Bold new strategy
Conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) this week launches a new campaign, Love is a Verb, focused on increasing membership and encouraging people to play their part in protecting Scotland’s heritage.
It follows the launch of the charity’s 10-year strategy, Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone, late last month and outlines the body’s aim to increase membership to over half a million people across the country.
With a focus on improving the health and wellbeing of visitors to its remarkable sites through access to the outdoors and Scotland’s rich heritage, the charity also has ambitions to reach six million visitors each year by 2031.
With money raised through membership pivotal to the future of the charity, this new campaign highlights the inclusive, dynamic and accessible nature of the National Trust for Scotland sites. Central to it is the trust’s focus on being a leading provider of inspiring heritage visitor experiences in Scotland, for both domestic and international visitors.
Building on previous campaigns, Love is a Verb captures what lies at the heart of the trust – a love for Scotland and Scotland’s heritage. Whether it’s what inspires the team on a daily basis, what drives the workforce, staff, visitors and volunteers to protect trust sites, or what ensures members visit sites again and again, love lies at the heart of the National Trust for Scotland.
Love is a Verb will come to life across a number of channels, including a dedicated TV advertising campaign which went live on Monday 22 April across outlets such as STV, Sky and All4.
Alongside this the trust is also running a wider advertising campaign across radio, cinema, social media and digital. This advertising activity will bring to life the benefits of a Trust membership and the opportunities it provides for people of all ages and demographics.
Philip Long, chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said: “When you love something you want to look after it, care for it and protect it. At the National Trust for Scotland we do what we do for the love of Scotland. We’re passionate about preserving and protecting Scotland’s heritage and curating stories which can be passed down for generations to come. It’s this passion and love of what we do that inspires our team and sparks emotional connections with our remarkable sites for our members.
“Throughout the past two years our natural sites have provided a lifeline to many, allowing them to explore the beauty Scotland has to offer at a time when we, as a nation, were limited to outdoor activities within a specified travel distance. We know this from our members and from feedback shared by our visitors. It’s this ability to positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of our nation and visitors to Scotland and provide a space that allows them to be curious, explore and experience the remarkable assets our country has to offer that spurs us on.
“At the trust we know how much of a positive impact access to Scotland’s heritage can have and through this new campaign we hope to communicate this with the wider public. Whether you’re new to the Trust, looking for new destinations to explore as a family, want to connect with Scotland’s rich history, or want to embrace a Scottish staycation this year, there’s something for everyone to discover with the National Trust for Scotland. But membership doesn’t only provide access to our sites and the experiences they hold, it also allows people across the country to play their part in protecting the future of Scotland’s heritage.”
Love is a Verb is the first campaign to launch as part of the trust’s new strategy implementation and the Trust hopes to convert new members in a bid to support the future growth of the charity, which relies heavily on membership. Long-term, the ambition of the campaign is to generate £16.5 million from membership, which will be invested back into the trust to allow it to continue its work benefiting Scotland’s people and communities for years to come.
The new strategy refocuses the trust’s vision of caring for, sharing and speaking up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage. Delivered over the next ten years as the Trust works towards its centenary in 2031, it centres on three ‘pillars’ of activity: conservation, engagement and sustainability, which combine to deliver the trust’s charitable purpose.
