“Bang! And the dirt’s gone!”, or should we say Barry Scot is gone? The famous catchphrase that captured the attention of many and even inspired thousands of memes is now a thing of the past.
Neil Burgess, also known as Barry Scott, is the actor behind the famous campaigns for Cillit Bang cleaning products that first launched in 2005. He is a famous spokesperson and a mascot on British TV known for his loud catchphrases.
So, what happened to Barry Scot, why is he no longer advertising cleaning products?
The Growing Success for Barry Scot in the Advertising Industry
Barry Scott is probably the longest-running mascot who has ever appeared on British television. He started his demonstrative advertisement career back in 2005 and was featured in numerous advertisements ever since.
But before he became an angry mascot, Burgess worked as an actor who appeared in “Walking the Dead,” “Removals Man in Life Begins,” and “Male Paramedic Number One.”
When he first started working in the advertisement industry for cleaning products, he was dressed like a typical mechanic trying to clean up a garage by dancing. But then the ads shifted to get more attention, and it’s safe to say, it was an immediate success.
With all the yelling and shouting, he quickly became the angry star and inspired dozens of memes and even a cool dance remix that got more than 1.5 million views on YouTube. Soon an alternative hip-hop version of the remix came out but was less successful than the other one.
Why Was Barry Scott Ditched by Cillit Bang?
As the success of the campaigns subsided, the character Scott was “rested,” but then put to action again in 2013 this time with a new advert that shows off Cillit Bang’s excellent power to get rid of stains immediately.
However, the Advertising Standards Authority immediately banned the campaign for exaggerated and unrealistic claims. One year later, an over-the-top story popped up with false claims stating the actor was found dead in his apartment. But, because of all the attention it got, the claims were soon put to rest.
Yet, almost two years later, the actor no longer worked for Cillit Bang; instead, he was switched with a younger, more appealing actor. Like any big-budget company that invests in the latest advertisement strategies, it’s no surprise why they would take this approach. The new guy worked as a dancer and has appeared next to Madonna on stage. It was the perfect opportunity for the company to focus on something new, something trendier.
However, there is no definitive reason why the company let off Burgess nor whether or not he will be coming back for another advertisement. Besides, Scott did end his online tribute with the words “Bye for now.” These words could be just teasing us, or they could have a hidden meaning. The only thing we can do is wait and find out. Maybe the old Barry Scott will come back for another advertisement.