The SECC Glasgow is being renamed and rebranded the Scottish Event Campus.
The new name is being adopted to reflect the "changes in the nature of the business", with the three buildings on the campus now to be known as The SSE Hydro, the SEC Armadillo (formerly Clyde Auditorium) and the SEC Centre.
“The Scottish Event Campus, 'SEC' better describes the site, is more representative of what we do and reflects a vision for the future,” said Debbie McWilliams (pictured), the venue's head of live entertainment, sales and ticketing.
“Over the years, live entertainment has grown to become a significant part of the business which is not represented in the name Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre [SECC]. We believe that this is the perfect time for a revamp of our brand, building on the success of the business to date. Historically we have found that many people don’t necessarily realise that all of our buildings are part of the SECC."
The SSE Hydro opened in 2014 and has swiftly become a must-play arena on the UK touring circuit, hosting events such as the MOBO Awards and the 2014 MTV EMAs. Upcoming shows include Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Drake, The Who and Olly Murs.
“There is no doubt that the arrival of The SSE Hydro has had a major effect on our business with the quality of events that we can now attract and deliver which has placed Glasgow firmly on the map as a must play destination in the UK touring market," said McWilliams. "It is important, however, not to forget that we continue to stage events in both the SEC Armadillo and SEC Centre which is made up of Halls 1 to 5 and the Lomond Auditorium."
In the last 12 months, 258 events were staged across the campus - 140 of which were in The SSE Hydro - generating 59% of the total gross profit for the business.
"To be known as the Scottish Event Campus aligns perfectly with the diversity of events that take place here - from major artists for 13,000 in The SSE Hydro, to comedy and theatre in our 3,000-seat SEC Armadillo, to more intimate performances in the Lomond Auditorium," added McWilliams.
“The new brand not only integrates these areas but will be a strong sales tool for attracting new and different business such as a large scale indoor musical festivals, major sporting events or comedy festivals. We are perfectly placed for a promoter or organiser to come to us with a vision or theme and we’ll work with them to make it happen.
“It’s an exciting time for the business and with the rebrand I truly believe that we are positioning ourselves very favourably in an increasingly competitive industry."
