Shortlisted for Major Award
The Publishers’ Publicity Circle has shortlisted PPW’s Jan Rutherford, and Kristian Kerr from Birlinn, for their Annual Award for Best Generic Campaign. The winner will be announced on 11 February in London. The shortlisting is for work undertaken on the promotion of Muriel Spark’s 22 novels in a collected edition for Polygon in 2018 and the publication of Appointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark by Alan Taylor.
Polygon published the collected edition of Muriel Spark’s novels through the course of 2018, to mark her centenary. Alan Taylor was series editor for the novels and brought world class authors to the project to write new introductions to each book. A high profile campaign promoted all 22 novels plus Alan’s memoir through broadcast media (BBC Radio 4 dramas and readings, interviews and documentaries – radio and TV), print journalism throughout the UK including 12 spectacular double page extracts in the Scotsman newspaper and an edition of Scottish Review of Books largely given over to celebrating Muriel’s life and work, and online coverage and promotional slots including a high profile social media campaign. Events took place throughout the year including a sellout theatre spectacular at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall to launch the year – compered by Alan Taylor and Rosemary Goring and featuring readings from Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, and Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. The Royal Lyceum brought actors to the stage for a rehearsed reading of a section of Muriel’s only stage play.
Alan appeared with introducers to the books at festivals, bookshop and library events right across the UK and as far afield as New Zealand. He took part in more than 60 events across the 12 month period.
The year ended with the remarkably generous gifting of a full set of the novels to each secondary school in Edinburgh thanks to the Lord Provost of the city. And sponsorship from the Scottish Government and the People’s Postcode Lottery gave Polygon the opportunity to put a full set of the novels and the memoir into every public library across Scotland.
The shortlist consists of:
THE EDINBURGH BOOK FESTIVAL AWARD FOR BEST GENERIC CAMPAIGN
Virago Modern Classics 40th – Hayley Camis, Little, Brown
Horrible Histories 25th Anniversary – Penelope Daukes, Scholastic Children’s Books
Wellcome Prize – Hannah McMillan and Alice Geary, Midas PR
The Year of Spark – Jan Rutherford and Kristian Kerr, Birlinn
Matilda 30 – Lucy Mann, Jasmine Joynson and Justin Stomper, PRH Children’s
Bloody Scotland – Fiona Brownlee, Brownlee Donald Associates
The Great Tapestry of Scotland is on the Move (but there's still time to make your Mark!)
Members of the public are to be given a chance to make a stitch on new welcome panels for the Great Tapestry of Scotland before it moves to its new, purpose built home in Galashiels.
Writing Scotland's Future – July 1999
In 1999 the winner of a national writing competition, Writing Scotland’s Future, was only 11 years old. But her winning entry was strong and on 1 July that year, her poem was read out at the Official Opening of Scotland’s new Parliament. Jan Rutherford was present.
Shortlisted for Major Award
PPW’s Jan Rutherford has been shortlist for the UK’s Publishers’ Publicity Circle Annual Award.