Marketing is a vital activity for all English language teaching centres, and digital marketing in particular. Yet there is still room for more traditional ideas, says president of English UK members Glasgow School of English, Global School of English, Edinburgh and Hamilton School of English, Edinburgh, Andrew Lennox.

"Although we are well up to speed with social and digital media, we have embarked on a new adventure with the adoption of a little Scottish friend; a mascot," he explained.

Waiting in Edinburgh airport before his flight to attend the English UK Fair Budapest, Andrew spotted a little figure, dressed in bright red tartan, wearing a feather bonnet and clutching a set of Scottish bagpipes amongst the usual souvenirs.

Inspired, Andrew bought the wee fellow and took him to the workshop, where he was a big hit with the delegates. So much so that when he polled their agents and students for a name for the mascot, they received entries from across the world – from Belgium to Brazil, Thailand to Turkey. By popular demand, the mascot has now been named 'Scottie.'

Andrew said: "While some recoil at such stereotyping, there is no doubt that for many people across the globe the most common image that they have of our country is the kilted Scotsman playing his pipes! So what better to represent our schools? Many people have not heard of all the amazing inventions the Scots have brought to the world: the television, telephone, rubber tyre, steam engine and antibiotics."

"And Scottie has been working very hard, meeting our students in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and accompanying me on trips to events in Budapest, Rouen and Russia. Lots of agents have been photographed with him and he's going to be even more involved in our marketing in the future. So yes, by all means go digital, but don't neglect more traditional marketing as well!"

Find out more about learning English in Scotland.

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