January 4th 2025.
Buying a title online may seem like an easy task, but in reality, it doesn't hold much weight. During my interview with Doug Wilson, the CEO of Highland Titles, he brought up a past incident with the Advertising Standards Authority about 10 years ago. A man, who Doug described as "not a well man," had reached out to the ASA claiming that the company had deceived him into thinking he had purchased a seat in the House of Lords.
Doug recalls telling the watchdog, "Don't be ridiculous. You spent £30 on a gift website. We make it very clear what you're getting." Highland Titles is one of the few businesses that offer regular individuals the chance to declare themselves a Lord, Lady, or Laird. It revolves around the concept of souvenir plots of land, small patches of countryside usually located in Scotland, that are sold to people all over the world along with a certificate and a fancy title.
Let me make it clear that purchasing one of these plots does not grant you legal ownership, privileges, or any other legal benefits. Essentially, it just means that your name will be registered with the company and unofficially attached to the piece of land. As Doug puts it, "If you buy one from us, you can't build on it. You wouldn't have the right or be able to get planning permission. And even if there was someone standing on your plot and refusing to move, you wouldn't have the legal power to make them move because you're not the registered landowner."
Doug, along with his wife Laura Bevis, who co-founded Highland Titles with her father, stresses the importance of this distinction. In fact, their run-in with the ASA resulted in them having to make it even clearer to customers what they're actually getting. They even have a section on their website titled "10 Reasons Why We Are Obviously Not A Scam!"
So how does this business work? According to Doug, Highland Titles owns a few large plots of land near some of Scotland's most breathtaking landscapes. One is located on the banks of Loch Linnhe, while another is in a remote area of Argyll nicknamed "Mordor" by forestry workers. When someone purchases a "plot of land" on their website, the company assigns a unit of that size to them and links their name to it. Along with a certificate, they also receive coordinates to show the exact location of "their land."
Now, let's talk about the title part. As Doug explains, "What we've done to justify these claims is we've trademarked the terms Lord of the Glen and Lady of the Glen. So when you buy one of our plots, you get our permission to use our intellectual property and you can call yourself that if you want." He adds with a hint of humor, "Of course, nobody really cares, and you can even call yourself Lady Gaga or Lord Voldemort. People may think you've had a few too many."
Some famous individuals, like singer Cyndi Lauper and the late documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, have been "cyber-ennobled" by Highland Titles. The quirkiness of this gift has also landed it on breakfast TV shows in Australia and the US, and in 2022, it was even featured in the famous Oscars goodie bag.
You might assume, as I did, that this would be a popular present for Americans with a strong attachment to their Scottish heritage, given that the prices on the website are listed in dollars. However, Doug reveals that the UK was actually their biggest market last year, including many Scottish customers. He suggests, "Perhaps because they appreciate the tongue-in-cheek nature of the idea. Some nations have a better sense of humor than others."
Highland Titles also receives a lot of enthusiasm from mainland Europe, especially Germany and France. All of this adds up to a successful business. In 2024, they expected to have around 30,000 customers. And if all of those people bought the cheapest product of one square foot, it would amount to roughly $1,200,000.
Among those 30,000 customers are people who appreciate the cheekiness of the product, but also many who take it very seriously. The decision to include coordinates with the certificate has had some interesting consequences. In the early days of the company, founder Peter Bevis encountered individuals from Australia, Singapore, and the US while wandering the land by Loch Linnhe. They had all come to see their "plots."
The allure and romance of the Scottish Highlands have led many "Lords and Ladies of the Glen" to form a genuine connection with their plot, despite its technical emptiness. Some have even held marriage ceremonies or scattered ashes on the sites. Doug reveals, "We've had people in tears when they've come to the plot, putting their hands in the soil. It's surprising, to be honest. It's very surprising how attached people can get to this little plot of land."
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