Drumming up Scottish dissent

The Diary has seriously upset the Scots.

The Diary has seriously upset the Scots. In an article in the Scotsman about United Distillers closing its Perth offices – following the Guinness and GrandMet merger – and moving South to the offices of IDV in Essex, the Diary, posing as a “marketing expert”, was quoted as saying: “It is inevitable that they would try and centralise all their marketing in one place and that would be in the London area, where all the advertising agencies are based.”

The Diary stands accused of parochialism by that beacon of internationalism The Drum, Scotland’s advertising and marketing magazine. In a letter addressed to the Diary, editor Scott McCubbin, excoriates us: “Your comments are a clear indication that London marketing journalists tend to build their knowledge from their London addresses.” (Sounds a logical starting point, doesn’t it.) He says the reason why Scottish agencies fail to reach shortlists in the South is “due to southern parochialism”. Not, of course, because Scots agencies are no good.

McCubbin claims he is frustrated and disappointed. He should hear the Diary’s views on Welsh agencies.