A Dundee public relations firm has teamed up with one of the music world’s most successful publicists to drive forward the city’s bid to become European Capital of Culture.
MCPR Scotland has been created by the link-up between Dundee-based Patter PR and London firm MCPR, run by former Dundee man and city ambassador Murray Chalmers.
MCPR’s client list includes some of the biggest artists in the world, including Coldplay, Elton John, The Stone Roses, Kylie Minogue and Radiohead.
He set up the company after years spent in Parlophone/EMI’s marketing department.
The new company, MCPR Scotland, will have its offices in the old City Chambers and its first client is the bid for Dundee to win the 2023 European Capital of Culture title.
MCPR Scotland will work hand-in-hand with the MCPR office in London, using resources from a team of 15 staff and associates across projects for both companies.
Patter PR’s current client roster includes retained agency for Dundee’s tourism campaign One City Many Discoveries, Dundee Design Festival alongside project work with V&A Dundee, Dundee Contemporary Arts and Highland Park whisky.
Company founder Jennie Patterson said: “Blending my local knowledge and networks with the resources and contacts that Murray’s London-based company can provide is a completely new offer for Dundee.
“I’m delighted to be setting up MCPR Scotland with Murray Chalmers, someone I’ve known and admired for many years.
“Dundee’s long term vision to regenerate and revitalise the city to ensure it flourishes as a region where businesses want to operate and where people want to visit is paying off.
“With the first V&A museum in the world outside of London opening in Dundee next year, the Tay City region is preparing to market itself to new audiences from home and abroad and MCPR Scotland has a significant role to play in that process.”
Murray Chalmers added: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with such an established, brilliant person as Jennie.
“Dundee is my hometown and I feel evangelical about promoting it — so MCPR Scotland was an obvious expansion for my company.
“MCPR in London and MCPR Scotland will work together to bring our integrated talents to a wide variety of new projects.
“It’s about time that Dundee’s resurgence was reflected by a PR company who are local but truly international in reach and ambition.
“Jennie, who has already shown so much of what can be done here, will now draw on resources from a team of 15 people, delivering truly outstanding campaigns for Dundee and for Scotland. MCPR Scotland is open for business in Dundee, a city we both love and want to see prosper as much as possible.”
