Scottish Brewer awarded the top prize in the arts & culture category for partnership with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn was awarded one of the top prizes at the prestigious European Sponsorship Awards held last night (9 March) at the Brewery in London, for its iconic sponsorship work with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Innis & Gunn was awarded first place within the Arts & Culture sponsorship category in recognition of two iconic brands coming together in a first-class sponsorship of an internationally renowned spectacle rooted in Scottish tradition. This award win is the latest accolade in a string of coveted awards for the brand.
Hundreds of sponsorship industry professionals from dozens of countries joined the ESA Awards last night (9 March) to see winners awarded across 25 categories. With sponsorships from nine different countries, as well as a range of multinational campaigns.
The objective of Innis & Gunn’s sponsorship of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2022 was to bring together two brands which at their heart are all about originality and creativity and to create a phenomenal customer experience.
The opportunity enabled Innis & Gunn to take its flagship beer, The Original, and award-winning Lager to a quarter of a million ticket holders over the month of August. The partnership even made history as this was the first time The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo had been licensed in its 72 years of running.
The results of the sponsorship speak for themselves. In the first year of the partnership, Innis & Gunn created an exceptional bar experience in a historic location – combined with outstanding customer service achieved industry-beating satisfaction scores from guests.
Commenting on the win, Innis & Gunn’s founder, Dougal Gunn Sharp, said: “The huge success of this inaugural year of our partnership is a testament to the shared vision and incredible talent both at Innis & Gunn and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
“Our beers are known across the world for their originality and creativity. Working with the Tattoo has enabled us to bring our creative vision and award-winning beers to new drinkers who, for the first time, are able to enjoy Scotland’s most iconic beer, at Scotland’s most iconic event, in Scotland’s most iconic location.
“We are passionate about our commitment to our local community and are already planning how we can elevate the experience even further at this year’s show.”
Edinburgh International Film Festival in partnership with Essential Edinburgh returns to St Andrew Square Gardens for an opening weekend of free outdoor screenings from Friday 12th August to Sunday 14th August.
Film Fest in the City in St Andrew Square Gardens returns as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival programme on the festival’s opening weekend from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th August. The free and non-ticketed outdoor screening programme of new and classic cinematic favourites reflect the wider EIFF 2022 themes, including a celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen for Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Essential Edinburgh and supported by Innis & Gunn, EIFF’s Official Beer Partner, travel partner LNER and supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022 and reflects EIFF’s return to August embracing other cultural festivals around it. EIFF is working closely with local travel partner Lothian Buses to encourage sustainable travel to Edinburgh’s city centre, plan your journey at lothianbuses.co.uk or download the Lothian buses app.
On Friday 12th August, EIFF tips its hat to the Edinburgh International Book Festival with a day of films that all started in the twinkle of an author’s eye.
The day will also feature a selection of short films with a Scottish connection, screened before feature films and presented in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 as Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
On Saturday 13th August, the celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen picks up pace as the Film Fest in the City programme fills the square with homegrown stories and some family fun, including a special live musical performance to accompany the 100 year anniversary screening of the 1922 classic Rob Roy, as well as Brave, set in the Highlands story of Princess Merida and The Illusionist set in Edinburgh plus more short films with a Scottish connection. And if all that homegrown fun wasn’t enough, stay on and enjoy the evening with the family favourite WALL-E followed by the recent blockbuster, Free Guy.
Sunday 14th August sees EIFF Youth Programmers from Edinburgh and Aberdeen take over the square with a selection of favourites including Twilight, Big, Shrek and Whip It to celebrate big screen favourites all directed their favourite female directors.
As a nod to EIFF’s closing night film, After Yang, the Film Fest in the City explores the idea of Artificial Intelligence on screen. For sci-fi purists out there there’s Stanley Kubrick classic, 2001 A Space Odyssey. If you like your A.I. all singing, all dancing, don’t miss everybody’s favourite Pixar robot Wall-E or maybe you just want to spend Saturday night with Ryan Reynolds (who doesn’t?!) then don’t miss Free Guy.
This special open-air series of screenings coincides with the main programme of full in-person cinema screenings as part of the 75th anniversary of the city’s International Film Festival, giving the Film Festival an East-to-West city centre presence and making cinema accessible to both film buffs and Edinburgh residents of all ages. Attending audiences can look out for lots of special surprises at each screening too.
These events are free. Film times and details of accompanying activities can be found by visiting www.edfilmfest.org.uk.
Audiences will enjoy the outdoor screenings with an amazing range of food and drink produce available to purchase on site, including EIFF Official Beer Partner Innis & Gunn. Heritage gastropub The Voyage of Buck will be have a bar on site which will be focusing on Lind and Lime Gin cocktails including collins and spritzes featuring summer flavours with London essence tonics and sodas.
Bring your favourite cinema snacks and picnic blankets or sit yourself down on one of the famous St Andrew Square deck chairs to enjoy the following:
FRIDAY, 12 AUGUST
11.00 | Paddington(2014 / dir. Paul King)
Everyone’s favourite bear in his first big screen adventure as he travels from deepest darkest Peru to London to try and find himself a new home.
13.00 | Fantastic Mr Fox(2009 / dir. Wes Anderson)
Filmmaker Wes Anderson guides an A-list cast in this stop-motion take on Roald Dahl’s classic book.
14.45 | SHORT FILM: What Makes Soup, Soup?(dirs. Conor Reilly, Tommy Reilly, Malcolm Cumming)
…one of life’s greatest mysteries. From BBC Social team, a short film including a rising star, Glasgow-based Malcolm Cumming and composer Tommy Reilly, both known for their work on Anna & The Apocalype. In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
15.00 | Christopher Robin(2018 / dir. Marc Forster)
Perth-born Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor stars as a now-grown-up Christopher Robin who is visited by Winnie the Pooh to help find his lost friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.
17.00 | SHORT FILM: Neville is Dead(dir. Louis Paxton)
Neville is Magnus’ best friend. Neville can’t die. This is going to be AMAZING. A short film from an Edinburgh filmmaker who recently directed the last ever episode of tv series Shetland. In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
17.30 | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon(2000 / dir. Ang Lee)
Join us for high-flying spectacle in filmmaker Ang Lee’s martial arts masterpiece
19.40 | SHORT FILM: Flit(dir. Jack Allen)
A world-renowned, professional fly killer, named Carl, is on the cusp of finalising his latest and most powerful invention… an exciting new short film from an emerging Scottish filmmaker and animator.
In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
20.00 | 2001: A Space Odyssey(1968 / dir. Stanley Kubrick)
One of the greatest cinematic experiences of all time. Stanley Kubrick’s journey into space is designed for the big screen.
SATURDAY, 13 AUGUST
11:00 | Brave (2012 / dirs. Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews)
Follow Princess Merida as she forges her own path in Disney and Pixar’s journey into the mythical Scottish kingdom of DunBroch. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen. Pre-screening family entertainment, including face-painting.
12.50 | SHORT FILM: Fear of Flying(dir. Conor Finnegan)
A small bird with a fear of flying tries to avoid heading South for the winter. A short animation which screened at EIFF in 2013. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
13:00 | The Illusionist(2010 / dir. Sylvain Chomet)
Based on the story by Jacques Tati, this beautifully animated tale tells of a French illusionist who travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman where their exciting adventures together change both their lives forever. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen. Pre-screening family entertainment.
14.49 | SHORT FILM:Widdershins (dir. Simon Biggs)
A pampered gentleman’s seamlessly automated life is thrown into chaos when he pursues a free-spirited woman, against the advice of his robot butler. Scottish Film Talent Network-funded Scottish animation from the team at Once Were Farmers. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
15:30 | Rob Roy(1922 / dir. W. P. Kellino), in celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen
Join us for a special live musical performance to accompany this impressive 1922 classic film.
17.20 | SHORT FILM: Betty (Will Anderson)
A new short from the BAFTA Award-winning Scottish animator tells the story of an avian protagonist as he falls in love with Betty and then loses her through a series of bad decisions…
Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
18:00 | Wall-E(2008 / dir. Andrew Stanton)
An all singing, all dancing modern classic from Pixar.
20.00 | SHORT FILM: Don Vs Lighting (dir. Big Red Button)
Unlucky Don keeps getting struck by lightning… a short film from Big Red Button (Johnny Burns and Pier van Tijn), starring award-winning Scottish actor Peter Mullan. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.
20:15 | Free Guy (2021 / dir. Shawn Levy)
Affable bank clerk Ryan Reynolds discovers he is a computer game character in this recent action comedy.
SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST
11:00 | Shrek(2001 / dirs. Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson)
Join a whole host of fairy tale characters in this animated, tuneful and funny animated adventure.
13:00 | Big (1989 / dir. Penny Marshall)
Tom Hanks reconnects with his youth in this 80s family classic.
15:15 | Whip It(2009 / dir. Drew Barrymore)
Get your skates on and join Babe Ruthless and the roller-derby team in this funny and quirky drama.
17:30 | The Farewell (2021 / dir. Lulu Wang)
A funny and uplifting tale of a family reconnecting with their past
19:45 | Twilight (2008 / dir. Catherine Hardwicke)
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart star in this everlasting teenage vampire romance.
Partnership with Innis & Gunn will offer attendees their first ever opportunity to enjoy an award-winning Scottish beer alongside the Show, making its highly anticipated return this August
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced their headline sponsorship with Innis & Gunn, which will enable audiences to enjoy a beer on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade in 2022 for the first time ever.
The new partnership means that Tattoo audiences will be treated to an experience like never before, with guests able to sit back and enjoy world class performances from military and cultural acts along with world class beer from the Edinburgh-based brewer.
As presenting partner, Innis & Gunn will provide a bar service for every performance, including the opportunity for ticketholders to efficiently pre-order before the event and collect on arrival.
Drinks on offer will include Innis & Gunn’s multi award-winning beers ‘The Original’, a single malt whisky cask matured Scottish beer, and Scotland’s number one craft beer, ‘Innis & Gunn Lager’, brewed with naked golden oats for smoothness and refreshment. Innis & Gunn’s bars will also offer red wine, white wine, Prosecco and soft drinks alongside their premium beers.
In addition to the recommended pre-order and collect service, Innis & Gunn’s bars will also be available across the venue before the Show starts to ensure no attendees go thirsty.
Buster Howes, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The Tattoo and Innis & Gunn are both Edinburgh-based, proudly Scottish and loved around the world.
“Those are several reasons of many, why this partnership is such a happy fit. Quality, authenticity, innovation, originality, and creativity are shared qualities.
“What better way to enjoy a world-class spectacular, than with a cold beer in hand for the first-time in the Show’s history, in the majestic Castle Esplanade setting.”
Dougal Gunn Sharp, Founder and Master Brewer of Innis & Gunn, added: “We are all incredibly proud to be partnering with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, giving people the chance to revel in everything that is great about Edinburgh in August; iconic beers and an iconic show at Scotland’s most iconic setting, Edinburgh Castle.
“Our shared global audience and clearly aligned values make this a natural partnership and we are excited to be able to bring a new dimension to the show this year, offering our award-winning beers to the thousands of attendees each night, a first at the Castle.
“Developing an outstanding consumer offer to complement an outstanding Show is an exciting prospect for Innis & Gunn and by entering into this long-term partnership, between us we are setting that clear ambition. This fits perfectly with Innis & Gunn’s strategy of partnering with large-scale consumer events that we can support and evolve over the long term.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will make its return this 5-27 August, with its Voices Show which celebrates expression and the power of connection through spoken word, song, music, and dance, which are languages common to all.
Over 800 performers from across the globe will take part in in this year’s Tattoo, bringing with them incredible music, dance, and performance talents. There will be cultural showcases and musical presentations by performers from Mexico, The United States, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand along with homegrown talent from the UK. Military acts will continue to play a central role in the performance, with the Army confirmed as the lead service this year.
Founded in Edinburgh in 2003 with the creation of its unique single malt whisky cask matured beer, ‘The Original’, Innis & Gunn has grown to become one of the biggest independent brewers in the UK and exports to over 20 countries across the world.
Tickets are on sale for this year’s Tattoo performance and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
More detail on the Innis & Gunn pre-order service will be announced in the coming months.
