Highland cows why are they on everything? And I mean everything..
Posted by BestMattT@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 196 comments
Is this some phenomenon? I’ve seen them in every supermarket, the range, b&m even on Facebook ads! Is there something someone isn’t telling me? Surely you’ve all seen them to or have I gone completely mad!?
Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit
These things come in waves. Are you old enough to remember the unicorn plague, or all the llamas?
ZealousidealMost6125@reddit
im definitely old enough (48) but I do not remember those at all lol. Maybe I just wasn't aware of trends and internet stuff. my wife wants me to print her one of these things and I just look at her confused....but I am doing it for her anyway lol.
CasualGlam87@reddit
It was dolphins when I was a kid. EVERYTHING had dolphins on!
Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit
Shrews for us. I remember being so embarrassed that mum got me a vole lunchbox instead of a shrew one.
BeatificBanana@reddit
Surely you're making this up
GuanlongX@reddit
"You really think people would do that? Just go on the internet and tell lies?"
Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit
This is the internet, BeatificBanana - People don't just make stuff up on the internet.
Fine-State8014@reddit
Did you go to school in the mighty boosh?
YanikOlsen@reddit
THIS is the answer! :)
Careless_Squirrel728@reddit
And owls circa 2012
kate_skywalker@reddit
my dad still loves owl stuff
Itchy-Wrongdoer-9912@reddit
Dolphins definitely come in waves
Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit
Or tins of tuna.
Still-BangingYourMum@reddit
That explains why tuna is so salty then
tiptoe_only@reddit
Dolphins will come in anything if you let them
Farty_McPartypants@reddit
is that where the foam comes from?
catmatix@reddit
Steady on
ALFABOT2000@reddit
Can we bring that back? I fuckin love dolphins!
wolfhelp@reddit
What's the porpoise of that?
Winston_Carbuncle@reddit
We used to have a dolphin biscuit tin that made the noise of a dolphin when you opened it.
Thankfully if you opened it at just the right speed you could avoid setting it off and a dressing down from mother
whyhellotharpie@reddit
My parents still keep their biscuits in one of these and it's still going after what must be almost 30 years.
Winston_Carbuncle@reddit
You could have your own for just £90 + £55pp.
According to that link it's a slither under 30 but great shout.
AdaandFred@reddit
It's possible the 90s has a lot to answer for my hatred of dolphins (evil, their skin is too tight, look like aliens) and giant pandas (lazy, shit parents, want to die out).
BuzzAllWin@reddit
And we were better for it! 🐬
AlGunner@reddit
Sloths was the last one I remember. Everyone had to get shit with sloths on.
Palindrome000@reddit
Owls! I had so many indie/millennial owl necklaces and scarves.
jackbrux@reddit
Keep Calm And Carry On
BestMattT@reddit (OP)
I am indeed but I must say the highland cows is a surprising one
BeatificBanana@reddit
I'm not sure why! It's not as if there's anything special about a highland cow that makes it stand out as an unusual choice for an animal-related trend. When you look at how ugly llamas are, which was a big one for a while, I think Highland cows are cuter tbh.
The recent axolotl obsession is what I would consider the strangest one, if anything. At least the other trends have all been furry or feathered animals. Axolotl look like weird transparent skinned aliens.
pullingteeths@reddit
I think because most of the other animal ones have been more colourful and cartoonish. The highland cow stuff is more of a classic look
BuzzAllWin@reddit
It was all Pictish Beasts when i was little
pullingteeths@reddit
Strawberries has been another one this year but I'm a fan of that
InfiniteAstronaut432@reddit
Wasn't too long ago it was owls, and even more recently, sausage dogs.
The highland cow's time will shortly cease, to be replaced with something else.
newbracelet@reddit
For some reason my gran thinks I love owls and buys me every owl thing she sees, that was a really rough few years of present opening.
bacon_cake@reddit
We have some llama products at work and every November / December have to increase our stocks five-fold presumably for this reason.
allthingsarewords@reddit
I was a barista for a mere 6 months as a teenager, and got almost exclusively coffee related gifts from my parents until I finally put my foot down at about 22. Mugs, multiple cafetières, a milk frother, beans, grounds, coffee related books, even an actual nightdress that says ‘coffee on my mind’, which was the final straw. I drink maybe 2 cups of coffee a month.
Winston_Carbuncle@reddit
You're lucky they didn't buy you coffee scented sprays thinking you wanted to come home from every shift stinking of coffee
porksandrecreation@reddit
I had that with my nana and chickens. I have no idea where she got that I loved chickens from. She got me a chicken shaped handbag.
Critical_Studio_2327@reddit
That made me laugh so hard - I ended up Googling to see if it was still a thing... some of them are nightmare fuel!
TobblyWobbly@reddit
I wish you hadn't done that. Because it made me do it too. Holy crap!
BeatificBanana@reddit
Hahaha I had this same thing happen! It all started I think because my mum gave me an owl mug randomly as a gift, and around the same time, I moved into a furnished flat that came with an owl shaped cushion on the couch. I was then pelted with owl-related presents for a number of years. Fortunately it seems to have ceased now.
ResolveEmergency863@reddit
Capybaras are on the rise. We're getting more exotic.... Although they are just giant guinea pigs.
Fingers_9@reddit
I think lemons are beginning to take over.
Myc__Hunt@reddit
its been a while since i looked over at my lemon tree.
budget-lampshade@reddit
I've seen a lot of axolotl the last year or two!
fothergillfuckup@reddit
Meerkats!
banedlol@reddit
Imagine a wave of highland cows
Cross_examination@reddit
The mind the gap? The Union Jack on absolutely everything before the Olympics? Diana’s face 1996 until 2000?
BeanOnAJourney@reddit
And the Flamingoes!
skratakh@reddit
I think capybaras are the new trend, they're everywhere
heilhortler420@reddit
Did maxis leak out for a bit?
Sergeant_Fred_Colon@reddit
"Or all the llamas"
I for one am fed up to thr back teeth of all these men walking around in orange and red robes.
Immediate-Escalator@reddit
Absolutely. I remember it being owls about 10/15 years ago
Outgrabe@reddit
Did you also get the plague of Axolotls?
BaBaFiCo@reddit
Don't forget owls.
verykindzebra@reddit
Sloths!
No-Pen-2311@reddit
Who doesn’t love a highland 😂 featuring me and bessy ❤️
iphone13mini0905@reddit
Random trends
SparklyRainbowAngel@reddit
They're gorgeous. Plus I loved the penny dainties. Yummy toffee with a pic of a heilan coo on the wrapper.
billieebossa@reddit
idk but im so about it
Pristine_Lion48@reddit
You are right, I went into Next to buy Pjs for a gift and everything had them on, everything. The homeward section was highland cow everything possible, mugs, tea towels, cushions, ornaments. It was just too much. I also went to Chritmas markets and they jad those carnival type prize stalls. Every single plush prize was a Highland cow, thought I was going mad!
rynic@reddit
Hereford Cows for the win 2026!!!
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Misfire6@reddit
that was weird
BestMattT@reddit (OP)
Oh what! That is bloody strange
Goldenboy451@reddit
Dedicated section in NEXT. Insanity.
No_Ground3303@reddit
Guilty. I’m obsessed with it all 🤣🙈🙈🙈🙈
IAmDyspeptic@reddit
What the hell is that thing on the top left?
AdaandFred@reddit
To the left of the salt and pepper? I would guess it's a kitchen roll holder. Though I'd also bet good money it'll fall over at the slightest yank.
IAmDyspeptic@reddit
Ohh. I just couldn't fathom what it was.
IAmDyspeptic@reddit
Ohh. I just couldn't fathom what it was.
Tsukidaisy@reddit
Tbf to Next they've had that line since I was in school so like a decade ago.
I know bc my mum went through a phase with them
CanWeNapPlease@reddit
Next's highland cow is called "Hamish". It's been a whole line of products for years. I was never a fan but my MIL likes them.
I know this because I enjoy their "Barnaby" range which is the bear!
blackcurrantcat@reddit
There’s one in Asda too.
Sopzeh@reddit
Highland cow salt and pepper shaker! Must be well hidden
Ok_Variation2090@reddit
Next are going hard for the HC this year
Throwaway91847817@reddit
Theyre cute, and they symbolise Scotland.
Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit
Every year, the Secret Society Of Animals In Consumer Products (SOAP) holds a meeting to decide which animal will be the new cute animal to be printed onto consumer products across the UK for the following year.
FionaRulesTheWorld@reddit
I need to join this society and make sure it's Fennec Foxes next year.
ReySpacefighter@reddit
Shouldn't that be SSoACP?
Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit
Initalisms don't really have strict rules, and organisations will sometimes forego their literal initialisms to become acronyms (initialisms that can be spoken as words themselves).
From this, we get the concept of 'backronyms', where the acronymic word was clearly desired and the individual words comprising it were written to fit it (leading to some odd organisation names). An example would be STARS from Resident Evil, which stands for Special Tactics And Rescue Service.
ReySpacefighter@reddit
Yeah, but your example has two words beginning with 'S' and one with 'C'. Your acronym leaves one of the former and the latter out.
pervertsage@reddit
That just proves how evil SOAP is. They overwhelm us with the animal of the year and their acronym is designed to piss you off too.
You personally, apparently. 😅
ReySpacefighter@reddit
Truly diabolical.
Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit
Indeed, but initialisms will often leave whole words from the actual title out if it makes the initialism itself easier to remember or reproduce.
Figueroa_Chill@reddit
I remember going to Manchester once years ago, there were cow statues all over the place.
Middle-agedCynic@reddit
I thought capybaras were the in thing
rshslake@reddit
Next as well. I say, wearing my Next Highland Cow Pyjamas. Next actually made him into a character they call Hamish the Highland Cow. They have a colossal homeware range of cow as well.
BestMattT@reddit (OP)
Can’t wait to see this when I go to next home in a couple of weeks 😂
Rr0gu3_5uture@reddit
I partially blame the artist Steven Brown from Kilmarnock. Up my neck of the woods, he had a shop and factory in Ayr, and one in Glasgow, churning out woefully mediocre, multi-coloured Highland Cow art printed on absolutely bloody everything - it is utter tat. He’s some bloke who worked in KFC, took unwell in 2012, and then took up “art.” God knows how he managed to sell anything; I’ve seen better work from 12-year-olds. Later, he spun some cock-and-bull story about how his art teachers had greatly encouraged him at school - nonsense. The bloke is a chancer and went into liquidation in 2019.
I had to bite my tongue on several occasions as his McCoo artwork was everywhere, lauded locally and in the media. It was amateurish garbage; I actually felt embarrassed that people were wasting their money on it.
rshslake@reddit
God I remember these being in every pub and hotel round me. Never was a big fan
Imlostandconfused@reddit
Wow, imagine being so bitter towards someone who became a success after shock horror...working at KFC and then being ill for a while. I just looked on his website, and the dude had two heart attacks and then went into a deep depression...
The art isn't my cup of tea, but I genuinely can not understand your attitude towards him. If he's painted the works, he can print them on whatever he wants, and clearly, a lot of people like his stuff. My grandma's favourite artist is David Hockney, and I think most of his work looks like a primary school student with a half-formed passion for art made it. He makes millions on his original work and thousands on just a single print. But my opinion is irrelevant as his work brings joy to so many! And I'm certainly happy he's been so successful.
Being happy for others is a very good attribute to have. Unless this guy personally wronged you, I can see no reason for your attitude. Loser behaviour.
Rr0gu3_5uture@reddit
His business collapsed due to semi-fraudulent behaviour, and after that he ripped off a bunch of businesses and locals in an area already dealing with serious deprivation- then carried on as if nothing had happened. He later sold the rights to the company before weaselling his way into a senior position in the new firm. If you knew the whole sordid affair, I doubt you’d be particularly supportive of him.
I’m quite happy to support genuinely good businesses and wonderful creative people who bring others joy, but I’m not the type to be blinded by toxic positivity or by fly-by-nights peddling slop.
bendibus400@reddit
You should focus more on your own happiness
General_Ignoranse@reddit
I mean, I am not a huge fan either, but clearly people do like his artwork as it’s everywhere.
Nice_Back_9977@reddit
Someone sounds jealous
in-Mybubble@reddit
Why does it bother you so much That some guy drew highland cows
Flapparachi@reddit
The best thing is, they’re total bastards even when they are being nice. Far too easy to get poked in the eye or somewhere worse…
Forte69@reddit
They’re cute and surging in popularity. Last year it was capybaras and bees.
rufferina@reddit
I have a little keychain with a capybara AND a bee on it!
Solabound-the-2nd@reddit
It's my mums fault she keeps buying the highland cow tat...
ouzo84@reddit
Heelan Coos are cute.
At least that is what my wife says
Willsagain2@reddit
Well they stand still for photos and are less elusive than Haggis.
blazej84@reddit
Been a thing for a few years now because they are cute so people will buy stuff with them on .
tinymoominmama@reddit
They're having a moment
DeifniteProfessional@reddit
I always thought it was cheap knock offs of Steven Brown who has been doing cows for donkeys
But even he might have taken the idea of smashing out cows from others
I don't know art
moreglumthanplum@reddit
Because AI figured out how to draw highland cows, so they can now be slapped on anything
DeifniteProfessional@reddit
I actually saw a few obviously AI generated canvas arts in The Range a few months ago and I was genuinely disappointed
Mental_Emu4856@reddit
proof ai is evil: it can make even highland cows seem soulless an cheap
3Cogs@reddit
I thought this was going to be about cows eating magic mushrooms 😂
CutePoison10@reddit
You have not gone mad. I was looking for pyjamas and saw tons of highland cow pj's.
Terrible_Biscotti_14@reddit
I am sat wearing festive cow pjs from Next.
CutePoison10@reddit
Enjoy them. I do love next though. I am looking for front opening pj's for heart operation. Its difficult.
Barbiegirl1605@reddit
Victoria’s Secret do a lot of button up PJs and have a surgery approved range. I think with breast cancer- but I would assume any chest surgery would safely apply. Also good luck with your op x
CutePoison10@reddit
Thanks for helpful info and the good luck wishes. X
Martinonfire@reddit
I didn’t know highland cows wore pj’s
Every days a school day.
BestMattT@reddit (OP)
Thank you for confirming my sanity! Truly they are everywhere but I’ve yet to see the pyjamas
CutePoison10@reddit
Look on next
Mumlife8628@reddit
Guesses for the next wave
Guilty-Jellyfish-855@reddit
They are a traffic hazard where I live, for the amount of tourists that stop dead in the middle of the road to take a picture of them
minxorcist@reddit
It's a bit like those sharpie brows, and ultra long fake eyelashes - a trend that hopefully will soon disappear!
bahumat42@reddit
Different animals just get moments in pop culture.
Not so long ago it was Llamas.
They will fade back to their generally liked but not everywhere state soon enough.
teaisformugs82@reddit
Irish person here and i always associate them with Scotland and was baffled when I started seeing them everywhere here at home recently. But yeah like you said seems to be the new fad atm. They are cute as fuck so I can't blame people for buying into it!
SpamLandy@reddit
I live in Scotland and I think that’s why I hadn’t properly noticed this was a fad, they were already kind of present
teaisformugs82@reddit
I was only just home from Edinburgh a few days and was out shopping with the other half and she was pointing them out. It took me a few minutes myself to click that it was unual to see them here!
I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit
It's just the latest fad for people who have a rose gold 'live laugh love' sign on their mantlepiece, have a clock that says 'time for prosecco' in the middle, and think that British comedy peaked when they saw 'Gym?? I thought you said GIN!' on a birthday card.
You don't even need to go to someone's house to find out if they're one of these people. Just look them up on Facebook - if their profile picture is a dog or a small child, you've found one.
puffandpill@reddit
I hate to be pedantic, but you don’t mean everything.
herwiththepurplehair@reddit
They are just the vanguard. Next year we are sending in the haggis.....
Nrysis@reddit
As far as Scotland goes, it seems to pretty much be life as usual - Highland Cows having been a tourist staple alongside Scottie dogs and Nessie pretty much forever.
In the rest of the country it will likely just be a trend for a while, and will die off to be replaced with the next 'cute' choice - maybe it's time for a return of the Owl or Ladybirds, who can tell...
wallpapermate@reddit
I say bring on the tardigrade trend.
nkdont@reddit
Because "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters required reading.
pervertsage@reddit
Buy Coo and Carry On.
Isgortio@reddit
I suppose it's better than the moustache trend from years ago.
pervertsage@reddit
Aye! I'd love to see the state of some of those moustache tattoos some people got on the side of their fingers so they could hold it up above their upper lip.
They really must have thought they'd got in early on an eternal trend.
dh1805@reddit
Just went to check the roof. There wasn’t one on there
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
Not yet
dh1805@reddit
Don’t worry I’ll soon mooove it
BestMattT@reddit (OP)
The Christmas inflatable highland cow is coming to a supermarket near you
paisleydarling@reddit
Pheasants and deer recently too I recall. Possibly for the gentry shopping in Asda and so on
ResplendentBear@reddit
Correctly pronounced coo.
BlackStarDream@reddit
You mean "Heelan' Coo".
melonaders@reddit
That was an incredible phonetic spelling
Henno212@reddit
Just need them on tent boxes an dry robes
BeanOnAJourney@reddit
It was the same with cartoon owls about ten years ago, they were bloody everywhere.
ReySpacefighter@reddit
Tourists love tat.
tom-goddamn-bombadil@reddit
It's because they are the best cows
Foundation_Wrong@reddit
I prefer the Coos, to the Pierotts.
upsidedownlikeabat@reddit
Cuuuuuuuuuuuw
Electronic-Trade-504@reddit
They're for the "live, laugh, love" mums
BuncleCar@reddit
Highland cows have their fringes over their eyes? Just like teenage boys, then.
Erivandi@reddit
My gf's mum is obsessed with them and has highland cow paraphernalia all over her house, so it's basically her fault.
zenithica@reddit
omg does she run a hotel by any chance ? i lost my keys and phone about a month ago when i was out so booked a night at a local hotel and the room they gave me was highland cow themed 😭
Erivandi@reddit
No but she would have loved that room.
Nannyhirer@reddit
T’was chickens in late 2000’s
Specialist-Web7854@reddit
Yeah it’s all highland cows and capybaras at the moment. Good to see the back of the unicorns and llamas though.
bibonacci2@reddit
They have great agents.
talligan@reddit
Oh no, the cute hairy coos have taken over. At least for me there's a couple kept on a golf course near me and my toddler loves them.
Extension_Sun_377@reddit
Suits me, I make chainmail jewellery and my Coo bookmarks are very popular!
IsyABM@reddit
Only native wildlife we have left in the UK. Everything else is wiped out or on the way out.
Clear_Mode_4199@reddit
They're domestic animals like any other cow
IsyABM@reddit
I stand corrected. Always assumed they were just roaming the Highlands, chilling.
Sharktistic@reddit
I live in the Highlands and 90 percent of all the shite tourist merchandise features AI generated Highland cows. Cushions, wall art, shirts, the lot. The last couple of years have been awful for AI generated merchandise here. It's always been crap tat but the AI boom has made it exponentially worse.
AnonymousTimewaster@reddit
I have to say I don't think I've seen them on anything. I think your algorithms just think you really love them or something
InternationalRich150@reddit
Umm theyre everywhere in the shops. Its the new trend. There's even a picture on this post from the range in Next.
arenaross@reddit
You've gone completely mad.
Cranberry64@reddit
Cow print!
Public-Amphibian4698@reddit
They are tasty but just take too damn long to grow. However you basically leave them in the field all year round and they eventually get there with fairly low input.
FrostySquirrel820@reddit
Have you ever tried photographing the elusive haggis ? Exactly !
b-ees@reddit
i was wondering the same, did all the companies have a secret meeting to roll these (and gingerbread flavoured everything) out and hope they catch on?
KingKhram@reddit
Because cows are great
Grimdotdotdot@reddit
Especially Highland Cows.
in-the-cloud6679@reddit
It’s the year of the Highland Cow in the English Zodiac
firthy@reddit
I just took this picture yesterday….! Mind you, I’m travelling around New Zealand atm.
Veenkoira00@reddit
How could you resist a heilan coo ?! They should be everywhere !
dinkidoo7693@reddit
Llamas, unicorns, capybaras, stitch now highland cattle I love them all but its overkill
TWLemonadeBanana@reddit
I bought my dog a highland cow toy because he was a very good boy and now it's his favourite toy.
I had no opinion on highland cows beforehand but now I think they make very good dog toys.
MikeForVentura@reddit
Oh man living on Skye you can’t avoid the Coo kitsch, it’s the worst.
KingForceHundred@reddit
Except when they (usually) aren’t.
SubjectAd9940@reddit
Highland ‘cows’ dont really exist, they are really a Haggis in disguise Wearing stilts!
LaurenNotABot@reddit
There are always animal “fads” we’ve had flamingos, capybaras, pandas .. it’ll pass
Victorius_Meldrus@reddit
AI.
Ok_Teacher6490@reddit
They were starting to appear before AI was a thing
Victorius_Meldrus@reddit
Aye, but it's fucking unreal now.
Cows taking a shite on the toilet.
Cows reading the paper on the train. Cows doing their shopping in Moorisons.
Cows in kilts tossing the caber.
Fucking etc etc.
I didn't mind the legitimate Highland Cow tat, but this procedurally generated bollocks is taking the utter pish.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Beef industry is having a hard time, so farmers are diversifying into... wait, uh...
WVA1999@reddit
Ai slop, easy to produce landfill crap
Parking_Dear@reddit
My mum loves them and I have to remind my wife that not every present for her has to be a highland cow thing.
Timely_Egg_6827@reddit
They are very cute. If Scottish, this stuff has been sold to the tourists for yonks and now escaped. Also wonder if linked to mini Highland cow breed developed in USA.
LauraJ2007@reddit
They're cute and very British
ProtonHyrax99@reddit
Because people buy products featuring them. That’s pretty much it. They’re cute and people like them.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
Pfft, highland cows aren't real
paulmclaughlin@reddit
How on earth have you mixed up birds and highland cows? I bet it's the chemtrails.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
Well that didn't take long for the Pro-Bird lot to turn up, hope you have fun feeding your government drones in your garden
Carnationlilyrose@reddit
It's approaching Christmas, when many tins of shortbread are traditionally bought in case of emergency biscuit shortages in times of relatives visiting.
Gethund@reddit
Because they are awesome.
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