SHINY new tractors have been pushed into the proverbial gutter by 'dirty' ones which are 'cleaning up' in the niche collectors' market, according to the owner of one model Portrush business.
And now Muddyfarm Models, which makes "realistically weathered" farms toys and models, has been selected as one of 100 small UK businesses to be celebrated in a new promotional campaign.
The company, which runs the two Northern Ireland Farm Toy and Model Shows each year, is being featured in the campaign for the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday on December 3.
Established in November 2012, the company 'muddies' its customised models at a special "muddy tractor factory", as Alastair Bell, business owner and avid collector explained.
"We add a realistic 'dirtied’ look, just as a real tractor would look while working on a farm," he said. "The look seems to be very popular with collectors, from working farmers, to teenagers and pensioners.
"I apply a special finish using a mix of special paints and powders and it's something a bit different. I think people appreciate the authenticity, while nostalgia and creative play are a big part of the appeal."
Certainly, originality and imagination have been brought into play in the business model itself, with Alistair having appointed a tractor named 'Jake' as his 'marketing manager' and even logging his adventures in a blog on the company website.
"At the muddy tractor factory there is a team of 'little people' who diligently make tiny tractors, machinery and implements nice and dirty," Alastair said.
"I 'rescued' Jake who was in a sorry state with no mirrors or indicators to give him new purpose in life - marketing the work of the 'little people' at Muddytrac Farm. This is a landscape steeped in myth and magic, after all..."
Alastair came up with the innovative idea after attending a show in England and buying a 'dirtied' model tractor for his own collection several years ago.
"I had been making some 'show' tractors for the model tractor show I organise and people were asking what I was going to do next," he said. "My wife, Kathleen, suggested doing a 'dirty tractor' like the one I had bought and that's how it all started.
"It takes a bit of work and patience and the 'muddied' look is more expensive to buy, but I think it sparks the imagination more than something which looks like it just came out of a showroom."
As one of the promoted businesses, Muddyfarm Models will have its logo emblazoned across the Business Saturday Bus which tours across the UK ahead of Small Business Saturday - with stop-offs scheduled for Strabane, Coleraine and Ballymena later this month.
"It's great to be involved with Small Business Saturday which works hard to promote small businesses across the country," Alastair added. "It's a great way to network with like-minded people and spread the word for each other.
"It is a really busy time for us, as the event comes just a week after the autumn NI Farm Toy and Model Show at the Magherabuoy House Hotel in Portrush on November 25."
Small Business Saturday is the UK's most successful small business campaign and has been running for four years. Last year, £623 million was spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, while the campaign trended at number one on Twitter, with more than 100,000 campaign-related tweets sent.
"The public has a great affection for small businesses and we continue to see that grow year on year," said campaign director, Michelle Oven.
"Although the campaign focuses on one day, the goal is to have a lasting impact on small businesses by changing mind-sets, so that people make it their mission to support small businesses all year round."
