The infamous giant mascot of a Glasgow bathroom business has fallen fowl of last month’s Storm Eowyn, after it exploded over a busy residential street.
The residential area of Dennistoun was battered by 90mph winds during the storm, which unfortunately caused the huge inflatable duck to burst on January 24, scattering polystyrene filling balls around the area.
Before its sudden deflation, the duck – which was reportedly named “Big Egg” – was the eye-catching mascot of Big Duck Bathrooms, which has become a prominent bathroom business in Glasgow, well-known for its out-of-the-box marketing stunts.
Dennistoun residents have expressed worry about the effect that the explosion might have on local wildlife. For instance, some questioned the impact that the balls would have on actual ducks in the local ponds. Others also wondered whether the polystyrene could pose a problem by blocking local drains.
One social media user claimed he had found some of the polystyrene balls as much as a kilometre away from Big Duck Bathrooms, and another said they had found some of the polystyrene in the Pollock area, which is several miles away.
Following the disaster, business owner Cornelious Kelly – who goes by Connie – took to social media to reassure local residents, saying: “First and foremost, my sincere apologies about the mess. Let me assure you these balls pose no threat to wildlife. We are doing everything to try to get them cleared up.”
Kelly also addressed the issues mentioned by local residents, claiming the polystyrene balls are “plant based”, and will therefore biodegrade in as little as a few weeks. He also said that the business had been working into the night for several days to personally clear the remaining polystyrene balls left over from the explosion.
Kelly has become well-known in the area for his unique and dynamic ways of marketing his business. He has previously been known to tow around a bathtub filled with mannequins, and driven around on a hot pink motorbike wearing a duck costume. He also previously launched a campaign using a large gorilla model to get consumers to “Go-ri-lax” in a new bathroom.
Following the duck explosion, Kelly says he has launched a public vote to find out if Dennistoun residents would be happy with him re-inflating “Big Egg”.
