Dunfermline-based Advantage PR is celebrating twenty years in business. Run by sole trader Clare Graham, Advantage specialises in food & drink, property & construction, and travel & hospitality.

However, over its two decades of operation it has, in Clare’s words, “pretty much covered every type of business you can think of”, from chocolatiers to wind turbines, 4×4 safaris to cookery schools. It has embraced children’s tuition, ladies only gyms, hot air balloons and whisky distilleries. 

In a move to offer clients an increased range of ‘one point of contact’ services, including graphic design, website design, SEO and other digital marketing services, Advantage PR has announced a collaboration with Milnathort based digital marketing agency, Flintriver.

Current Advantage PR clients are Allanwater Homes, Pettycur Bay Holiday Park, Morton of Pitmilly near St Andrews, Kinross based Webster Honey, and The Red House Hotel at Coupar Angus.

The agency is also proud to have handled long term contracts in the past for leading brands such as Atholl Estates & Blair Castle, Mains of Taymouth in Kenmore, Hardies Property & Construction Consultants, D&G Autocare, and Inverkeithing-based Muir Group where Clare was PR for Muir Homes for 10 years. Latterly, Advantage PR has worked for many restaurants in Dunfermline, including Casa Mia, Dhoom, and Amorist. It is about to start a campaign for Jack O’ Bryans.

In 2017 and 2018 Clare picked up the Best Independent PR Practitioner Award at the CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) Pride in the Job Awards.

“I was delighted to be recognised, as there are really not many proper sole traders doing this, and it’s nice to offer an alternative to the very large faceless agencies,” said Clare. “I remember thinking I would give the awards a break in 2019 and enter again in 2020, but of course, the pandemic came along and needless to say, such things were put on the backburner, although I do plan to enter again next year.”

Commenting on this significant anniversary, Clare said: “I am delighted and very grateful to be celebrating 20 years with this business which I started from scratch. I’m proud of my track record in representing many of Scotland’s finest businesses over the years, and I look forward to representing many more.

“PR has had to adapt to the new digital media world, and sadly, the pandemic has meant that there are fewer platforms to target, but building a brand and presenting it in a professional way with an engaging flow of information is still a huge part of what I can bring to the table for businesses of all sizes.”

She added:” “Business media especially are still very interested in the “story” of a business, so it’s always a good idea, I would say, to put your head above the parapet once in a while.

“As regards the food & drink sector in Scotland, it is still very vibrant, even although the hospitality sector was ravaged during the pandemic.  Budgets are tight, but please try and allocate some money to PR – that would be my advice to restaurants and hotels – as it will set you apart from the competition.”

On the new collaboration with Flintriver, she said:“I have known the guys for a while, as we share some clients. We have decided to pool resources, as many clients want everything all under one roof now – they want to reassess their entire marketing strategy.

“I am very excited about working with Flintriver, I am a very sociable person and twenty years is a long time to work on your own.” 

Clare, who attended Dunfermline High School, studied English and Film & Media Studies at the University of Stirling before joining Edinburgh based Harrison Cowley PR which looked after the Camelot National Lottery account.   

In her leisure time, she is a member of PH Racing Club and Train Inside Out Boot Camp which trains in Pittencrieff Park.