Video: Kirkcaldy shop advert goes viral

Marley Drennan features in the advert, directed by her ten-year-old sister Colby, for the Wee Carpet Shoppe, in a production that was made entirely without the shop owner knowing.

John Tallack was shocked to hear that his grandchildren had asked their mum to let them into the Merchant's Quarter shop at the weekend to film an online advert for the store.

The video features Marley telling viewers why shopping at small family-owned businesses is so important.

"My mummy told me, every time you shop local, a fairy gets its wings. And every time you shop independent, you're helping a little girl get her ballet shoes," Marley tells the viewer, before showing off her dance moves.

But while the video has attracted serious attention online, John said he was surprised to discover they had filmed the clip without him even knowing.

He said: "The kids did that off their own back. My ten-year-old grandaughter filmed it and made up the script for the four-year-old. I wasn't even in the shop, they came down with their mum, opened up the shop and did it on Sunday when I wasn't here.

"I knew nothing about it. They phoned me and said 'we've done a video, can we put it on Facebook?'.

"At first the alarm bells rang and I thought I'd have to see it because it's my business.

"But when I saw it I was like 'oh my god, that's really good', because it is just publicising small businesses. It is my business, but they're pushing the messaging of buying from independents, so fair play to them.

"I'm really proud of them, what they've done. For it to come from a ten-year-old's brain and a four-year-old to act it out, I'm just chuffed to bits with them.

"I think it's on about 10,000 views on Facebook, and it's only been up since Sunday night or Monday morning. Any time I put a video up, I'm lucky if it gets 100 views, so they've done well.

"For me the main thing was to trying big up the High Street, as opposed to everyone walking about with boulders on their shoulders saying it's dying a death.

"I think the units that are empty are huge and too big for independent traders, whereas here in the Merchant's Quarter, it fits well with the wee units that fit independents."

John says the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

"It's been good. The fact that it's had 10,000 views means it's a success.

"A lot of people are now saying that they'll be coming to me when they need a carpet. If I get 10 people in, then it's a good result. It could be further down the line, but we'll have someone come in who remembers Marley on the video."

And with the success of the video, the girls have already filmed a sequel for their dad.

John added: "Since they've done it, as their dad works for Travel Your World at the other end of the High Street, and he's had them in doing a video.

"Marley seems to love the camera. She's absolutely loved it."