Tam's Tall Tales

- Distillers Still Selling Old Scotch Clichés?





Distillers Still Selling Old Scotch Clichés?

I was interested in an article by a certain Henry Jeffreys who has a book - 'Empire of Booze - coming out next year.

He quotes a Diageo executive as saying that Scotch was marketed through "bagpipes, heather and tartan", i.e. that distillers had relied too long on clichéd? notions of Scottishness to sell their product.

Mr Jeffreys points out that the London offices of Dewar's whisky had an enormous electric sign of a Highlander in a tam o' shanter raising a glass of Dewar's White Label." As he drank, his beard and kilt swayed. What's more, Highlandism was particularly effective abroad."

Diageo, who own a whole clutch of Scotch brands still goes with the 'piper in the glen' image of Scotland to promote its wares. Last year its 'Haig Club' line was launched with images of salmon, a misty loch and some kilts, although Beckham was there to add some contemporary tattoos to the mix.

Here's a link to Henry Jeffreys' article: Scottish cliches still overwhelm whisky – to its detriment


Please give me whatever feedback comes to mind via tamfromrampant@gmail.com.

Tam O'Ranter
May 2014

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