Alliance Creative

Alliance Creative Be creative. Be agile. Be bespoke. Please get in touch if you would like to explore our innovative and cost-effective ways of utilising creative services.

Alliance Creative has a pioneering approach to providing creative services by removing the need for traditional and expensive agency relationships. As a ‘virtual’ agency we have the skills, experience and agility to support our clients without the fixed internal overhead or the inflated costs often associated with external creative agencies. Our services include:

• Design
• Creative concepts
• M

otion graphics, video & animation
• Website design & development
• Online advertising, animated banners, HTML5
• Artwork (for print and digital media)
• Copywriting & content creation
• Marketing strategy
• Microsoft Office

With Alliance Creative you only pay for the services you need and not the cost of those you don’t. Our team of over sixty talented individuals have decades of proven experience and expertise, working with the biggest and best brands in Scotland. With the flexibility to tailor our service offering to suit your individual needs, we are able to integrate our people directly within your organisation or give you direct access to our remote team. Alliance Creative is trusted by brands such as Standard Life Aberdeen, Clydesdale Bank, VELUX and Edinburgh Napier University, amongst many others.

18/06/2026

As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, your thoughts turn to getting a break and recharging. You’ve earned it!

That can prove a challenge for your business though.

How do you cover the skills you and your staff provide when your people are on holiday, or you don’t have the right skillsets within your team?

Can you maintain continuity of delivery under those circumstances?

What happens if someone has to be off for a sustained period due to maternity or illness?

Clients often refer to Alliance Creative as being an extension of their team during project support. But did you know we can even become part of your team to help cover holidays and absences?

Whether you know you need cover in advance or are coping with some left-field doozies, we can source creatives to step into the breach. From a few days of help to keep things ticking over, to having someone in your office on a more regular basis, we have experience of making sure our clients don’t have to panic about being short-handed.

To discuss how we can help provide key staff support for your business, drop us an email at [email protected]

16/06/2026

A shiny new identity for Boroughmuir Rugby and The Clubhouse.

This week sees the launch of a new branding project for Boroughmuir Rugby & Community Sports Club which has been adopted across all sections of the club.

As a proud ex-player, Steve Johnstone was eager to lend a hand in providing his much-loved ‘Muir’ with a consistent suite of branding assets to serve them well into the future.

While they didn’t need to reinvent the wheel here, the club did need to modernise their branding to reflect their changing ambitions, as well as address fundamental reproduction issues they faced with their old branding.

Big shout out to Matt Robinson as well for helping us develop a contemporary brand that sensitively strikes the balance between celebrating the club's heritage, but also strengthening its sense of community and ambitions.

Alongside the club identity update, the club is also refreshing the branding for its bar, café, venue and community hub. Originally named ‘Canalside’, the venue will be rebranded as ‘The Clubhouse’, which far better reflects how the space is used, not just by players, but by families, community groups, associate clubs, local businesses and visitors.

For those of you who didn’t know it existed, it’s not just a members’ club, it’s open to all-comers, and offers a friendly and inclusive, multi-purpose destination for the Craiglockhart area.

With subtle visual connections, the changes to both pieces of branding creates a more cohesive identity across the club, their community events and their social spaces.

We all look forward to seeing this all being rolled out over the coming months. If you want to ‘get involved’ or find out more about what’s all going on, then take a look at their website www.boroughmuirrugby.co.uk

Our thanks go to Derek Binnie, Hannah Grainger and Greg Cannie.

10/06/2026

As we celebrate Alliance Creative turning 15 years old, we’ve found ourselves naturally chatting about how it all began and the path we’ve been on to become the successful creative business we are today.

A lot of what has happened, nobody could have predicted, and many have been valuable lessons that have helped us shape and evolve how we do things at Alliance Creative.

Our recent birthday event was a great opportunity to speak to the team, our clients and our associates, and capture some of those experiences.

First up is our Co-founder and Creative Director, Steve Johnstone. He reflects on the importance of self-belief, the value in stepping out of your comfort zone, and a key bit of advice shared by a friend which has stood the test of time.

Scottish Marketing Golf Society – Client vs Agency Challenge 2026Running for 22 years, The Scottish Marketing Golf Socie...
05/06/2026

Scottish Marketing Golf Society – Client vs Agency Challenge 2026

Running for 22 years, The Scottish Marketing Golf Society Client v Agency golf day has been one of those events many in our industry block out in their diaries without delay.

This year saw the Ryder Cup style competition hosted at the scenic Ladybank Golf Club in the heart of Fife.

Despite having a truly dreadful round myself (again), what a cracking day – beautiful surroundings, great weather and most importantly, excellent company. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting our opponents Richard Bogie and Hector Tulloch - we will arrange another game soon.

A big shout out to my playing partner as well David MacFarlane who carried me for the majority of the match – apologies for giving you a sore back sir.

Although it’s most definitely a fun day, this is always going to bring out our competitive streaks. On the day, both teams finished all square, but with the agencies winning the title last year, we retained the cup again for 2026.

Well done to both captains Stuart Mackenzie and Iain Valentine and special thanks to the organisers and sponsors Chris Bruce, Simon Crunden and David Macfarlane.

These events are greatly appreciated, and a fitting memorial to a few industry legends who are sadly no longer here, but live on though individual cups in honour of Alan Frame, Andy Carolan, Kyle Hardie and Guy Robertson.

Your creative needs change regularly. We understand that. We’re built on it. We’re there for what you need, when you ne...
04/06/2026

Your creative needs change regularly. We understand that. We’re built on it.

We’re there for what you need, when you need it. From project support to in-house resource, we pride ourselves on Alliance Creative being an extension of your team.

We've been delighted to have an ongoing partnership with Virgin Money UK, now in its 14th year. The relationship began when their team (then Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) identified through a review process that working with Alliance Creative would bring them significant savings. With our capacity to provide top-quality creatives on an ad-hoc basis, they could manage their headcount better, and there would be no need to use big agencies for smaller projects.

As the partnership grew, we've provided support on:

- Development of communications for their multi-million pound rebrand.
- Artwork for national press and outdoor advertising campaigns.
- Providing both remote and in-house resource by embedding team members within the client’s office when required.
- Helping cover staff absences.
- Photography and videography for internal communications.
- Copywriting

Gillian Beattie, Head of Brand & Creative at Virgin Money, explains the value Alliance Creative brings to their work:

"The Alliance model has worked seamlessly like an extension of our team for a number of years now. With their dedication to client continuity, we’re able to ask for specific members of their team to work with us in-house, who have been rotated over the years and as a result have vast knowledge of our brand and workflow. When we have project-based requirements, it’s so easy to make use of their extended team remotely."

Thanks to Gillian, Martin Walsh, Craig Gamble and Jonathan Dunbar.

Want to discover how Alliance Creative can provide bespoke support to deliver your work? Email us at [email protected] and let us become part of your team.

Read more about the branding work we delivered for Virgin Money on our website - https://www.alliancecreative.co.uk/work/virgin-money/

29/05/2026

Alliance Creative hits another milestone as we reached our 15th birthday this month.

We just had to celebrate it a bit differently this year, and what better way to do it than by getting the team together with partners, clients and creatives for a wine pairing evening with a twist?

So many people have helped us get to where we are today, and we’re eternally grateful to those that have been involved with the Alliance over the years – you all know who you are. We wanted to invite everyone, but sadly we could only really accommodate a small group at Jamaica Yard in Edinburgh, a cracking and intimate venue for an event like this.

Andrew and Lizzie from Vino Stockbridge gave our tastebuds a proper education, sampling snacks we’d never have thought would complement the fantastic wines and port they showcased. We won’t give away any secrets, you just need to book these guys and discover it for yourself.

Lizzie Lundy of Vino wines is also the Chair of Sports Charity Scotland, an organisation that the Alliance have supported as creative partners for a number of years, so this was yet another fine pairing.

Also a big thanks to Hamish Allison and Tommy Slack for capturing the evening for us. We know many folks aren’t that comfortable in front of the camera, but these guys made it so relaxed, and it leaves us with a fantastic way of documenting such a fun evening. Thankfully we’ve edited out the tail end of the night when the wines properly kicked in – nobody needs to see that. ;0)

Our thanks to Rianna from Jamaica Yard for looking after us so well, and Louisa Johnstone from Saltire Hospitality Ltd for the fantastic catering.

Thank you once again to everyone that has put their trust in the Alliance, and to those talented people who helped us deliver the excellent work our clients deserve – cheers to you all!

29/05/2026

Starting a website upgrade or new build can feel daunting. Where do you begin? Are you worried you're not 'tech-savvy' enough or overwhelmed by the idea of creating content? These are common challenges, and you're certainly not alone in facing them.

At Alliance Creative, we understand these struggles. We’ve navigated these very waters with many clients over the years, and applied that same process recently with our own website relaunch, that's why we want to share some insights that might help:

- Where to begin: Start with defining the purpose of your website. Is it to inform, engage, or sell?
- Tech concerns: You don’t need to be a tech expert to have a slick and up-to-date website. There are tools and partners who can handle the tech, so you don’t have to.
- Content creation: Begin with the basics. Who is your audience? What do they need to know about your services or products? How do we drive people to your site? Answering these questions can guide your content strategy.

Our approach begins with a discovery session that helps clarify your goals and sets a strategic foundation tailored to your needs.

If you're looking for more detailed guidance or just want to learn more about simplifying this process, check out our website and connect with us, we're here to help.

📩 [email protected]
🔗 www.alliancecreative.co.uk

We’re delighted to present the brand-new Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club website. Alliance Creative has been working in...
21/05/2026

We’re delighted to present the brand-new Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club website.

Alliance Creative has been working in partnership with Caddie Marketing on a complete overhaul of the previous website and a new digital marketing strategy to promote the club.

The brief was built on creating a website to spotlight Merchants as a sought-after dining destination, open to everyone. With a carefully curated menu of Scottish produce, devised by experienced chefs from some of Scotland’s finest kitchens, the food and beverage offering at the club’s Brasserie and Pentland Bar make it the go-to dining destination.

Set on the beautiful Morningside hills, and with stunning views of the Edinburgh, the new website presents this hidden gem in all its glory. Whether you are popping in for lunch, enjoying a relaxing drink, picking up your clubs or looking for a spectacular venue for your event, Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club is ready to welcome you.

The new website includes all new online booking systems for dining and golf. Visit https://www.merchantsgolf.com to see the new site and book a table.

“We love projects like this where we can make a significant difference. It’s precisely what the Alliance are all about, a coming together of specialists helping businesses and organisations to maximise their reach and enhance their brand.”

Great to work with our friends at Caddie Marketing, David MacFarlane and Billy Chester. Thank you to Paul Lightbody from Merchants for the opportunity.

Alliance Creative Project Team:
- Steve Johnstone
- Kerry Murray (Project Manager)
- Kyle Fraser (Web Developer)
- Mark Wilson (Designer)

- Scott McBay (SEO)

In our experience, it's a common conundrum to know you need creative support, but have no idea where to start. Sometimes...
19/05/2026

In our experience, it's a common conundrum to know you need creative support, but have no idea where to start. Sometimes even explaining the issue can give you a headache.

These days, there are more creative options than ever to explore. But nothing makes best use of your time, and gets better results, than bringing it to the experts.

That pain point you are facing is precisely where Alliance Creative brings relief.

That first step is so important. It's essential not to rush it. It's why we believe in listening first. In fully understanding and exploring the challenge you face.

We tailor our services to your exact needs, cherry-picking the delivery team from our bank of experienced creative experts.

It means getting things right. Not wasting time or money. And it leaves you free to get on with other things.

Alliance Creative. Problem Solved.

https://www.alliancecreative.co.uk/

We continue our Meet the Team posts with Managing Director and Founder, Dan Hay. Over to you Dan!"One of my main roles i...
15/05/2026

We continue our Meet the Team posts with Managing Director and Founder, Dan Hay. Over to you Dan!

"One of my main roles is keeping things running like a well‑oiled machine here at the Alliance. From building strong relationships with clients and keeping projects on track with Kerry, to wrangling the numbers, contracts, HR bits, and general admin – I’m the one behind all that thrilling paperwork. Over the past couple of years, I’ve also been the main contact for one of our key clients, managing their live work so Kerry can focus on keeping the rest of our projects humming along.

"When I’m not knee‑deep in project management or paperwork, you’ll find me back where it all began – tinkering away on artwork and design projects, getting my creative fix and remembering why I fell in love with this game in the first place.

"Can you believe it’s been 15 years since we started the Alliance? The business has evolved plenty over the years, but one thing that’s never changed is the brilliant people we’ve had the pleasure of working with – fantastic clients, talented creatives, and hugely supportive advisers. A huge thank you to all of you for being part of the journey and helping us get to where we are today. We’re really looking forward to what’s next and to many more collaborations ahead!"

🔗 Discover how Dan and the team can deliver on your creative projects at https://www.alliancecreative.co.uk/

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