Sweetie Man’s story is a mouthwatering media marvel

Mackie’s of Scotland Media Coverage

How storytelling brought a sweet yarn to key audiences

Food and Drink PR photography Mackie's of Scotland success graphic

AS ONE of Scotland’s most treasured brands, making produce we know and love, Mackie’s is a treasure-trove of stories, waiting to be unearthed.

So, when we discovered that the genius behind the Aberdeenshire firm’s newest chocolate bar was a 73 year old specialist, we couldn’t wait to find out more.

As part of an integrated strategy to celebrate the launch of the Orange chocolate, we spoke to Derek Shaw, known as “Dundee’s Willy Wonka”, whose incredible past, from working as a boy in his future father in law’s sweet shop, to becoming a cult figure in his adopted Dundee, captivated us.

Thankfully it captivated the media too, with highlights across:

  • Over 385,000 opportunities to see
  • 11 Different items of coverage
  • Major feature in The Courier and Dundee Evening Telegraph in print, with an even larger picture-led piece online
  • Coverage in Kent Online – reaching a huge audience in the South East of England – a key area for Mackie’s growth  
  • Great reaction on social media to a charming character-led story, allowing for lots of Mackie’s key messages

When the Holyrood PR team discovered this story our PR experts instantly knew it was the type of material that could positively push the Mackie’s brand into the headlines.

In particular, national coverage is a key aspect to this style of food and drink PR, it’s important to achieve attention that isn’t just in Scotland, such as Kent Online which appeals to the company’s best potential growth market.

However, our team knew we couldn’t underestimate the Scottish market either, coverage in The Scotsman and The Herald puts the name out there to massive amounts of potential new customers.

Chocolate specialist Derek allowed the Aberdeenshire brand to ramp up production, whilst maintaining the excellent standards the Mackie’s brand is associated with.

It’s fair to say he’s a professional of the trade, working hard to perfect the famous honeycomb flavouring technique since he was a boy.

Read the original story here

Get in touch for a taste of food and drink PR  

Is your brand sitting on untapped stories that need unearthed, packaged up and told to the world? If you’re feeling inspired by our work with Derek and Mackie’s, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, using the form below:

Contact Form