Agricultural and rural business marketing specialist Jane Craigie Marketing (JCM) has expanded its team with the appointment of two new positions.
Led by Guild Member and immediate past-chairman Jane Craigie (pictured above right), the company has appointed Rebecca Dawes (above left) and Susannah Pate (above centre) to support its PR, marketing, influencer engagement and digital media.
It has also launched a new website to reflect the new team.
Rebecca, who will lead the company’s digital communications, was formerly communications and rural affairs manager for the Scottish Association of Young Farmers.
Her family ran a successful farm shop in Oxfordshire before moving their livestock farm to Scotland where she continues to help by organising Open Farm Sunday and RHET visits.
Rebecca was responsible for the planning of the Livestock Area for BBC’s Countryfile Live in 2016, and is involved in Kinross Show and Kinross Local Event Organisation.
She brings with her a wealth of experience in event management and digital media as well as valuable connections in agricultural circles UK-wide.
“It is exciting to be part of a consultancy so well established within the industry, she said.
“I’m really enjoying how JCM is embracing digital and experiential marketing alongside the established marketing and communications core.”
Susannah, who will work as a JCM associate, has a strong background in consumer PR – including with food producers, restaurants and tourism.
She said: “It’s a really interesting time to be working with clients and projects in the changing and progressive rural sector.
“Working with JCM and its mix of agricultural and rural businesses fits really well with my life on the farm and my previous career in consumer PR.”
Jane, Rebecca and Susannah – all graduates of the Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programme – each combine agricultural backgrounds with careers in communications.
From the base in Aberdeenshire and working both UK- and Europe-wide, JCM is a marketing and communications consultancy specialising in agriculture, food and the rural economy.
Jane said: “Communications in rural and agricultural industries have become increasingly important, with more competition and consequently a greater need to be heard.
“It is not only what is being said, but how it is being said.
“I am looking forward to having extra team members to support the work we do – to fulfill our clients’ needs the very best we can and to inject our flair for creativity along the way.”
Jane is currently the British Guild’s board representative to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ).
She led the organisation of the 2014 IFAJ Congress which saw 240 UK and international journalists visit Scotland to hear about innovations in agriculture, food and the rural community.
