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Wednesday, 9th December 2009

Salmond shows US tartanised Scotland

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Published Date: 01 March 2009
By Tom Peterkin, Scottish Political Editor
TENS of millions of Americans last night tuned in to Alex Salmond's latest attempt to sell Scotland's Homecoming campaign and witnessed a tartan extravaganza that would embarrass even the most shameless shortbread tin.
The first US broadcast of Salmond's Homecoming advert, starring Sir Sean Connery and Lulu, was accompanied by a patriotic song and dance show.

American television viewers were treated to misty images of Scotland's castles and mountains as the stra
ins of 'Auld Lang Syne', 'Loch Lomond', a kilted version of the Proclaimers' '500 miles (I'm Gonna Be)' and the actor Brian Cox reciting Burns.

The hour-long epic Highland Heartbeat was shown on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), one of America's largest television networks.

The show was sponsored by VisitScotland and made by Kennedy Productions Company.

But the approach adopted by the film-makers led to suggestions that the Homecoming event is relying too much on outdated "shortbread tin" images of Scotland.

Lord Foulkes, the Labour MSP, said: "I don't think this is the way Alex Salmond should be promoting Scotland. It's kitsch. It's very much like Brigadoon rather than the new dynamic Scotland."

Kenny MacDonald, the manager of the Proclaimers, said: "This is light entertainment with a large amount of cheese."

But Roddy Martine, the Scottish author and socialite who has judged at the Dressed to Kilt exhibition in New York, said: "If the Americans want a misty land of mountains and lochs with monsters in them that's up to them."





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  • Last Updated: 28 February 2009 7:12 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: Tartan Week
 
1

,

01/03/2009 01:51:37
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2

gus1940,

Edinburgh 01/03/2009 07:39:42
Foulkes has been relatively (for him) quiet since the Edinburgh University students gave him 2 fingers in a massive vote of confidence in the continuous stream of political vomit emitted from his mouth.
3

Stan Butler,

01/03/2009 09:03:16

'The first US broadcast of Salmond's Homecoming advert, starring Sir Sean Connery'


So is the idea of this campaign to get Yanks to visit The Bahamas?

4

Unimpressed one,

01/03/2009 09:28:46
Sounds like the only thing missing was to hand out boxes of tartan shortbread. I think if all the 'homesick' expats were to put their money where their mouth is and to actually live in Scotland, as opposed to the US, then people might just give their bleats some credence.
5

Soloman,

Stirling 01/03/2009 11:18:11

Ach well, during the credit crunch the Americans will get a whole new meaning to the term 'Buy' yon Bonny Banks. ( Maybe we'll see lots of speculators coming from America)

X INDEPENDENCE FROM WESTMINSTER X
6

,

01/03/2009 12:21:39
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7

,

01/03/2009 12:26:30
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8

bill-alba,

fife 01/03/2009 12:38:09
rules...not to forget the black kilt bit by your labour stooge. The americans are quite into the tartan part of scotland and the misty scenes.. I presume you would rather have labour showing them the poverty sticken areas of the country that they managed to keep in poverty by the "glorious union"
9

Miss Pixie,

formerly of Dinleyhaughfoot Cottage, Roxburghshire 01/03/2009 12:48:03
Unimpressed One; I actually did as you suggested. I moved from the USA (NYC actually) to live in a cottage I had purchased in Roxburghshire. I knew what to expect having already spent a lot of time visiting a friend in Edinburgh. But life on a daily basis at ground level was eye-opening to say the least. It was difficult to get used to the price of petrol, for example.

I never ever missed the USA. Unfortunately I had to return to my roots. I miss Scotland with all my heart and soul and always will.
10

Rex H. McTyeire,

Gaffney 01/03/2009 14:31:08
I don't understand. Is it that you wish Americans to hate Scotland..you hate all Americans.. or is it that you wish Scots to hate themselves..as much as you hate the cultural symbols of Scotland..Peterkin? What silly blether you put out. Ya canna write an article about the US and Scotland without overusing the meaningless Brigadoon word, overplaying an obvious contempt for tartan, and uttering vast wandering mumbles about shortbread tins and foggy mists. Maybe its just yaself ya hate? They call it cringe don't they? Take a wee pill, get some rest, call me in the morning. Maybe you oughtta get some resumes out south a bit..ya can't be happy with Scotland..particularly if anybody sees it different from your Brit brush painted vision of North England? Certainly ya can't expect tourist dollars to flow from your cultural confusion can you? Obviously you'd rather they all go to London to spend their money? Do people pay you to write this stuff in Scotland?
11

Brian Hill,

01/03/2009 20:12:18
TENS of millions of Americans last night tuned in to Alex Salmond's......

That says it all doesn't it?

ANOTHER TRIUMPH FOR SALMOND!!
12

blueguru,

USA 01/03/2009 22:47:02
To the unimpressive "unimpressed one".

Perhaps if Scotland was a modern democracy with full control over her own affairs there might be quite an attraction for more ex-pats to return home. As it is, the country has had its heart torn out by the Union, and seems incapable of seeing the obvious - that things will never get any better as long as Westminster continues to misrule the roost, aided and abetted by Uncle Tom's such as Brown and Darling.

Grasp the thistle. Take back what is yours. They won't give it to you otherwise, not as long as there is one drop of oil left to squeeze out of the North Sea.

 

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