LISTEN: Seven of the most memorable radio ad jingles from the north-east
Whether you are driving to enjoy an ice cream in Stonehaven or cooking up a storm in the kitchen, memorable radio adverts will stay with you.
And in the north-east we have been lucky to have some famous – some maybe infamous – jingles on our radio over the years advertising local companies.
For all you Original 106 listeners out there, of which there are many, one of the most notable ones is from Factory Direct Inverurie.
Why would you not want to upgrade your bathroom, kitchen or bedroom after hearing the Doric advertisement?
After all, you are promised a 'quality product and great customer service at a richt guid price'.
Here are some of the most notable adverts to come through our radios across the north-east:
After hearing this advert, people will will be rushing to St Clair Street in Aberdeen to buy a new bed and mattress.
It really is 'time to go to Bedz 2 Go'.
If you are ever in need of a taxi in the Granite City, '35, 35, 35' is an easy one to remember.
Need to hire a driver? Simples, 'call Aberdeen eight, double nine, double four, nine.'
'There's a great deal going on at I & K Motors,' is what the jingle tells us and after hearing this beat people would be rushing to Inverurie to buy a used vehicle from them.
Need your car remapped? Just remember 'Remap' multiple times and remember you can 'call us today or click remapaberdeen.co.uk.'
Last, but by no means least. A catchy tune? Check. An easy number and catchphrase to remember? Check. 'Call Thistle Windows Aberdeen on seven, 0, six, treble five.'
These are some of the most recognisable ones to come on our radios.
But there have been many more – and will be many more – adverts to reel listeners in.
According to Original 106 programme controller Craig Lumsden, firms are requesting adverts similar to the jingles featured above.
The 106 show host said: 'I think that the best radio ads firstly have to be catchy, but they also have to slightly irritate you to get into your head and be memorable.
'It's very common for new advertisers at Original 106 to ask for something similar to the Thistle Windows jingle when they are looking to create a campaign.
'I'd say the majority of people in the north-east could nail that one at karaoke.'
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Press and Journal
17-05-2025
- Press and Journal
LISTEN: Seven of the most memorable radio ad jingles from the north-east
Whether you are driving to enjoy an ice cream in Stonehaven or cooking up a storm in the kitchen, memorable radio adverts will stay with you. And in the north-east we have been lucky to have some famous – some maybe infamous – jingles on our radio over the years advertising local companies. For all you Original 106 listeners out there, of which there are many, one of the most notable ones is from Factory Direct Inverurie. Why would you not want to upgrade your bathroom, kitchen or bedroom after hearing the Doric advertisement? After all, you are promised a 'quality product and great customer service at a richt guid price'. Here are some of the most notable adverts to come through our radios across the north-east: After hearing this advert, people will will be rushing to St Clair Street in Aberdeen to buy a new bed and mattress. It really is 'time to go to Bedz 2 Go'. If you are ever in need of a taxi in the Granite City, '35, 35, 35' is an easy one to remember. Need to hire a driver? Simples, 'call Aberdeen eight, double nine, double four, nine.' 'There's a great deal going on at I & K Motors,' is what the jingle tells us and after hearing this beat people would be rushing to Inverurie to buy a used vehicle from them. Need your car remapped? Just remember 'Remap' multiple times and remember you can 'call us today or click Last, but by no means least. A catchy tune? Check. An easy number and catchphrase to remember? Check. 'Call Thistle Windows Aberdeen on seven, 0, six, treble five.' These are some of the most recognisable ones to come on our radios. But there have been many more – and will be many more – adverts to reel listeners in. According to Original 106 programme controller Craig Lumsden, firms are requesting adverts similar to the jingles featured above. The 106 show host said: 'I think that the best radio ads firstly have to be catchy, but they also have to slightly irritate you to get into your head and be memorable. 'It's very common for new advertisers at Original 106 to ask for something similar to the Thistle Windows jingle when they are looking to create a campaign. 'I'd say the majority of people in the north-east could nail that one at karaoke.'
The Herald Scotland
27-04-2025
- The Herald Scotland
'A-Aye': Will artificial intelligence be a boon for Scots?
MacDonald, a native Doric speaker from the North East of Scotland, says the site is a 'major opportunity' for Scots speakers. 'We don't have any major outlets doing news articles in Scots', he tells me. 'There's a lack of funding and no one can pay for reporters to write in Scots.' 'AI is used to draft the article in English', he adds, noting: 'then I translate it into Scots using a learned language model I have developed, using three different Scots dialects.' Artificial intelligence has also been used to generate images and photographs on the site. Oor News was launched last year. 'The process has two parts,' MacDonald explains. 'First, I submit very detailed prompts about how to write in the style I like. Once I build up a significant level of articles, the model will be able to rely on them to develop content.' Articles can be read in 'Staundart' Scots, 'Nor East' Scots, and 'Nordern Isles' Scots. Born near Aberdeen before moving to Shetland as a child, MacDonald's interest comes from his own experiences with Scots. 'I am naturally a Doric speaker', he says, 'and have often felt challenged to fit in with other Scots speakers.' MacDonald wanted to provide a range of different options in a bid to ensure that all Scots speakers are represented, regardless of regional dialectal differences. Asked for his thoughts on using artificial intelligence in the writing process, instead of employing human writers, MacDonald says: 'AI streamlines the time it takes me to write. I write around three or four articles a week. Each takes a few hours. In the future, it might be able to take just thirty minutes. I'd like to expand into a team of Scots language activists.' 'I am a born Scots speaker myself. I'm not a Scots expert, but I am keen to ask for feedback.' It is really about the time. I could do a translation by hand, but it takes too long. Now, I can rapidly produce things.' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: Does Glasgow need a 'rat tsar' to crackdown on city rodent problem? How one homelessness charity is working to end Glasgow's housing crisis Breakfast at the camp: My morning with the Glasgow Uni student protestors Whistleblower reveals 'dire' truth of violence in Scottish primary schools Oor News has been criticised online by creatives working in the Scots leid, something MacDonald is acutely aware of. An OorNews 'parody' account was set up earlier this month, poking fun at MacDonald's bona fides. One post from April 11 reads: 'This account is aw fur the Scots leid and the need fur a Scots language news website! It's a braw idea. But Scots speakers deserve better than AI-generated pish lik Oor News. 'It's also worth notin thit news agencies are meant tae find original stories - that's no whit Oor News is daein. Rehashin press releases - even when ye tak AI oot the equation - is bad journalism.' One prominent critic of Oor News is Scots author Emma Grae. Writing in The National earlier this week, she wrote: 'While I agree with MacDonald that there's a place for a Scots language news website, especially in light of the recent resurgence and interest in the leid, it should not be an AI one. 'Scots-language news should always be written by speakers, and any Scots news outlet should be a platform for humans to showcase their own, legitimate and original journalism from the get-go – as much as press releases inevitably make their way into the news cycle.' Grae added: 'The leid is an oral language after all, and it deserves better treatment than simply being used to regurgitate existing content, which is being illustrated with generative, out-of-proportion images. 'The development of Scots AI is also incredibly demotivating for speakers creating in Scots.' Emma Grae is a prominent critic of AI involvement in Scots. 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Kirk explains: 'I took recordings of my voice and transformed it into different dialects using AI. 'The recordings were heard in Standard English and in Dundonian, using phrases like 'the child was crying' vs 'the bairn was greeting'. 'People weren't that good at telling the AI Scots apart from the real speakers. Around 57% accuracy. That's essentially a guess. Researcher Neil Kirk of Abertay University (Image: Supplied) He noted: 'Notably, when people heard the Dundonian passages, they were much more likely to say it was a human speaker. 'Interestingly, people from England did not seem to exhibit the same effect. I guess it all sounded Scottish to them.' Kirk says this is because people don't expect AI to be able to generate phrases in Scots, while they are more aware of its ability to generate English voices. He adds: 'People's expectation of AI can influence their perception. People don't assume that AI can generate Scots phrases. As such, certain dialect and minority language communities could be more at risk of voice-based scams.' 'In the real world, you wouldn't be focused on whether or not the recording is AI. So the [hit rate] could be even lower.' Setting aside the ethical implications of AI, Kirk believes the technology could have a range of outcomes for Scots speakers. 'There are certainly positive applications', he says. 'AI can allow people to clone their voice or customise much more personalised voices. 'However, it could also be taken in a fraudulent way. The technology is there, I'm just interested in how people perceive it. 'AI could lead to better language technology, but with benefits come risks. This is a very double-edged sword.' Creatives have raised the alarm over the use of AI over the last several years. 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The album's title simply read: 'Is this what we really want'? A worthy question indeed.
Press and Journal
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Pizza has the power to get you through a bad day, or, as Jo Wilson of Fired up Pizzas in Aberdeenshire says, cheer up the army on a tour in Iraq. Jo worked in the British Army for 22 years as AGC (SPS) or adjutants general corps (staff and personnel support). During a tour in Iraq back in 2003, the arrival of a Pizza Hut came as an unexpected source of comfort for Jo and her comrades. 'Halfway through the tour, the American camp brought in a Pizza Hut container,' she says. 'The morale that that Pizza Hut brought to all the soldiers in Iraq was absolutely mental. 'Growing up in a small village myself, we had nothing. 'I just thought there are so many towns and villages here that have limited food options. 'So it was a way to give something to them and give them a bit of enjoyment too.' Originally from St Abbs, Jo moved to Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, around five years ago. She left the army in 2019, and said various jobs she tried never felt like the right fit. 'I just wasn't passionate about them,' she admits. 'We got to talking about it, and I realised I'm quite passionate about food. 'And we decided to just go for it and see what happened.' For the past year, Jo and her partner Linsey have been running Fired Up Pizzas, serving to locals in Alford, Chapelton, Drumoak and elsewhere in Aberdeenshire. 'It's just grown and grown and grown,' Jo tells me. 'Customers have come along, and they've really liked our pizzas. We've been invited to serve pizzas at birthdays, christening, celebrations of life. 'Word of mouth has really helped us. 'Every time people get in touch with positive feedback, it just gives us that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. 'I never expected things to go so well.' Customers have even told Jo and Lindsey that 'it's the best pizza they've had outside of Italy'. 'It's fun having a wee natter with the customers,' adds Jo. 'We have a laugh with them too.' Jo and Linsey are keen to give back to the community, and provide a donation to a charity of the host's choosing at events. 'Pizzas one to 50, the charity gets a 50p donation, and 50 and above, they get £1,' explains Jo. 'So if we sell 100 pizzas at an event, the charity gets £75.' With the dough prepped in advance, Jo and Linsey create each of the pizzas fresh – making as many a hundred in one night at an event last year. The couple use local ingredients from their own polytunnel, including peppers and chillies. They also utilise Aberdeenshire's bountiful larder at farmers' markets, and source authentic Italian ingredients such as nduja paste, parma ham and mozzarella cheese. Once Jo and Linsey add the toppings, the pizzas take just 90 seconds to cook in the woodfired oven. The Doric tongue is the inspiration behind the menu. Pizzas on offer include 'the fine quine' (or margarita) and the 'tricket loon' (pepperoni), or a spicy 'nippie sweetie'. Other options on the menu include 'the gype' vegetarian pizza and 'the thrawn craitor' which is topped with ham and pineapple. Their pizzas range from £9-13.
