STARS CASH IN ON ACCENTS
THE MIRROR (LONDON, ENGLAND)
8 MARCH 2000

Actor Hamish Clark has become Scotland’s biggest heart throb after starring in a series of mobile phone ads.

The hunky 28-year-old has hit it big time being plucked from obscurity by Vodafone.

And he is only one of many Scots taking the advertising world by storm. Even dour Scots golf champ Colin Montgomerie has got in on the act with a role in an ad for an Internet stockbroker.

Vodafone’s quirky campaign has had Hamish thrown into a twister, perched atop an African rock formation and drawing strange messages in the sand in Spain.

And he has captured the attention of thousands of female viewers.

Hamish said: “Everyone recognises me from the adverts. These are ads that people remember.

“The Scots accent works because the English can’t class it. They like the regional thing. ”

The hunky Scot has even had schoolgirls cooing in the streets.

Now the the Dundonian, who once worked as a lollipop man for a local school, is starring in the BBC drama Monarch Of The Glen.

Hamish plays kilted handyman Dunc, who works for an eccentric laird, his dotty wife and a reluctant heir.

A Vodafone spokesman said: “Our ads have come top in the most retained campaign charts because they’re clever and people like the star.

“Hamish has been a real success for us - we think he’s a real hit with the women.

“People trust him because he has a lovely soft Scottish accent.

“He doesn’t look old and he doesn’t look young. He’s perfect for us.

“I’m sure he’ll go on to even bigger and bigger things now that he’s been put in the public eye.”

Accent expert Dr Jane Stuart-Smith, of Glasgow University, says viewers are drawn to the Scots tongue.

Jane said: “People trust the Scottish accent because they associate it with stereotypes of Scotland.

“The common image of a Scotsman is of a trustworthy, honourable individual marching bravely across the Highlands.

“The Scots are associated with fresh air and clean living - perhaps that is why people trust the Scottish accent.

“The Scots are fortunate because they are perceived to have a positive stereotype.”

Trainspotting beauty Kelly Macdonald has been one of the Scots much in demand for TV ads.

The Glasgow girl, who won fame as the teenager who seduced Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting, has hit the small screen advertising an antiperspirant deodorant called Secret.

Secret has been the bestselling antiperspirant in America for 40 years.

Now Procter & Gamble are launching it over here and have organised a high-profile campaign centred around a commercial directed by top Vogue photographer Albert Watson.

Fiat cars were also quick to spot the pulling power of Scots appeal and used brunette Ruth Millar in their latest Punto ad.

Ruth played as fiesty young woman who poked fun at male stereotypes.

As she talked the viewer through the car’s main features she said: “Now let’s go through this nice and slowly shall we boys.

“The car has an in built satellite navigation system, because let’s face it, how can you find your way round Birmingham when you can’t even find your way round a woman’s body.”

And Ruth signs of saying: “It’s really slinky looking - so you can fantasise about pulling in it. Perfect.”

Although Scots golf superstar Monty may not be the first name that springs to mind when you’re looking for a comic Scot, he does his best to live down his dour reputation in his new TV ad.

In the commercial, the European No1, who was recently named as Scotland’s first unofficial ambassador, is all smiles as he waves to the crowd before a vital shot.

But seconds later the golfer’s game becomes uncharacteristically poor as he is faced with a near impossible shot from the heavy rough.

The advert ends with the exasperated golfer giving up before being offered tips on his performance from a stranger in the crowd.

Viewers of terrestrial TV will be able to watch Monty’s debut performance as an actor over the next few days.

The 30-second commercial for online brokers Sharepeople Limited received critical acclaim when it was premiered on satellite channels at the weekend.

But golfers yesterday urged Monty not to give up his day job after viewing the advert for the first time.

Colin Wood, president of the Scottish Golf Union, said: “He is a really nice guy and is a super ambassador for the game.

“But I’m not sure about his acting talents.

“In the advert he is shown losing his temper a little, but he does that a lot during his game anyway. Put it this way, I can’t see him following Vinne Jones to Hollywood.”