An independent gift shop in South Manchester is in the festive spotlight after becoming the star of a nationwide TV advertising campaign by credit card giant Visa.
The Curious Fox, on Chorlton’s Beech Road, is one of the faces of Visa’s shop local for Christmas campaign and has appeared in multiple prime time TV ad slots.
The ads – titled ‘Where you shop matters’ – were made by Armoury films and are aimed at encouraging people to choose local stores over chains for their Christmas shopping.
Curious Fox owners Stewart Hutcheon and David Dodsworth were anonymously nominated to star in the ad after global ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi put forward the creative to Visa.
Highlighting the Curious Fox’s big reveal of its Christmas window display on Beech Road, the advert premiered in between Gogglebox and Escape To The Chateau to more than six million viewers.
Described as having the ‘interior of an old curiosity shop with a modern twist’ the unique store sits among the independent clothes shops, gift shops, bars and restaurants of Chorlton and stocks antique style gifts and interior pieces.
Stewart revealed: “Our shop is as unique and independent as you can get – so when we were approached by Visa to star in the advert we jumped at the chance.
“You’ll find lots of independent stores, bars and shops on Beech Road, and we love being part of such a community.
“The premise of the Visa advert is something we feel very strongly about. We want to take shopping back to its heart of being a personal and pleasurable experience.
“Shopping should be memorable too – taking it away from the impersonal nature of online shopping and back to what matters, making connections with people. That’s why we don’t have an online presence – we want to meet people face to face and help them in their shopping experience.”
The shop owners let the cameras in to show their Christmas window being prepared – while eager shoppers waited outside for the big reveal.
David added: “We really encouraging shoppers to have a complete experience – The Curious Fox is a treat for the senses with the aroma of candles, wax melts and diffusers, the spectacle of the unique interiors – and the warming ambience.
“We really hope that when the advert airs, more people will return to shopping traditionally in their local community and actually experience shopping the way it used to be. Corporate is so impersonal – we want shoppers to experience the opulent displays and extraordinary items in person.”
