An Edinburgh-based furniture design company has won itself £8000 worth of business support after coming out on top in a competition being run at the city’s first marketing festival.
Blue Marmalade overcame stiff competition from five other Scottish business in a ‘Dragons Den’-style final at the inaugural Edinburgh International Marketing Festival to claim the title ‘Brand of the Future’.
The environmentally-friendly product design company – co-founded by Trent Jennings and Tom Marsh – can now look forward to, among other things, a feature article in The Scotsman newspaper, as well as a PR workshop and communication strategy session worth £1000 with Edinburgh-based agency, The BIG Partnership.
After the event, Marsh told allmediscotland: “It was very interesting to try and condense what we do into such a short space of time. Giving presentations like that is never an easy thing but obviously we are very pleased with the outcome.
“We believe in what we are doing but it’s nice to get that validation from a panel of judges as diverse as theirs.”
And looking ahead to the next five years, Marsh reckons the business can go from strength to strength.
He added: “Hopefully, Blue Marmalade will be a global brand and recognised by people as one that produces ethically and environmentally friendly home products.”
The event, which was hosted by writer and broadcaster, Simon Fanshawe, saw the six brands pitch their ideas to an expert panel, including the likes of Bill Jamieson, executive editor at The Scotsman, and Cameron Thomson of Angels Den, which aims to connect businesses with much-needed investors.
Thomson told allmediascotland afterwards: “It was a very difficult decision. We had six very good presentations from very credible companies, each with strong opportunities going forward.
“The only thing that perhaps put Blue Marmalade slightly ahead of the rest was that they are a bit further advanced in their propositions.”
Today’s event was one of several scheduled to take place over the course of the brand new festival, which is set to run until Saturday.
Says Tom Holmes, EIMF director: “I thought the event was absolutely magnificent. First and foremost, it’s wonderful that we concentrate on something like the ‘Brands of the Future’.
“These new emerging companies are going to be at the core of our economy and it’s what industry is all about. I am so delighted by the quality of the presentations and the ideas behind the companies.
“In terms of potential brands, it was incredible the range and breadth of ideas these companies had.”
