Scotland (and Mel Gibson) Beware…a new William Wallace is in town. And its name is Ace Hardware.

16 Feb 2011, Posted by Jim in brands, 0 Comments

I’m not sure if anybody has seen the latest Ace Hardware commercials but it’s hysterical and well done. As I’m watching the Godfather on TBS for the thousandth time, a new Ace Hardware commercial comes on. It clearly spoofs the scene in Braveheart when Mel/William Wallace is spurring on his warriors in their first major battle with the English. To the responsible agency – great job. Not only was it funny, but it also gave me a different image of the Ace Hardware brand.

And since we’re talking brand, lets discuss Scotland’s brand a bit. I’ve done a few talks in Edinburgh and Glasgow about branding. One of the biggest brand misconceptions is about Braveheart and how it represents Scotland. My initial impression was that Braveheart was a great brand ambassador for the nation and its people. But to my surprise, most Scots did NOT like the William Wallace connection. When I probed why, Scots stated it was less about the attention that it brought Scotland (tourism increased) and more about the limitations it placed on the rich culture and history of Scotland. Bottom line – Scotland is more than Braveheart.

But if you’re a Braveheart fan, then definitely watch this commercial for a laugh.