Cupar businesses are hoping to cash in on this year’s Open Championship with a TV advertising campaign.
The 30-second commercial on STV will showcase all that the town has to offer.
And it’s hoped it will be enough to entice some of the thousands of people visiting St Andrews for the golf to travel a bit further afield.
The campaign, created by business improvement district CuparNow, is described as a “significant investment”.
But it sells Cupar and the surrounding area as a destination to be explored and enjoyed over the summer.
It has the potential to reach 700,000 people a month via the streaming service STV Player.
And locals hope a significant number of those viewers will be inspired to discover the town’s hidden gems.
Simon Baldwin of Destination66, the firm that delivers CuparNow, said: “The town has a very small accommodation offering so this is not about overnight stays.
“We wanted to give a glimpse of what could be discovered and enjoyed on a day trip.”
Showcasing Cupar in a positive light
The Cupar TV advert was made by Fife-based Granite Creative Productions, which has been involved in numerous national campaigns.
It sells Cupar as easy to get to.
And it highlights its potential for heritage, family fun, local produce and food and drink.
It also mentions the town has more than 400 local businesses.
CuparNow chairman Andrew Thomson said: “No business or brands are featured, deliberately.
“It’s simply a flavour of the town to tempt people to discover Cupar and country.”
Both business people and tourism operators are excited about the potential benefits.
Jim Hair, chairman of business association ABCD, said they would last well beyond the campaign.
“The summer ahead will be one of the busiest for many years with visitors coming to our area from all over the world,” he said.
“I’m delighted to see this promotion showcasing Cupar in such a positive light.”
Cupar TV advert ‘a wonderful boost to the town’
And Moira Henderson of the local tourism association agrees.
She said: “Cupar and the surrounding countryside has a host of fantastic attractions for people to enjoy, with something to suit all ages.
“This campaign, focusing on a day out, will help to support our local tourism sector by making more people more aware of the town and all it has to offer.”
Cupar is already bucking a national trend and has seen an increase in the number of businesses opening in the last two years.
The fall in vacant shops is said to be down to a joined-up digital approach involving several organisations.
And the new Cupar TV advert is the icing on the cake for many.
Bill Pagan, chairman of Cupar Development Trust, said: “”It’s a wonderful boost to the town and a real testament to those businesses and organisations who support and fund this unique initiative.”
The TV campaign runs on STV’s Dundee region from Friday July 1 for 12 weeks.
Conversation