Scottish Dopers - what do you think of these commercials

[muldoonthief]

Commercials (explanation to follow):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LEyMmf6d_4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H77itI3VOw8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joAhjNZ2ihA

These are the 3 most representative, but there are more. Please watch if possible before reading further.













Scotts is probably the largest USA consumer brand of lawn fertilizer & seed. Their current advertising campaign stars "Scott", who has a pronounced Scottish accent and uses more than a few Scottish idioms (at least from an American point of view) as he helps his neighbors with their lawn problems.

So what do you think? Is this horribly offensive? Somewhat strange? Funny? Is Scott even Scottish? His accent sounds so over the top - I keep expecting him to say "I dinna ken how muuch more this lawn ken taake Capn!"

[PaulParkhead]

Looks to me like a typical American commercial. The word I'd use is "cheesy" rather than offensive.

Accent wise, if I was told he actually was Scottish, I'd believe it. He's hamming it up a bit, but it's not totally absurd.

[Corcaigh]

Scotts is probably the largest USA consumer brand of lawn fertilizer & seed. Their current advertising campaign stars "Scott", who has a pronounced Scottish accent and uses more than a few Scottish idioms (at least from an American point of view) as he helps his neighbors with their lawn problems.

So what do you think? Is this horribly offensive? Somewhat strange? Funny? Is Scott even Scottish? His accent sounds so over the top - I keep expecting him to say "I dinna ken how muuch more this lawn ken taake Capn!"


I'm not Scottish, but by marriage [not mine!] I am related to Scottish people, and have visited the country.

I should imagine they'd be grossly offended at those ads, cos they just strike me as a people who take offence at anything that claims to be Scottish when it isnae, or, it's no.

His accent sounds authentic-ish, like he's a Scot who's lived in America for a long time and disnae talk like he wud if he wuz stull livin in Sco'lun.

or something.

I thought the ads were funny, but I like laughing at the Scots.

(Why did the man say "top o' the morning" at the start of the first one? That is supposedly an Irishism but no one ever says it)

[PaulParkhead]

I should imagine they'd be grossly offended at those ads, cos they just strike me as a people who take offence at anything that claims to be Scottish when it isnae, or, it's no.



I'm highly offended by the suggestion that I'd be offended.

[Cinnamon Imp]

I was pleased to hear a genuine Scottish accent, rather than what Americans might think is Scottish ;)

I wasn't happy about the phrase "top of the morning to you" being used - that's an Irish stereotype, not Scottish. I don't even know who's meant to say "lollygagging" - isn't that English?

I didn't find them offensive at all, and was pleasantly surprised how free of Braveheart/stingy-scots cliches they all were.

Oh, and does anyone have Scott's phone number? ;)

[muldoonthief]

It was the American who said "top of the morning", wasn't it? Implying he's the one who doesn't know the difference between Irish & Scottish.

The Scottish-ish (or at least non-typical-American) phrases I noticed:

"lollygagging"
"Feedin your lawn need not be so difficult."
calling people "lad"
his dog is named "Haggis"
"that's dandyrot!"

[Baron Greenback]

I should imagine they'd be grossly offended at those ads, cos they just strike me as a people who take offence at anything that claims to be Scottish when it isnae, or, it's no.


Yeah, us Scots are one big mono-thought mass. :rolleyes:

Not remotely offended at all here. If the actor isn't actually Scottish, then that's a damned good go at an accent! If he is Scottish, he's maybe hamming it up a wee bit ;)

[Baron Greenback]

"Feedin your lawn need not be so difficult."


It would usually be "needn't" or more likely "neadnae" in Scotland. I've never heard "dandyrot" though

[Quartz]

Their current advertising campaign stars "Scott", who has a pronounced Scottish accent and uses more than a few Scottish idioms (at least from an American point of view) as he helps his neighbors with their lawn problems.

It's not a very pronounced accent; it sounds like Americanised Scots. Just compare it with Glaswegian!

[WotNot]

I don't even know who's meant to say "lollygagging" - isn't that English?

The Scottish-ish (or at least non-typical-American) phrases I noticed:

"lollygagging"

Actually, "lollygagging" (or "lallygagging") is American in origin. OED's first citation is Harper's Magazine from 1862.

[Clockwork Jackal]

Hmmm let's see.

Red hair - check.
Plaid shirt - check.
Knowledge of lawn/garden stuff - check.
Scottish accent - oh hell yes, check.

I need this guys phone number. STAT! :)

[Cinnamon Imp]

I need this guys phone number. STAT! :)


I asked first! ;)

[Finagle]

Well, as a human being, I'm sort of offended by the second commercial (for the snap spreader). It basically shows two suburbanites who can't figure out how to use a fertilizer spreader. You know, one of those "pour in the fertilizer and set the lever to the number on the bag" jobs. I'm sort of baffled that Scotts thought that this was a problem that needed fixing.

[Nunzio Tavulari]

I imagine there's a fair bit of trying to invoke Willie The Groundskeeper as well as referencing the similarity of the name to the nationality. For that reason, they've pumped up the accent just a bit. If the Scots can accept the Simpsons, they'll breeze right over this.

[Cinnamon Imp]

I really didn't think the accent was "pumped up" at all, but given I'm surrounded by thick Glaswegian accents all day, my standards may vary!

And of course we love Groundskeeper Willie - who could dislike the man who gave the world the genius phrase "cheese eating surrender monkeys" ;)

[Nava]

(Why did the man say "top o' the morning" at the start of the first one? That is supposedly an Irishism but no one ever says it)

A couple of my Scottish coworkers would use it occasionally, as a sort of in-joke; both were Scotts-Irish.

[bienville]

I didn't find them offensive at all, and was pleasantly surprised how free of Braveheart/stingy-scots cliches they all were.

Typical how they'd be stingy with the stingy-scots cliches.

[DrFidelius]

I've seen worse. This hardly registers on the Brigadoonery Meter.

[Meurglys]

No offence whatsoever.
They could be shown over here and I doubt anybody would complain.

[DrFidelius]

Oh, and I like "Haggis." Why does he behave? Because he's a Scottie.
(Until he gets the idea into his stubborn little head that there might be a rat hiding somewhere. He would burrow through macadam to get to it then.)