ALTAR Group owns a suite of marketing services businesses including Avian - a design studio specialising in brand development & graphic design; Blue2 Digital - a web design, development and digital marketing agency; and Kolabo – a digital ventures & research consultancy. The addition of Ginger PR further cements the agency’s creative edge and breadth of services.

Ginger PR, founded by Elaine Fleming and with 11 years of trading under its belt, has worked with clients including Peter Vardy, Fasque House, Kintyre Gin and Scottish Dental Care (SDC) Group. 

Scott McCallum, chief executive, ALTAR Group, said: “As communication and marketing specialists we know how important brand positioning is. During Lockdown we managed to secure several significant new business wins from Walkers Shortbread, Bahamas Petroleum Company, The Scottish Gallery, Highland Food Group and Continuum Attractions, a UK-wide visitor attraction business whose sites include The Real Mary King’s Close, York’s Chocolate Story and Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.

“With this significant boost in our client base, along with the acquisition of Ginger PR it is the perfect time to rebrand and reposition our offering to better reflect our authority as the largest full-service creative group in Scotland outside of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“2020 hasn’t been the year anyone expected but despite a complete change in the way we work, the economy, and client budgets, ALTAR Group has risen to the challenge. The business has flexed to become a truly all-encompassing agency spanning the full design and communications spectrum. The direct result being that we are attracting new client accounts while delivering on a number of new initiatives for our existing ones, including AMEY PLC, Walkers Shortbread, Simon Howie Butchers and Gillies Furniture.”

He added: “Previously, with three companies under the parent umbrella, we wanted to create a clearer brand and collaborative way of working. The acquisition of Ginger PR provided the ideal opportunity to do so, highlighting our integrated approach and expert know-how of every aspect of building brands and marketing clients, products or services.”

Bringing 20 years of communications experience to the group, Elaine Fleming will retain her position as lead director within Ginger PR.

She commented: “Ginger PR has had a long-standing relationship with Avian, working on a number of successful client campaigns together. I am thrilled to be part of the future of ALTAR Group, bringing the Ginger PR team and brand with me to work as a strategic component of their experienced and exceptional workforce delivering dynamic exciting work.”

Located in the iconic former Broughty Ferry Congregational Church where the consultancy has operated from for over 14 years, giving rise to the name of the collective, ALTAR Group has also spent lockdown supporting a number of pro-bono COVID-19 response projects. Most notably a new, sustainable seafood operation, Carisma Seafood, launched in June with a new name, brand and website thanks to ALTAR’s team mobilising to propel the fledgling business to success.

Nial Chapman, digital director, Blue2, said: “Since the pandemic hit we have been extremely busy helping our clients generate more business online. We are continuing to support our clients through these difficult times and have achieved some stunning results. We also have brought exciting new clients onboard, both national and international brands, and are speaking to new prospects every day about how we can help them do more online.

“The acquisition of Ginger PR significantly enhances our content creation and marketing output and allows us to offer the perfect mix of on and offline marketing activity.”

Scott McCallum added: “Together, Avian, Blue2, Kolabo and Ginger PR cement an incredibly strong proposition. We are extremely energised about the impact of our services to the business community, the results we can achieve for our clients and the growth of the group.”