# Scots: The New Dewar's Ad featuring an Englishwoman doing a Scots accent - okay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727 "2012-12-11T19:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/41 "2012-12-13T02:45:58Z")
> [@For You](#): > > Not to derail, but is Dewars even palatable? My few experiences with blends have convinced me to stick to single malts – even Glenfiddich 12, “the budweiser of scotch”, has decent personality compared to the insipid abominations that are blends. No wonder they have to advertise aggressively. No. Dewars is shite. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/42 "2012-12-13T10:19:42Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > anyways, i don’t know how “genuine” her accent is, but Kelly MacDonald’s accent sounds very nice while still being very easy to understand. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSrlCMG0AKM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSrlCMG0AKM) Link unavailable ☹ > [@Corcaigh](#): > > you. outside. now. “Get yer coat luv, you’ve pulled”? 😉 > [@WordMan](#): > > So, which is worst? > > 1. the bad Scots accent > 2. the concept of using a Englishwoman to trot out a faux-Scots accent and selling it to us Americans? > 3. the fact that the actress is reasonably well-known, but is NOT portrarying herself as a celebrity English endorser, but rather as Scottish character? 1. Selling Dewars as representative of good Scottish Whisky ☹ > [@singular1](#): > > I’m fairly certain she says “Are ya thersty, Angus?” at the end of the commercial. Mr singular agrees. Nope. > [@Leaffan](#): > > “Go back to sleep Angus, darling.” Yup. > [@Leaffan](#): > > No. Dewars is shite. Quoted for truth! ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/43 "2012-12-13T11:12:33Z")
Karen Gillan from Doctor Who is from Scotland and sounds delightful, is her accent real? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWnSOZ83Qg4) ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/44 "2012-12-13T12:13:25Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > So, which is worst? > > 1. the bad Scots accent > 2. the concept of using a Englishwoman to trot out a faux-Scots accent and selling it to us Americans? > 3. the fact that the actress is reasonably well-known, but is NOT portrarying herself as a celebrity English endorser, but rather as Scottish character? > > I guess I would’ve gone with 2 myself - I would’ve assumed that an Englishwoman attempting to be passed off as Scottish would be the most offensive. Whether she was reasonably well-known would add confusion to the offensiveness, but not be as offensive. And Scots accents have been butchered in countless US shows and movies, but I tend to think of those as US attempts to fake a Scots accent. This is a Scottish distillery using a Brit to “sound” Scottish to the US audience. Just seems wrong… I don’t think so. We’ve got pretty used to it the other way round, for example. Ewan McGregor and David Tennant put on English accents without any huge fuss. It only really becomes an issue when it gets down to Russ Abbot territory: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/N_Cg7bS7XXI/hqdefault.jpg "Russ Abbot on Des O'Connor part 01") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Cg7bS7XXI) ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/45 "2012-12-13T12:30:46Z")
Ghastly. Absolutely ghastly. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/46 "2012-12-13T12:36:17Z")
I don’t care about the accent, I just think the ad itself is horribly made. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/47 "2012-12-13T12:40:36Z")
Agreed - the epileptic inducing flashes and jumps at the beginning, the faux erotic stroking the velvet - what on earth were they going for? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/48 "2012-12-13T14:15:43Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > It’s a reference to Scottish independence. “Angus” is making a declaration for maintaining ties to the monarchy, and shitty accent lady is sipping scotch whiskey and declaring her defiant independence. > > That’s my take. I thought when Angus yelled “We serve at the pleasure of her Majesty the Queen!” it was some kind of Scottish code for “I’m awake and horny, want to fool around?”, and the woman shot him down, because she’s busy getting drunk. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/49 "2012-12-13T14:26:03Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Link unavailable ☹ … it was a clip of Kelly MacDonald on Craig Ferguson with two other Scottish. you can also find her accent on Boardwalk Empire. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/50 "2012-12-13T14:38:16Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I guess I would’ve gone with 2 myself - I would’ve assumed that an Englishwoman attempting to be passed off as Scottish would be the most offensive. Whether she was reasonably well-known would add confusion to the offensiveness, but not be as offensive. And Scots accents have been butchered in countless US shows and movies, but I tend to think of those as US attempts to fake a Scots accent. This is a Scottish distillery using a Brit to “sound” Scottish to the US audience. Just seems wrong… Blimey, we’re not at war you know. Actors of all nationalities routinely impersonate other accents, it really isn’t a big deal that it’s an English woman impersonating a Scot. And, yeah, Scots are Brits too. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/51 "2012-12-13T14:42:44Z")
> [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](#): > > I’m Scottish and that’s painful. I’m English, and I agree. Shrek’s Scots accent is better than the one in that ad. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/52 "2012-12-13T14:46:44Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Blimey, we’re not at war you know. Actors of all nationalities routinely impersonate other accents, it really isn’t a big deal that it’s an English woman impersonating a Scot. Yeah, but when you’re advertising something with distinct emphasis on the regional origin, then you use an ersatz version of that very attribute, it’s just weirdly wrong. The only way in which this makes any sense to me is if they were going for something along the lines of “this product is so essentially _Scottish_, it will make \*\*you \*\*Scottish.”- except that doesn’t seem to be what they were aiming at. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/53 "2012-12-13T15:02:55Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Blimey, we’re not at war you know. Actors of all nationalities routinely impersonate other accents, it really isn’t a big deal that it’s an English woman impersonating a Scot. > > And, yeah, Scots are Brits too. I am sure I am overthinking it then. Of course Scots are Brits and of course different Brits take on different accents from different regions all the time. In this case, it just seemed off to me. Not sure if I can articulate it - it is one thing for an actor to use whatever accent they need; it is another for a Brand to position an actor to embody a specific archetype - in this case a strong-willed Scotswoman - and conspicuously not use a real one. In the US, if a mid-level well-known actor, known for having a strong NY accent, ended up flogging a strongly Boston-based brand and using a pasted-on Boston accent, it would lead to flak. Are NY and Boston at war? Nah, but there is a rivalry there and plenty of “true Bostonian” actors to use who would be seen to more truly embody the brand. Edited to Add: simul-posted by **Mangetout** , who summarized what I was trying to say much better than I did. Thank you sir. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/54 "2012-12-13T15:47:39Z")
It wasn’t a commercial, but is [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46JtPDtqAk) (slightly NSFW- language) the kind of thing you’re referring to **WordMan**? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/55 "2012-12-13T15:54:41Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It wasn’t a commercial, but is [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46JtPDtqAk) (slightly NSFW- language) the kind of thing you’re referring to **WordMan**? Yes, but it is not like Alec Baldwin is hawking Boston Baked Beans in a commercial, just playing a character. That is a pretty funny clip; I hadn’t seen it - thanks. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/56 "2012-12-13T16:57:29Z")
Is that supposed to be Kennedy-esque, or what??? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/57 "2012-12-13T17:08:31Z")
By the way, just to clear up any confusion about how the ad ends – there are two ads. (Yes, I’m afraid this appears to be an actual ad _campaign,_ and we get to look forward to yet more of this dreck.) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/58 "2012-12-13T17:19:19Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Karen Gillan from Doctor Who is from Scotland and sounds delightful, is her accent real? > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWnSOZ83Qg4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWnSOZ83Qg4) She is from Inbhir Nis, I should hope she talks that way normally. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/59 "2012-12-13T17:47:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > It’s a reference to Scottish independence. “Angus” is making a declaration for maintaining ties to the monarchy, and shitty accent lady is sipping scotch whiskey and declaring her defiant independence. > > That’s my take. If it has got anything to do with the independence referendum it’s badly informed, since the monarchy is not up for discussion in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727/60 "2012-12-13T18:03:18Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I’m fairly certain she says “Are ya thersty, Angus?” at the end of the commercial. Mr singular agrees. That’s the [other commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46JtPDtqAk), in reply to Angus’s shouted “All hail to the drinking man!”. Which makes just as much sense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scots-the-new-dewars-ad-featuring-an-englishwoman-doing-a-scots-accent-okay/643727.md?page=4)