Water’s Edge Dundee
Making Waves Topping Out PR Campaign

The Campaign Brief

With Dundee’s waterfront undergoing a remarkable transformation, standing out from the crowd was no small challenge, particularly with high-profile developments such as the V&A Dundee competing for attention.

Cunningly Good Group was appointed by Tayforth Properties Ltd., the developers behind Water’s Edge, to deliver a 12-month PR campaign to position the redevelopment of historic Shed 25 at Dundee’s City Quay as the city’s most productive and inspirational workspace.

Our challenge was to raise awareness among prospective tenants, showcase the development’s innovative design, technology and flexible working spaces, generate positive media coverage and, crucially, drive enquiries and encourage businesses to commit to leases ahead of opening.

Cunningly Good Group’s Approach

We knew Water’s Edge had all the ingredients for a compelling story. A historic Victorian building, a stunning waterfront location, cutting-edge technology and two high-profile entrepreneurs behind the development: Minecraft console edition developers Chris van der Kuyl and Paddy Burns.

Our job was to turn those ingredients into headlines that would capture the attention of Dundee’s ambitious business community and beyond. We developed a proactive communications strategy combining creative storytelling, targeted media relations, high-profile events and compelling photography.

Central to the campaign was a prestigious ‘Topping Out’ launch event, bringing together leading figures from Scotland’s business community, prospective tenants and influential media.

We also capitalised on the developers’ connections within the gaming industry, organising a photocall and interview opportunities with superstar YouTubers including Stampy Cat, Sqaishey and BigB, giving the development an unexpected angle with wider audience appeal.

Alongside this, we secured exclusive interviews with Chris van der Kuyl, developed tailored news and feature content for national, regional and trade publications, and created a comprehensive press pack, bespoke photography library and crisis communications plan to support the development throughout construction.

The Cunningly Good Results

The campaign delivered outstanding media coverage, significantly exceeding agreed targets and generating valuable interest in Water’s Edge ahead of its opening. Key results included:

48 pieces of media coverage across print and online publications, double the agreed campaign target.

26 print articles and 22 online articles, spanning national, regional, business and construction media.

Coverage in leading titles including The Times, The Sunday Times, The Scotsman, The Courier, The Press and Journal, STV, Business Insider and Scottish Construction Now.

Strong levels of prospective tenant enquiries, with the development on course to achieve its target occupancy ahead of opening in summer 2018.

A comprehensive suite of PR assets to support continued media engagement and reputation management.

Crucially, the campaign didn’t just generate headlines. It helped put Water’s Edge firmly on the radar of prospective tenants and positioned the development as an exciting new destination for Dundee’s creative and business communities.

The client was extremely satisfied with the enquiries generated and the campaign’s effectiveness, resulting in an extension of our contract to provide ongoing PR and event management support.