Edinburgh International Festival and The Macallan are two global brands. Each synonymous with Scotland’s national identity. Each rooted in people and place but with arms wide open to the world.
Founded in 1947, the Edinburgh International Festival is the original festival. The igniting spark which established Edinburgh as the world’s Festival City. Each August, they present a hand-picked programme of world-class dance, opera, music and theatre in a global celebration of exceptional performing arts.
This year, the Festival and The Macallan embarked upon a monumental partnership to deliver a new Opening Event to kick-off Edinburgh’s festival season. The Opening Event: Where to Begin drew upon their combined commitment to creativity and excellence which lies within their shared Scottish identity. This flagship partnership coincided with The Macallan’s 200th anniversary.
The two brands worked collaboratively to create a three-performance immersive event for Festival goers over the weekend of 2-4 August 2024. This collaboration offered The Macallan the opportunity to support the creation of a prestigious cultural event which reflected their own brand values. Over 7,000 people attended the Opening Event across three performances, which generated exceptional PR coverage and social media engagement.
The partnership helped to drive brand profile for The Macallan in their anniversary year alongside a complex and fully integrated programme of activation including PR comms, content creation, client events and DTC marketing.
The partnership was a creative union between two iconic brands which drew upon a combined heritage, a shared creativity, and global reach – all firmly anchored in Scotland.
