelerate global brand reach.

Conclusion: A Club — and Brand — Reborn

Hull City AFC’s revitalisation is still unfolding, but the direction is unmistakably positive. By embracing heritage, improving the product, reconnecting emotionally with supporters, and also building international recognition, the club is demonstrating what great brand revitalisation looks like.For marketing directors, the message is clear:

• Brand revitalisation is not a cosmetic exercise.
• It is a strategic, emotional, and cultural transformation.

Hull City — now over 125 years young — is proving that when you honour your past, invest in your present, and inspire your future, the brand becomes more than a badge. It becomes a movement.

References

(1) Dr. Assem Allam was a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. Born in Egypt, he studied at Hull University in the 1960s, then decided to stay in the City of Hull. His business, Allam Marine, supplies and sells generators and he owned Hull City from December 2010 to January 2022. He also donated to Hull FC, the University of Hull, Hull Truck Theatre Co. and the NHS. He passed away in December 2022.
(2) History of Hull City kits

Ready to strengthen your brand? We help organisations revitalise their identity, sharpen their strategy and tell stories that resonate. Discover more about our brand revitalisation, brand strategy and brand storytelling services.

This article discusses what brand extension strategy to choose to best build your brand. To bring to life the options we also share insights from some really iconic brands.

Early brand extensions

In 1881, Rowntree launched Fruit Pastilles, and in 1893, Fruit Gums. Their success with fruit products subsequently allowed the business to launch a series of chocolate products, including chocolate beans (1882).

However, through the early 1900s, Rowntree struggled to make milk chocolate of comparable quality to market leader, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk.

In the 1931, George Harris was appointed marketing manager for chocolate products. He mined his knowledge of marketing, advertising and consumer research and built on his experiences in the American market. In 1935 he launched Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp. This was renamed KitKat in 1937 (Figure 1). Today there are over 200 KitKat brand extensions, though mainly flavour variants.

Subsequently he also transformed Rowntree’s Chocolate Beans into Smarties.  Brand extensions available today include large size Smarties, Fruity Smarties, and ice cream Smarties  (including McFlurry versions).  As a result of his successes, Harris became Rowntree’s company Chairman in 1941. And he is now recognised as one the fathers of modern marketing (Figure 2).

Figure 2: George Harris – The Father of Modern Marketing

Reasons for extending brands

There are two principal reasons to extend brands.

First, they help grow market penetration or share within a market.

Second, they help strengthen reputation (i.e. brand positioning).

Alternative brand extension strategies

Figure 3 summarises the benefits of alternative brand extension strategies.

Extending brands in existing markets or to existing customers requires brands to sell more to customers, for example via new size variants.

To attract new customers with existing products requires the identification of new customer segments or new market categories for example via new flavour variants.

Strengthening brand reputation to existing customers demands brand repositioning. Strengthening rational and/or emotional benefits improves value perceptions, and value share. A famous example of this type of strategy in action is the repositioning and repackaging of Lucozade from a brand that aided recovery, to a sports drink in 1983.

The fourth type of brand extension strategy both attracts new customer segments and involves reputation change. This option provides the strongest case for launching a new new brand rather than extending an existing one. The KitKat example discussed earlier evidences how a new new brand better helped Rowntree successfully build a bridgehead in chocolate confectionery.

The further a new brand extension proposition is from the original or core brand the greater the risk and potential opportunity as in effect you are creating new markets (Figure 3).

What brand extension strategy to choose?

So is it better to extend a brand, or launch a new brand? Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of each strategy (Figure 4). Net extending an existing brand benefits from the existing awareness and equity a brand has in a market. This strategy was originally employed by Procter & Gamble when launching the first ever combined shampoo and conditioner product – Vidal Sassoon Wash & Go.

How to extend your brand?

There are two principal ways; either a brand extension push vs. brand vision ‘pull’ innovation strategy

Brand extension through evolution from a core

Boots No7, launched in 1935 as a retailer own skin care brand. Though colour cosmetics followed and took off in the post war years (3). The brand has since had many make-overs; both changes in livery (blue, terracotta, brown, grey, black etc), and many brand extensions.  In 1971, the decision was made to build an independent brand, repositioning it as a fashion brand, though exclusive to Boots.  Product innovations added to the equity, with (Special Collection) Positive Action Cream (1980) (designed to compete with upscale skin care brands), and in 2007, No7 hit the jackpot with Protect & Perfect Serum. A BBC Horizon documentary declared it the only product on the market to have proven anti-ageing effects. It caused a storm in Boots’ aisles with stock selling out in just two weeks. Today ‘Protect and Perfect’ is a sub-brand extension in its own right; it’s even available at Amazon (Figure 5).

This requires clear brand understanding; on the nature of the brand equity, and its strengths and weaknesses, in order to build on or refresh those strengths, and eliminate any weaknesses.  

Brand extension through delivering a vision

Olay (or Oil of Ulay, Olaz, or Ulan) as it was originally known, launched in South Africa in 1952 (4). A pink beauty lotion, it was promoted as ‘the secret of younger looking skin’, becoming global category leader.  In 1985, while largely a single product brand, it was  clearly perceived as ‘for younger looking skin’, and thus P&G acquired the brand. They then invested significantly in R&D, to create a raft of brand extensions to better deliver the said promise. Today brand extensions include Complete, Total Effects, ProX, Regenerist, Regenerist Luminous, Classics, Fresh Effects, Body (North America) and White Radiance (Asia).  They include range of ingredients to deliver against the desired claims: including a broad spectrum sunscreen,  retinyl propionate (a vitamin A derivative), glycerin, niacinamide (vitamin B3), and amino peptides.

This primarily requires a clear vision for the brand in customer’s minds, then rigorous innovation, perhaps though new technology, or new ways of thinking, to deliver that vision. Thus a more substantive step change is possible. Of course, understanding and building on the core equity also helps too.

Lessons learned from other brand innovations

Gucci brand extensions

Gucci started out making saddles for wealthy horsemen in Tuscany in 1921 (5). Impressed by some of the luggage he saw guests with at luxury hotels, he then employed fine leather craftsmen, and the latest machinery, to make luggage. Then over time setting up stores to reach elite customers. Clothing followed as did the iconic double GG logo on belt buckles in 1964. As the company established a reputation for classic Italian style and luxury, it prospered through the 1970s. While ups and downs followed, the hiring of a strong creative, Tom Ford, in 1990 to design a ready-to-wear collection, took the company to new heights. Most recently the brand extended into homeware and decoration (Figure 6). Delivering a great online and social media brand experience has also inspired further growth.

Caterpillar brand extensions

Caterpillar Inc. (sometimes shortened to CAT) is the world’s biggest manufacturer of construction equipment. The name dates from the merger of two other companies in 1925; one of whom Holt, whose tractors were used to haul guns in World War 1. During World War 2 their trucks also found fame with the US Navy who used them to build military bases. Since the 1950s the company has grown through a series of related product acquisitions, bringing them all products, under the Caterpillar name.

By the late 20th century, its distinctive yellow livery, Caterpillar was synonymous with reliability, durability and technology.  In 1994, therefore, via a carefully controlled licensing programme, Caterpillar extended the brand to a selected range of merchandise. Originally and most famously boots. The footwear sector has boomed since, and remained the most successful consumer product licensing segment to date. In the late 90s, Caterpillar also issued its first watch license, to Catwatches.com (CAT calls them rugged timepieces), and in 2016, to mobile phones.

Walt Disney brand extensions

Walt Disney, a shy yet visionary man, famously created his first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie in 1928 (4). It featured what was to become the world’s best known mouse.  In 1935, he went on to create the first full length, animation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In 1955, he opened the world’s first amusement park, Disneyland (in Anaheim, Los Angeles). To fund this he also diversified into TV programmes, including the Mickey Mouse Club, and live action movies. By the mid 1960s, when Walt Disney died he’d set high standards, instilled strong beliefs in, and established a clear vision for the company, “to make the world happy”.

This vision has guided Disney’s “imagineering” since.  You can learn from this too. It means that Mickey Mouse management isn’t a joke – but a ticket to business success.

Marketing Inspiration

1. Brands grow and extend arise through both evolution (from a core brand promise) and revolution (to achieve a brand vision). Ultimately, reinforcing clear customer perceptions, and thus an ability to answer the question – “what does the brand stand for”? (Figure 8)

2. Great brands, and brand extensions, offer both strong, and distinctive rational and emotional benefits. Thus, don’t underestimate the importance of the latter. Especially as it means people pay more.

3. Successful brand development springs from many sources; a strong creative leader, visionaries, or a strong brand belief system. All fuel a clearer, almost obsessive, sense of direction.

4. Don’t think narrowly i.e. within a market segment, to extend a brand. However, do think logically and laterally, to understand customers, and their brand perception, to uncover an insight that gives a sense of direction.

5. You are more likely to reveal extraordinary brand extension ideas, through a culture of innovation. It’s also possible to create a culture of innovation by hiring or bringing together folk, who are not hidebound by their previous experience. Virgin Atlantic, for example, was established by a team with no initial airline experience.

6. Don’t cannibalise your own sales unless you are making more money i.e. gaining higher margins.

7. Beware of a stretch too far, unless innovation, and risk taking is part of your brand equity. As is the case for fashion brands, and corporate investment companies, who aim to create new brands, and sell them on quickly.

References

1. The Rowntree Society

2. Sébastien Jaulent, Katia Luxin, and Yna Sacko, Dissertation on ‘Advantages and Disadvantages of Brand Extension Strategy for Companies’

3. No7 Beauty https://www.no7beauty.co.uk/about-us/

4. Olay – Our History https://olay.co.uk/olay-promise/our-history

2. Gucci –  https://Gucci.com

3. Caterpillar timelines https://Caterpillar.com

4. Capodagli Bill, Jackson Lynn, The Disney Way – Harnessing the Management Secrets of Disney in Your Company  (1988)

Evolution of products vs brands

Product recognition is a marketing fundamental. But what really is the difference between products vs brands? The early brands used marks like the red triangle of BASS beer. This was actually a symbol of strength similar to Castlemaine XXXX or Wadworth 6X (Figure 1). Others from Ford to Kellogg to Boots used the simple signature of the owner. These were the first differentiators that enabled products evolve into brands.

Products that are named and recognisable in design and packaging can then be recalled by their qualities, properties, and attributes and benefits. This is all very logical so far ….

Brands add ‘values’ and value

Yet brands also convey ‘values’ – the importance, worth, utility or usefulness of something (1). They build an image or perceptions in the customer’s eyes. In turn they also build a relationship based on emotions of trust and care, responsibility, and respect. Elevating products to brands involves working out what makes them different and better. This process is called brand positioning.

Benefits of brands

Compared with products, brands are more distinctive, and build stronger relationships with customers. In turn they are more valued and valuable. Simply adding more products under the umbrella of the brand also has many attractions. We call this brand extension. In today’s particularly fragmented and targeted media environment, it adds weight to messaging, and scale to business.

Pitfalls to avoid

So make sure that brand values match product performance. Especially in both technical and service sectors. A single poor experience in a restaurant will lower the brand reputation across the entire chain.

This is a problem that befell airplane manufacturer Boeing. When their much-vaulted new plane, the Boeing 737 Max, fell out of the sky it took two years to sort out. The planes underwent final stages of airworthy certification. And Ryanair have now ordered over 200. However, they are no longer named Max (Figure 2). They are now named the Boeing 737-8200.

Marketing Inspiration

So to summarise the difference between products vs brands. Brands are a value-added subset of products and services. All brands are either products or services. However, not all products and services are brands. This is because products and services are typically more generic. Whereas brands have a good awareness, a distinctive image and a stronger emotional connection with consumers. Thus they command premium prices and the strongest brands command higher share prices, reflecting their higher earnings multipliers over the also rans.

So be clear about the difference between products vs brands. And manage the risks and invest accordingly.

References

(1). Oxford English Dictionary. While the word ‘values’ is useful to a point, it is also a somewhat vague term. And thus we prefer the more specific concepts of benefits, personality traits, beliefs and behaviours to understand and describe brands. They are more powerful to develop brand strategies.

We often get asked to help businesses get closer to customers and to develop new business, marketing and brand strategies. Yet businesses plan, organise and manage in different ways. Virtually all also have their own lexicons. Thus sometimes a challenge to address the latter really requires the former and vice versa.

However, a marketing mindset is powerful to address either, and indeed all of these challenges. Marketers are also increasingly empowered to lead business strategy, and many of the world’s most successful businesses are led by CEOs who previously held marketing functional skills.

However, marketing has not always been viewed as a strategic planning and management discipline. It only emerged formally as such in the 1950s (1). Marketing functions evolved from sales, and brand functions, from communications. However, customers and brands are the only constant in a fast-moving digital world.

Simplified strategic planning: 3 steps to success

So here is a simplified strategic planning process that is adaptable for all (2) (Figure 1 – Infographic). By understanding where a business or brand is now and where a business wants to be in the future allows you to plot a route from A to B.

Step 1: Clarify where the business or brand is now

The first step is to understand where the business or brand is now. So determine what are your current business, marketing and brand strengths and weaknesses and what drives growth and profitability?

The marketing discipline uniquely looks through the lens of customers and customer segments to assess issues, size market opportunities and demand influences. It also looks at competitive relativities. So the answer these questions looking through these lens. To do this most robustly, understand your own profitability where the profit opportunities are in the market.

Step 2: Use imagination and analysis to generate ideas, and determine where you want to be

Bring together your colleagues and use your combined imagination to envision your future (2).  What does this look like? What would motivate your stakeholders? Then write a series of clear, challenging, and inspiring goals. While some organisations prefer an analytical approach to business strategy development, others prefer a more creative approach. However, there is merit in dual ‘left brain’ and ‘right brain’ thinking. Left brain thinking involves assessing the pros and cons of each idea or opportunity. Right brain thinking requires stepping away from the detail, and taking inspiration from the world around, to imagine new opportunities and destinations. In our experience no-one has a monopoly on good ideas, and employing different methods leads to better outcomes.

Planning from the customer, market and brand point of view requires considering how to establish or meet customer needs or change customer perceptions. As distinct from setting financial goals, say increasing sales by 5% or realising £Xm. The limitation with the latter is that it is not initially market and customer based. Though financials will need overlaying at a later date.

Step 3: Conduct gap analysis and figure how to bridge the gap

By clarifying where you are now and want to be, will allow you to quantify and qualify the size of the gap that needs bridging. In so doing, potential roadblocks or key issues to address should also become clear. So the challenge is then to design strategies – ‘how to’ solutions, to address the key issues. If this is not possible, then new goals need setting.

Strategic planning success factors

Engage colleagues to win a mandate for change

Engaging colleagues is important to gain buy-in to a way forward.

The best solution is seldom the one that is 100% technically correct if only 20% of stakeholders agree with it. However, a better solution is one that is 90% technically correct where most stakeholders agree with it.

Thus engage a broad church to fact-find, understand hopes and fears, and generate ideas. Then work together to turn your ideas into concrete strategies and solutions.

Through working together, and judicious market research, the best ideas should naturally surface to the top. And with agreement every step of the way, comes a mandate for, as well as desire and commitment to change.

Anticipate and mitigate risks

Change, and the journey to success will not happen overnight. Especially if the journey involves shifting customer hearts and minds. So be pragmatic about what’s achievable, at what cost, and by when. Also understand the risks and barriers to change and factor these into your plans.

Strategic planning context: The product to brand journey

Figure 2 shows a typical journey from basic product to power brand led business. At each stage on the product-brand continuum you’ll realise additional customer and business benefits (3).

If you are a product, service or sales-led organisation, there are benefits in simply understanding and meeting the needs of customers. So put the customer and his or her needs first and centre using market research.

For organisations in markets where brands are emerging as a differentiator, you also need to understand your competitors. And use these insights to better position your brand. 

For digital and service organisations delivering through people, and for larger product brands, understand and influencing perceptions through all brand encounters. This needs structures, skills and processes to focus and align people activities and behaviour to deliver consistent brand experiences.

Finally, the very largest organisations and those contemplating expansion into new countries and categories require more sophisticated relationship building strategies. So build brand personality, structures, skills and processes to extend your brand.

Marketing Inspiration

1. While strategic planning is as simple as 1-2-3 it is complicated by different functional leads, who and what went before, and who is in charge. Yet customer and brand marketing views are gaining increasing traction to drive business growth. So help senior management understand this point, and start by working collaboratively to define relevant business goals.
2. Rarely will success follow if the strategic planning is conducted in a silo, by one person or without engaging the business at large. It is more likely to work by engaging across the entire organisation.
3. It is easy to have ‘rose-tinted’ spectacles, in other words, be overly positive about your own skills and competences. The acid test of a ‘strength’ is through the customers’ eyes and relative to competition.
4. As business and brand drivers continually wax and wane, stay abreast of changing dynamics, and also what works and doesn’t. As a result you’ll be better able to deploy your businesses’ finite resources to influence customer choice.
5. Finally, for those new to marketing, investing in a brand may be a step too far. However, for an inspiring view on the way forward just ask away; our marketing consulting services are always bespoke.

References

1. Webster Frederick E. “A Perspective on the Evolution of Marketing Management” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing Vol. 24 (1) (Spring 2005)
2. Harari Yuval Noah. Sapiens – A Brief History of Humankind (2014)
3. Arnold Tim, Tomlinson Guy. The Marketing Director’s Handbook (2008)

Storytelling predates writing; the earliest forms were spoken, and combined with gestures and expressions. Types of stories include fairy tales, myths, legends and many of religious origin. There is much to learn from stories. With brand storytelling it is possible to transform a brand from a frog to a prince, prolong brand life and also slay your competitors in the process.

Great stories endure

Saint George (AD 280 to 23 April 303), for example, is immortalised in the myth of Saint George and the Dragon. Initially, a soldier in the Roman army, he was venerated as a Christian martyr. He was also subsequently adopted as patron saint of many countries, cities and organisations. 

The story about George and the Dragon originated from the Crusades in the 11th Century. In the story, now a legend, the dragon lives at a water hole and requires a gift of a sheep or maiden to allow the locals to reach the water. When it is a maiden, they draw lots. However, one day a princess is chosen. She begs for her life but to no avail. Then George comes along, slays the dragon and saves the day.

Great stories are retold

Great stories touch and move us. Particularly when seen in a cinema, or through mini movies – as some television advertising has become. Not only do great stories engage, but they merit retelling and sharing. Only the best stories grab attention, are ‘liked’ and shared. In this rich digital media world (1), we are all writers, photographers, producer/directors and editors!

The same thinking process applies to brands. Only the best impress journalists, trade buyers and of course, consumers. Some brands became great through brand storytelling. Some stories are born of reality, though many of accident, serendipity or even invention.

Great stories offer inspiration for brands

Figure 1 shows a typical cinematic story structure. This is also useful for brand storytelling. Act 1 involves setting the scene, introducing the characters, conflict and setting. It then concludes with a climax or set-back (turning point 1 (TP1)). Act 2 develops the story, with rising action and tension, and concluding with another climax or set-back (turning point 2 (TP2)). Finally, in the last act, the dénouement, the story reaches a climax, and resolves. For brands, consider and dramatise the problem it must solve, and finally the benefit it must deliver.

Great stories recognise deep truths, important life lessons

Examples of great stories include ‘good triumphing over evil’, and ‘that every cloud has a silver lining’ – i.e. that you can derive some benefit from every bad thing that happens to you. Also ‘that fortune favours the brave’ – that drive and determination is essential to success. Christopher Booker’s Jungian-influenced analysis of stories and their psychological meaning, espoused seven basic plots (2). Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson subsequently highlighted eighteen: eight guides or gifts and ten warnings (3). Figure 2 maps eight familiar stories against Mark and Pearson’s need-states.

So-called ‘transformations’ deal with significant change in attitude, behaviour or personal growth. ‘Overcoming the Monster’ stories are crime and adventure staples. They feature archetypal heroes (and villains) such as George and the Dragon. Also James Bond and Scaramanga (in The Man with the Golden Gun). And Harry Potter, growing from boy to man, while battling Voldemort.

The typical story-line is baddie does bad thing (set-up), goodie fights baddie and loses (story development, set-back). Then goodie digs deeper, fights back and wins the day (dénouement). In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, he kills a young maiden and then goes after Harker, the hero’s fiancée. Harker and friends then hunt and eventually kill Dracula. Thus saving Harker’s fiancée (and allowing them to live happily ever after).

Great brand storytelling follows from brand archetypes

Brand archetypes play different roles in narratives, and inspire different forms of brand storytelling. For example, in a typical ‘overcoming the monster’ story-line, archetypal heroes, such as James Bond and Harry Potter are protagonists (leading players). Alternatively, the brand could still be the hero, but not the protagonist. Or a bit player – perhaps the protagonist’s assistant or ‘weapon’. The choice is yours.

Here’s another example. Cleaning brand Mr. Muscle is a utilitarian hero archetype. In a typical 3 act story, the housewife battles the dirt, then gets tired and frustrated at her inability to clean the house etc. Then along comes the hero, to clean away the dirt and save the day. The protagonist is the brand user or housewife, and the adversary is simply the dirt.

Nike is an inspiring hero(ine) archetype (4).  The protagonists in Nike advertisements are usually athletes or ordinary people, and the adversaries are fellow competitors. In a typical 3 act story, the athletes compete against each other. One wearing Nike clothing or using Nike equipment, suffering set-backs yet finally winning through, and winning applause.

The Nike advert (below) features a female tennis playing protagonist vilified for being a pretty face. However, the antagonist is not just a fellow competitor but public dismissal, or disdain. All questions confidence in the athlete’s skills. Will she, won’t she succumb to the pressure? Watch the advert to see the dénouement. Also feel how the rising tension strengthens the brand story, and benefit pay-off.

Brand Storytelling Marketing Inspiration

Now work through these simple brand storytelling steps to finesse and execute your brand strategy.

1. Understand your brand truth, archetype and positioning

Great brands like great stories are based on great truths. Great truths include customer and brand truths. So look inside and outside your business to find them.

• Consider what do customers’ really think, believe or need? What is meaningful and true or unknown or disbelieved about your brand?
• What is your brand founder’s tale?
• What’s special about where or how it was invented? Perhaps a ‘secret’ production or delivery process or ‘magical’ ingredient?
• Also what’s special about the brand look, livery or the people who make or deliver the brand?

2. Create and tell stories to engage and dramatise the brand benefits

Consider characters, the role of the brand, and how your brand can transform customers’ lives. How can you create rising tension, and a dénouement that fits the brand? To work out the answers involve disparate people in the creative process and allow lots of time to nurture your ideas.  Figure 3 shows a start-point brand storytelling concept.

3. Express the story through multiple media

While great stories and great brands touch people in different ways, they are based on a clear brand strategy and also express a consistent message. Also consider how your brand story unfolds or presents through different media and choose media that enhance the message and encourage social media sharing.

References

1. According to https://www.internetlivestats.com there are now over 1.1 billion websites including a burgeoning range of social media including Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat and many more.

2. Booker, Christopher The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories.

3. Mark, Margaret and Pearson, Carol S. The Hero & the Outlaw. Building Extraordinary Brands through the Power of Archetypes.

4. Named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

Standing out from the crowd is tough! It is common to find products, services and brands making the same claims. In other words, occupying the same brand positioning spaces. For example, almost every business service claims to improve business efficiency. Further, in consumer goods, almost every washing powder washes clean. Most food also tastes good, and nearly every feature film entertains. These are examples of ‘basic’ or ‘generic’ category benefits; they match the most basic or common consumer needs.

This is where the idea of brand personality has a role to play. Brand personality can transform your brand into a super brand. Through how the brand communicates not just via what is said.

So what is brand personality?

Brand personality confers human characteristics on a brand; physical characteristics, beliefs and behaviours. These guide how the brand looks, speaks, what it thinks, believes and also how it behaves.

While there are usually few benefits to express, there are almost limitless ways to express the benefits. For example, with candour, authority or through humour.

A brand personality helps engage

A great deal of psychological literature suggests that people have a tendency to perceive those they like as more similar than those they dislike. People also have a tendency to perceive themselves in a positive light and seek congruence (1).

Thus a brand personality helps attract and engage. So consider the criteria involved in selecting a mate. Other than physical attributes it mostly comes down to personality and the consequential benefits of a personality.  Beyond the obvious, “And Mrs. Ecclestone, what attracted you to the multi-millionaire Bernie?” other potential benefits include reinforcing self-knowledge, self-consistency and also self-esteem (2).

Brand personality also enriches differences and helps attract and cement relationships. There are three main benefits of a brand personality (Figure 1) (3). To:

• express or enhance either functional or emotional benefits (these are essential criteria for strong brands). Mr Muscle adds strength to a cleaning brand, Fairy suggests a delicate touch or care, while Nike suggests those who wear their sports-wear are winners (4).
• reflect consumer types/enable self-expression. BMW creates stylish automobiles (this is aspirational to non-owners and confers ‘cool’ on owners), Fosters imbues macho and comedy to beer drinking (and thus confers self-esteem and sociableness on the drinker), while Apple suggests high style, easy communication (and confers cool and feel-good in belonging to an ‘elite’ group).
• strengthen consumer-brand relationships; Starbucks attracts as a ‘cool’ place to chill while John Lewis is trusted as a place to shop (because of their clear and consistent trading and returns policies). The passion and success of Manchester United not only generates extraordinary physical and emotional support but the club shirts are also labels (and convey self-image benefits).

Archetypes add meaning to brands

Applying archetypes to brands helps further distil and define a brand’s personality. An archetype is a collectively inherited unconscious idea, a pattern of thought, behaviour, image. They are also universally present in myths, legends, literature and art. Archetypes came to popular consciousness through the work of Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Carl Jung – the founder of modern psychology.  However, archetypes are neither good nor bad, they simply exist. Further, while the number of archetypes is limitless, there are a few notable, recurring archetypes, “the chief among them being” (according to Jung) “the shadow, the wise old man, the child, the mother … and her counterpart, the maiden. Also, lastly the anima in men (the feminine side in a man’s psyche) and the animus in women (the masculine side in a woman’s psyche)” (5).

Humans automatically inherit archetypes and enrich them based on our own experiences. Archetypes also reflect basic human needs and motivations. Mark and Pearson (6) summarised these needs along two axes: belonging/enjoyment versus independence/fulfilment and stability/control versus risk/mastery (Figure 2).

The strongest brands are clear and familiar archetypes

Figure 2 shows the twelve main archetypes mapped on two axes, together with examples of well-known brands that fit each archetype. Some are easy to understand while others may trigger subliminal thoughts.  For example, Virgin is a familiar Outlaw brand cf. Robin Hood. A challenger to authority, taking from the rich and ‘evil’ (as they have variously portrayed established national airlines, banks and railway companies) and giving to the ‘poor’.  Think also Zorro and Rebel without a Cause. This is archetypes is particularly useful to position pioneering brands or those taking on the establishment.

Archetypes also add meaning and convey messages that verbal and written information cannot.  Thus they help bring brands alive. They are also powerful in stimulating new ideas to help brands challenge category conventions, stand-out and reconnect with consumers. Thus understanding the archetypal nature and power of a brand is the first step to realising the strategic benefits outlined in Figure 1.  Once you determine your archetype and understand how it works, the more easily you can express it, use it. Brand marketing activity that correlates most strongly with archetypes tends to be more successful and value enhancing (and vice versa) (6).  

The right brand positioning, personality and archetype depends on the market in which you compete, your customer segments and their needs. It also depend on the brand positioning spaces occupied by competitors, as well as your own strengths and weaknesses.

Marketing Inspiration

1. Search engine marketing relegates brands to a few keywords. So avoid dumbing down your brand, and to be seen and heard invest in a colourful brand personality.  
2. It also transforms your ability to compete.  So if you are #2 or #3 in a category, search for and express the distinctive and engaging combination of personality traits. This also strengthens relationships. Imagine that if products are people, then brands are friends or loved ones.
3. Investing a distinctive brand archetype will also strengthen your brand positioning. In turn making it easier to understand and manage.
4. For service or digital brands that customers meet through people such call centre staff, a brand personality or brand archetype will also guide staff to speak and behave consistently. And customers will be more forgiving if you have a service glitch.
5. Start by assessing the brand positionings, personalities and archetypes of your competitors.

References

1. Sirgy, M. J. Self-congruity: Toward a Theory of Personality and Cybernetics, United States. Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 14, (1986).
2. Sirgy, M. J. “Self-concept in consumer behaviour: A critical review,” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 287-300, (1982).
3. Ahmand, Anees and Thyagaraj, K.S. Understanding the Influence of Brand Personality on Consumer Behaviour (2015).
4. Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. The figure of Nike also appears on the bonnet of Rolls Royce cars, ‘the best cars in the world’.
5. Jung, Carl. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, Second Edition (1996).
6. Mark, Margaret, Pearson, Carol S. The Hero and the Outlaw – Building Extraordinary Brands through the Power of Archetypes (2001).

Photo credit: Warner Bros. Batman vs. Superman 2016.

Battle of the nation brands

The Scottish electorate voted on the question ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ on Thursday 18th September 2015. The UK Government stated that if a simple majority of the votes cast were in favour of independence, then “Scotland would become an independent country after a process of negotiations”. If the majority voted against independence, then Scotland would continue within the United Kingdom (1).  In addition, further powers would be devolved to the Scottish Parliament as a result of the Scotland Act 2012. This article looks at some of the drivers and barriers from a political branding and also marketing perspective.

The Scottish electorate

Scottish residents over the age of 16 were eligible to vote, and according to the National Records for Scotland, 4.1m people registered to do so (2). Though of nearly half a million EU citizens living in Scotland just 94k registered. 16-17 year olds also voted for the first time. This is as a result of a political bargain or trade which suggests different benefits to the different political sides.

Influencing process

Influencing starts with awareness of an issue or opportunity. Appreciating or rejecting an idea, engaging (and potentially interacting with other influences or influencers) then follows to reinforce or change voting intention and behaviour. Research in political science has traditionally ignored non-rational considerations in theories of mass political behaviour though a growing literature suggests that affective states (i.e. emotions or feelings in contrast to cognition) are both beneficial and biasing (3). Further research (4) also found that anxiety and enthusiasm encourage more evaluation and consideration of political choices. In addition that events such as the outcome of football matches (5) and the weather (6) can stir emotions and affect voting decisions.

How does the electorate perceive the question?

The ‘Yes’ camp framed the question as Scotland vs. Westminster and painted Westminster, and the likes of David Cameron, as the enemy. Meanwhile, the ‘Better Together’ team argued that the question is not about choosing between two states but about choosing between one or both. Though through the electorate’s eyes there is a greater spectrum of options from Scotland the brand, to both Scottish and British brands. However, exactly where perceptions lie is key to electoral success.

What are the benefits of Scottish Independence?

Establishing the benefits or disbenefits of Scottish independence is difficult as much is unknown. Financial management was centre-stage, with the ‘Yes’ campaign playing up the benefits of the oil reserves. Equally ‘Better Together’ stressed the ability of the UK to offer longer term financial stability. Both sides also espouse the benefits of their causes, and the negatives of the other. For example, while the ‘Yes’ campaign manifesto claims to have a costed and credible plan, ‘Better Together’ disagree.

At the most rational level, some studies suggest that voters vote for what they do not want to lose, as much as what they hope to gain (7). Which is why spreading fear, uncertainty and also doubt is a strategy employed by both sides to ‘diss’ the other.

Our experience is that emotional arguments are more likely to hold sway. These are more deep-rooted than price/value arguments. For example, that Scottish independence gives Scotland greater control. Thus the ’Yes’ campaign challenge is to make this a meaningful benefit and convince the electorate that they can be relied on if granted ‘more’ control.

A distinctive Scottish voice?

A distinctive Scottish voice or personality is another feature of independent Scotland. Though the challenge is also to make this compelling. Historical evidence suggests ‘Scottishness’ is reasonably clear (Burns, bagpipes, whisky, golf, scenery etc.) though future ‘Scottishness’ is harder to comprehend.  The Saltire, for example, is more ubiquitous in Scotland, than the flag of St. George in England. It is possible that a distinctive Scottish voice could raise Scotland’s profile and status on the world stage. It could also raise self esteem. All are particularly powerful emotional benefits. Thus this perhaps explains why a lot of effort has gone into defining Scotland the brand (8) and promoting Scottish iconography. Though one suspects the electorate are unaware of the underlying strategic nation branding effort.

Nevertheless, all things Scottish instill pride in being Scottish as much as the white rose, Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and Yorkshire Dales instill pride in Yorkshire folk. Pride is a powerful emotional benefit and is rooted in history as well as personal experiences.

A key issue is whether voters prefer ‘Scottishness’ over ‘Britishness’

Or the best of both. While the concept is ‘Britishness’ is harder to define, the Prime Minister recently attempted to do so (9), and the London 2012 opening ceremony illustrates some elements.

Marketing Inspiration

1. Brand promotion is a precursor to brand recognition and engagement whether in politics or not. So use multiple means, and all available relationships to promote your brand and identity in places where it has positive and credible associations.
2. Abstract ideas are hard to understand yet alone agree with so clearly articulate goals to tangibilise an idea and foster support.
3. Persuasion requires the winning of hearts and minds. Though different customer segments have different agendas; some are more cerebral, some more sophisticated, and some more emotional or cost driven. Thus by understanding the needs, and hot buttons of all, it is easier to devise messages and policies that resonate and persuade. And also avoid alienating.
4. For those competing in high risk and high reward markets, be ready for ever-increasing scrutiny and challenge.
5. And what’s our opinion? Make emotional benefits centre stage to your political branding strategy. Further, in the run up to, during and beyond the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games brace yourselves for even more emotion!

Post election update; as the ‘nayes’ won, we’re delighted to retain our Scottish cousins …. though there are maneoverings for #indyref2 – return of the big beasts.

References

1. About the Scottish Independence Referendum, UK Government, May 2014
2. National Records for Scotland May 2014
3. Andreadis, I; Chadjipadelis, Th. (2005), Differences in Voting Behaviour, pp. 1-13
4. Kyogoku, J; Ike, N. (1960) Urban-Rural Differences in Voting Behaviour in Postwar Japan, pp. 167-185
5. Marcus, G; Neuman, R; MacKuen, M. (2000), Affective Intelligence and Political Judgement, University of Chicago Press
6. Healy, A; Malhotra, N; Hyunjung Mo, C. (2010), “Irrelevant events affect voters’ evaluations of government performance”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences if the United States of America 107 (29); 12804-12809
7. Kahneman, D.; Tversky, A. (1984), “Choices, Values, and Frames”, American Psychologist 39 (4): 341–350
8. Scotland the brand aims and characteristics.
9. Cameron, D. Stop being bashful about Britishness, June 15 2014, Mail on Sunday, as reported by the BBC.

Investing brand personality is an under-estimated way to set brands apart and engage customers. Kulula.com is an airline that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Its humorous brand personality is clear through all aspects of the brand experience. So how did this all begin? And also what lessons can we learn and apply to your brand?

Having identified a gap in the market for a low-cost airline to bring air travel to the South African masses, Kulula.com launched in July 2001. It operates on major domestic routes out of Tambo International Airport and Lanseria on the outskirts of Johannesburg. As building a business based on price alone risks vulnerability to attack from more established airlines, it has hewn a positioning based on ease, inspirational service and safety. This is summed up in its name which means ‘easy’ in Zulu. Though most distinctive is its brand personality. Being totally honest, straight-forward and helping people lighten-up.

Convey brand personality through inventive advertising

Launching with a budget of just 3m rand (c. £200k) demands cut-through communication. The brand launched with a super heroes campaign. The  jingle espouses “Now Everyone Can Fly” (and there isn’t a plane in sight).

Convey personality through product and service appearance

Similarly to easyjet’s bright orange in the UK, Kulula has a distinctive lime green livery.  The unconventional markings include ‘this way up’ and arrows pointing to parts of the plane, including rudder, nose cone, sun-roof. Also to where ‘the big cheese’ (‘captain, my captain’) sits.

Amusing public relations

When South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup and Kulula.com in 2010 it ran a campaign describing itself as the “Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What”. This took place “Not next year, not last year, but somewhere between”. Another advert announced “affordable flights [to] everybody except Sepp Blatter” (the FIFA president), who was offered a free seat “for the duration of that thing that is happening right now”. Obviously, oblique references to the World Cup which FIFA intervened to stop. Thus creating even more publicity for Kulula.

People are key to brand personality

Kulula flight crew are encouraged to let their natural talent show through. Here are some examples heard of or reported from in-flight “safety lectures” and announcements :

“In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks descend from the ceiling and provide free oxygen. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are with more than one small child, pick your favourite.”

“There are 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.”

“Your seat cushions float; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and then take them with our compliments.”

“It is with pleasure that Kulula Airlines announces that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!”

“We’ve reached cruising altitude and will now turn down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance your flight attendants’ appearance.”

Here are some comments heard after a few extremely hard landings

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Mother City. Please stay in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what’s left of our airplane to the gate!”

The airline has a policy which requires the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exit, smile, and say “thanks for flying our airline”. In light of a particularly bad landing, he had a hard time looking passengers in the eye, expecting a smart comment from someone. Finally a little old woman walking with a cane disembarked the aircraft saying;

“Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Why, no Ma’am,” said the pilot. “What is it?”
“Did we land, or were we shot down?”

Part of a flight attendant’s arrival announcement:

“We’d like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to blast through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you think of Kulula Airways.”

“As you exit the plane, please gather all of your belongings. If not, we’ll then distribute anything left evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.”

“Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.”

“Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”

Marketing Inspiration

1. Brand personality, i.e. characteristics, beliefs and behaviours, should be a key component of any brand strategy. Use it to enhance the ‘stand-out’ of your brand.
2. In a world awash with corporate grey, a rich and clear personality, injects colour and breathes life into brands. Executed effectively this maximises impact and engages. It also fuels a strong emotional connection with customers.
3. When problems occur or disasters strike, as often happens in the service industry, self-deprecation and humour defuses issues and alleviates stress. So allow your people to let their natural personalities shine through. Also recruit people to match your personality and build your brand.
4. And great ideas also make budgets go further. As Kulula says “smiles and jokes are free” (1).
5. A humourous brand message and personality entertains. It also creates a talking point and inspires social media and email sharing.
6. And leave readers to question whether or not this is an April Fool’s joke ….

References

1. Kulula Airlines

Marketing Inspiration

1. Music elicits powerful emotional responses and influences behaviour. It’s also powerful in rekindling memories. Thus if used correctly the sound of sleigh bells can have a powerful effect on tills.

2. Remember the narrative. While many John Lewis ads pre 2009 also used music, for example, Taken by the Trees version of ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ in 2009, Virginia Labuat’s version of ‘From me To You’ in 2008 and Prokoviev’s Romeo and Juliet in 2007, none are arguably as emotionally engaging and heart warming as the more recent ads.

3. Ensure consistency in marketing communications (through different channels and over time) to help get the message across, be understood and acted upon.

Over the years, we’ve devised brand strategies for companies, products, services, media and people. Many have a provenance. And now cities, regions and countries are in on the act. The reason is usually to  increase market competitiveness, recognition and demand.  This often goes hand in hand with stakeholders requiring a more advanced approach to manage their operations. This thought process inspired early Egyptians around 2000 BC to brand their cattle and inspired retailers to promote their names on their goods at the end of the 19th Century. With the growth of  ’emerging’ markets, such as, China, India, Eastern European, South American and African countries, there are new and genuine threats to both developed and other emerging nations. Thus, it’s no wonder that so many are now embracing the concept of ‘nation branding’.

Why bother with nation branding?

This is the first question nations must ask. According to Hy Mariampolski, “the goal of nation branding is to make positive elements more manifest and place the negative elements into latency” (1). Potential benefits include attracting more tourists, boosting inward investment and exports, attracting talent, enhancing currency stability, international credibility, influence and self-esteem (confidence, pride, ambition, resolve). While easily said, imagine the problems in motivating a few thousand people in a company to deliver a common and appealing audience take-out.  Then with countries, magnify that challenge by millions. Thus, the reasons to bother with nation branding are more easily understood.

What does nation branding mean?

Even when applying brand thinking to packaged goods, there is a misconception that branding is just a logo or advertisement. Of course that is the tip of the iceberg. With organisations and countries there is much more beneath the surface. Thinking about countries as a culture is useful. Richard L Daft defines culture as “a series of values, standard interpretations, insights and ways of thinking that is shared by members and passed on to new members” (2).  We prefer “as ‘glue’ that provides a common understanding to focus and motivate people to a common end.”  The term ‘cultural branding’ also applies to the concept of nation branding as it better conveys the range of variables to manage:

• There are symbols or visible aspects of culture such as the flags of nations, anthems, the landscape, buildings, iconography and dress code.
• There are the institutions, structures and processes to manage the nation. Such as The Queen, Parliaments, local councils, laws, the media landscape, tourist boards, retailers, trade organisations, etc.
• Also accepted behavioural norms – the rules and means by which we live and communicate.  “How are you today?”, “G’Day mate”, “Top of the morning to you” etc.  There are also beliefs, accepted truths or opinions about what is or isn’t important. “Eat 5 (pieces of fruit or veg) a day”, “… drink (any) water”, “…drink water with added fluorides” “… play sport” etc.

All intertwine, influence and communicate to other nations, the media, including businesses and tourists.

How to change a nation brand?

The notion or image of a brand is defined by its audiences – what they think and feel about a nation. However, entrenched national stereotypes are difficult to change. So the start-point is to first understand their provenance – what’s good and strong and what’s weak and poor? Then to define what the brand should be in the future. To be credible and believable it must be truthful. It should also combine or re-express the good and design-out the poor. To change and embed a new, stronger and more vibrant image in audiences’ minds takes time. Ensuring consistent and appealing communication through media and people requires the consistent communication and behaviour by organisations and people alike. Like organisation culture change programmes, aligning national hearts and minds to a common goal, requires a multi-year effort.

Scotland the brand

Scotland was one of the first nations to embrace the concept of branding (3). However, direction and momentum behind the initiative has changed with changes of Government. Since devolution of power to the Scottish Government in 2004 the concept of nation branding gained in significance. Nevertheless much remains to embed understanding and align the various national stakeholders.

Marketing Inspiration

A nation brand is the sum of all of its parts; symbols, institutions, behaviours and beliefs. The terminology is relatively new but the underlying brand concepts are familiar.

Lessons that apply to successful brands in all walks of life apply to nation brands. They thrive through clear and distinctive communications and offerings that engage and exceed the expectations of their customers or audiences.

Building nation brands requires consistent, coordinated and concerted effort over time. This requires audience and stakeholder engagement to create a clear brand vision and strategy.  Further by inspiring and uniting national organisations and individuals to create and implement plans to deliver the brand. This is where the difficulty lies.

Establish guidelines to make sure that the sum of the parts reinforces the whole. For example, a brand architecture that defines the role and message of the Tourist Board, Board of Trade and others. Also create a ‘brand book’ (or website) to define the symbols and images used online, in literature and exhibitions.

So what’s the next branding challenge: Perhaps Planet Earth? The Kryptonians had better look out!

References

(1) Hy Mariampolski, QualiData Research Inc. New York, ‘Selling Brand Brazil’, Coppead School of Business, University of Rio De Janiero, Rio De Janeiro, April 2010

(2) Richard L. Daft, ‘Essentials of Organization Theory and Design’, South Western College Pub, 2000

(3) Reproduced by courtesy of the Scottish Government