Scottish Bakers has been supporting and protecting the interests of Scotland's bakery trade for over 130 years. With its core purpose being to promote and protect the interests of the trade, representing, advising and supporting all aspects of Scotland's baking industry to ensure it remains competitive and equipped for growth.
The campaign delivered exceptional results, achieving record-breaking reach and engagement:
across major titles including the BBC, STV, The Independent, Daily Record and GB Newsacross major titles including the BBC, STV, The Independent, Daily Record and GB News
with 696M+ OTV and MSP engagement
in empire biscuit sales across Scotland, Asda +26%, Sainsbury’s +19%, Coop +15%
Raise awareness of the Scottish Baker of the Year Awards 2026 and drive national attention and excitement through a bold, newsworthy campaign. The aim was to generate widespread media coverage and high-impact social content, while increasing traffic to the awards platform through press, social and search.
The campaign showcased the full breadth of Scotland’s baking industry, from ‘Local Heroes’ to ‘Industry Icons’, celebrating craftsmanship, innovation and product pride across the sector. It will also encourage consumer engagement and user-generated content, while strengthening Scottish Bakers’ position as the voice of the industry.
To launch the 2026 awards, a standout campaign concept was developed: The Great Scottish Empire Biscuit Challenge, a playful, competitive and highly visual activation designed to capture both media and public attention.
The campaign brought together four Scottish bakers, from small artisan businesses to large-scale producers, to go head-to-head in an ambitious attempt to create the world’s largest empire biscuit, aiming to secure an unofficial world record. This provided a strong news hook, combining tradition with spectacle to generate widespread interest and a highly shareable media moment.
At the same time, the campaign was rooted in sector-wide storytelling, celebrating both ‘Local Heroes’ and ‘Industry Icons’ and reinforcing the diversity and strength of Scotland’s baking industry. A fully integrated PR and content strategy ensured consistent messaging across all channels, with engaging visuals and storytelling designed to maximise reach and engagement.
The playful nature of the challenge also helped create engaging, consumer-focused content, making the campaign accessible, entertaining and highly shareable.
