Historian labels Carnegie advert ‘disrespectful’

A historian has hit out at a “disrespectful” advert which shows Scots businessman Andrew Carnegie as a crackermunching mouse.

Sheila Pitcairn felt that one of Scotland’s most historically important men deserved better than to be portrayed as a rodent in an advert for Jacob’s Mini Cheddars.

Eagle-eyed viewers spotted a doctored portrait of Andrew Carnegie, who is thought to have been one of the richest people of all time, in a recent TV commercial.

The advert was meant to be humorous, but Fife historian Sheila Pitcairn said that it was disrespectful.

She said: “He deserves better than this. It’s disrespectful to oor Andrew and I don’t think Dunfermliners want that as he was a great man, no doubt about it.

“Andrew Carnegie enjoyed a good joke and didn’t mind the cartoons about him – they’re in the birthplace museum -– as they were patriotic, showing him in a wee kilt with a two-sided flag, Scotland on one side and America on the other.

“But I don’t think this is appropriate. He shouldn’t be mocked.”

Born in Dunfermline in 1835, Carnegie gave away 90% of his fortune.

A spokeswoman for Jacob’s said: “We apologise to anyone to whom this may have caused offence.

“We are in the process of removing the scene containing the image of Andrew Carnegie from future advertorial.”

The portrait in the ad.