John Lewis Glasgow Boosts Drive for Tourism

John Lewis’s Glasgow store today, January 26, demonstrated its commitment to the city’s drive for tourism by erecting 8m x 2.5m Glasgow: Scotland with style campaign banners in all four of its Killermont Street windows.     

 

The banners featuring four John Lewis partners – each giving their own personal view of Glasgow style - will be seen by the 40,000 people per day who pass through Buchanan Street Bus Station on the opposite side of the street.

 

The Glasgow: Scotland with style city branding campaign is run by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and has generated an additional 210,000 visitors for the city since its March 04 launch.

 

Prior to the start of the campaign a study of 1,350 visitors to Glasgow revealed that 58% of them cited shopping as their main activity during their stay, while 28% pronounced it their principal reason for returning.

The campaign’s launch advertising featured an international fashion model highlighting the city’s status as *the most diverse retail centre in the UK, and shopping remains a key driver.

 

In the last quarter of 2005, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau mounted a national PR campaign comprising:

 

 

And this contributed to an exceptional December for Glasgow’s shops and the John Lewis store in particular. 

 

Sales to John Lewis Glasgow topped £10 million, up 11% on December 2004.

 

John Lewis Glasgow’s general manager, Lesley Ballantyne, said of the banners:

 

“Ever since the anchor store at Buchanan Galleries opened in 1999 Glaswegians have really taken John Lewis to their hearts and now it’s our turn to show how important the city is to us.

 

“ Our staff come from right across Glasgow, are passionate about the city and know instinctively what makes it special, so it’s fantastic to see this recognised in the campaign. “

 

Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, commented: 

 

“We are delighted at this manifestation of the close partnership we have forged with John Lewis over the last six months. 

 

“Our six figure investment in supporting the city’s retail sector has ensured sustained growth in retail sales in the run up to the festive period each year since the Glasgow: Scotland with style campaign was launched.

 

“Occupancy of Glasgow hotels in December was up 2% on December 2003, which suggests that visitors are now flocking to the city to shop at a time that used to be considered off-peak.”   

 

The Glasgow: Scotland with style banners designed specially for John Lewis Glasgow will be up for six weeks.  

 

The city of Glasgow attracts approximately 3.2 million visitors per annum, and has been tipped by the Editor of the influential Frommer’s travel guides as one of the top ten must-see, up and coming destinations for 2006 – the only one selected in Europe.       

*According to the 2004-2004 UK Shopping Index compiled by Management Horizons Europe