You may have seen Spiderman cleaning windows, but what about a Scotsman complete with kilt? We’re not sure if the leggy view is innovative branding, or a male version of Hooters!
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So let’s say you want to start a window washing business. And you know that window washing not only isn’t sexy, it isn’t even interesting. To be successful you have to be more than good, you have to be different.
So you decide to put your window washers in … kilts! Yes, the traditional garb of heroes like Rob Roy and the Highlander is now the uniform de rigueur for the window washers (male AND female, I checked) of Men In Kilts Window Washing.
To give founder, Nicholas Brand, his due, he IS Scottish. And the franchise started in Canada which is home to many a Scotsman.
To begin, it was just Nicholas in a kilt his wife made for him, driving around asking for jobs. Then he caught the attention of Tressa Wood, former VP of Operations from 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. She realized that the window washing business was, shall we say, under branded. In Canada there were no national brands in the industry, and in the U.S. there were very few. The market was just begging for a unique business to step up and capture the imagination and market share.
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So let’s get real — how does this compare to Hooters and other businesses who rely on certain female attributes as their trademark?
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It’s not surprising that the uniforms turn heads, or that people tend to remember their name. In fact, Nicholas says people often engage the workers in conversations, which makes for perfect opportunities to hand over a card, or invite a follow up for a quote.
While Nicholas says they look for people who are going to love what they do, and represent the brand in a positive way, and the customers interviewed describe the service as top-notch, no doubt it’s the pleats, and the t-shirts that invite “no peeking” that make the company unforgettable.
So let’s get real — how does this compare to Hooters and other businesses who rely on certain female attributes as their trademark? Ladies, if your windows are clean do you really care if the guy who cleaned them wore pants, a kilt, or just baggy shorts? Or do you even care if the person who cleaned them was even a guy?
Guys, would apply for a company that required you to wear a kilt and a t-shirt that says “no peeking?” Or would you feel OK looking out your office window to see a plaid skirt and a pair of male legs?
Nicholas says he’s shooting for a “tartan army, across North America,” what’s your take?
Photo: Youtube