Parliamentary News Release

033/2003

Thursday 29 May 2003

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT UNVEILS INNOVATIVE WINDOW ADVERTISEMENTS
TO PROMOTE ITS PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES

The Scottish Parliament has unveiled innovative advertising banners to promote the Parliament’s website and Public Information Service. The 33 advertising banners, with a combined length of 45.12m (148 ft), are now on show on the ground floor windows at Parliament’s headquarters on Edinburgh’s George IV Bridge, just off the historic Royal Mile.

Whilst giving the impression to passers-by of billboard style advertising across the windows of Parliament’s headquarters, the banners still allow staff inside the building an undiminished view of the outside world.

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said:

“The Parliament’s website is widely acknowledged as being one of the best and most comprehensive sites of its kind. Like the Parliament, the website is guided by our founding principles which include openness, accessibility, accountability and the sharing of power with the people of Scotland.

“These banners, located just off one of the world’s most famous thoroughfares, are an innovative and cost effective way for us to promote our information services, and to make the work of Scotland’s Parliament even more accessible.”

Background Notes

The material used to make the banners is called ‘FreeVision’ which is affixed to the external surface of the window. This gives the impression to passers-by of billboard style advertising whilst staff inside the building are unaware of its presence as their view on the outside world remains undiminished.

The services that the advertising banners, promote are:

• www.scottish.parliament.uk - The Parliament’s main website which last year alone had almost over 8.7 million hits and contains approximately 30,000 documents. Includes details of all parliamentary business and publications.

• www.scottishparliamentlive.com - The Parliament’s live webcast address carries live coverage of all Chamber and Committee Business plus an ever expanding archive of past sessions.

• 0845 278 1999 - The Parliament’s Public Information Service provides information about the Parliament's history, structure and procedures as well as information about MSPs. It also provides up to the minute details on daily business and forthcoming events.

• 0845 270 0152 (local rate) – The Parliament’s Textphone number allows people who are deaf or speech-impaired to contact the Parliament’s Public Information Service. If a deaf or speech-impaired person then wishes or needs to speak to a particular office within the Parliament, the Public Information Service can arrange for the relevant office to call them back using the RNID Typetalk operator service.

The total cost of the promotion is £5,050 (net of VAT) which compares favourably with more traditional forms of advertising.

For further information the media contact is:

Andrew Proudfoot: 0131 348 6245
Email: andrew.proudfoot@scottish.parliament.uk

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000

For general enquiries, contact: 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk