Clarkson’s Farm and What It Can Teach Us About Digital Marketing and Business Resilience
Jeremy Clarkson may be best known for his bombastic presence on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, but over the last few years he’s taken on a very different kind of challenge – running a working farm. What started out as something of a stunt for television has become Clarkson’s Farm, one of the most successful and surprising docu-series Amazon Prime has ever commissioned.
But beyond the laughs and chaos, Clarkson’s Farm is a masterclass in business resilience, diversification, and most relevantly for us at Digital Media Guys, the power of going digital.
Let’s unpack what the show teaches us and how the lessons from Diddly Squat Farm (the farm name) apply directly to your business, your marketing, and your online potential.
Farming: A Business Built on Instability
At its core, Clarkson’s Farm is a real-time education in just how volatile the farming industry is. The show doesn’t sugarcoat the reality. Prices for livestock change overnight, global events affect supply chains and disease outbreaks (like TB in cattle or bird flu) can wipe out months of hard work in a heartbeat. Add in unpredictable weather and mounting regulation, and you quickly see that the agricultural sector operates in one of the most challenging environments imaginable.
And yet, farmers carry on. They adapt. They experiment. They pivot.
For business owners watching, especially in more stable industries, the takeaway is clear: no matter how traditional your business may be, the ability to adapt is what keeps it alive.
Pivoting with Purpose – The Pub
In the latest season of Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy launches a new venture: a local pub using produce from his own farm. After all the setbacks of trying to sell his goods locally (through the farm shop) and facing constant battles with planning regulations, Clarkson finds a new path – bringing the customers to him instead.
Of course, it wasn’t smooth sailing. Supply issues, council pushback, and the inherent chaos of trying to run a restaurant meant there were plenty of hurdles. But with some persistence (and good old-fashioned showbiz attention), The Farmers Dog pub became a roaring success. Bookings are now full weeks in advance, and it’s one of the most talked-about food destinations in the region.
The lesson here? Pivoting doesn’t have to mean giving up on your core business – it can mean extending it. By understanding what your customer wants, and meeting them halfway, new revenue streams can appear. You just have to be willing to try.
The Power of Going Online
Here’s where things get really interesting and where we, as digital marketers, start nodding vigorously at the digital marketing plans that took off.
Clarkson’s team didn’t just rely on the shop and the pub to make money. They took Diddly Squat Farm online.
You can now buy everything from “Bee Juice” (Clarkson’s honey), to jam, chutneys, and even the now-iconic Hawkstone lager and cider via the internet. With nationwide delivery, clever branding, and the support of the show’s massive reach, the online shop has become a major arm of the business.
We know, because we’ve ordered some ourselves at Digital Media Guys!
And this is where so many small businesses fall short. They have incredible products, loyal local customers, and a great story, but no online presence. Or worse, they have a clunky, hard-to-use website that doesn’t support e-commerce or isn’t optimised for mobile.
What Clarkson has done, perhaps accidentally, is shown exactly what happens when you combine a good idea with the power of digital marketing. The online store isn’t just an add-on. It’s a core part of the business now.
Imagine the power your own business could unlock by following the same digital marketing principle.
The Clarkson Effect (and What It Means for You)
Of course, not everyone has a TV series and global celebrity status to push their products. But here’s the thing: you don’t need it.
What you do need is:
- A product or service people genuinely want
- A clear brand and story
- A website that works
- A way to get found (SEO, Google Ads, social content, etc.)
- A willingness to adapt when things change
Whether you’re selling handmade jewellery, specialty food, tutoring services, or a local home repair service, there is an online audience for what you do. But without a modern, user-friendly website and the strategy to drive traffic to it – you’re leaving money on the table.
Clarkson’s Farm is more than a funny show about a man trying to herd sheep in a Lamborghini tractor. It’s a modern business case study. It’s about facing challenges, working within constraints, and finding new ways to succeed – whether through a pub, a farm shop, or a killer e-commerce store.
At Digital Media Guys, we believe every business can learn from Clarkson’s journey, even if you don’t have cows or bee juice.
If you’ve been thinking about launching an online store, looking to improve digital marketing, building a better website, or finding new ways to market your existing products or services, we’d love to chat. Because the next big business success story? It could be yours.
Get in touch with Digital Media Guys – let’s put your business online, properly.
