Pop Culture Gems

Selling Songs to TV Ads a Sellout? Nah!!

Remember the uproar around 1989 or so, when "Revolution" was used to sell Nike shoes? The audacity to use the sacred John Lennon song to sell footwear! At long last, do they have no decency?

Phooey, I say! The artists have the right to make money on their songs anyway they want (ok, the Beatles didn't have the coice in their case, but still)- they (should) control the meaning and the purity, not the listeners! I am sure Pete Townshend would give a similar (but more ascerbic and expletive-laden) answer if asked about his songs being used for the CSI themes, or to sell allergy meds or cars (these latter two both excerpted from the sacred Tommy rock opera!). Better yet, Bob Dylan's recent pitch for Victoria's Secret using "Sick of Love" as a come-on may have seemed weird (ok: creepy and stomach churning, since he appeared in the ads), but I smile at the fact it probably torqued off the 8 remaining people who thought he should still matter to the folk music scene.

More encouraging is that many ad makers are getting very creative when putting music to their pitches. I thought I had discovered my own little band for myself when I took to The Shazam. At first, I was upset that one of their songs had been chosen for a Coors Light commercial. But then, why not? And kudos for the ad agency for actually doing some work to find some different songs to use.

And even better-- HP's use of, first The Cure's "Pictures of You" and then The Kinks' "Picture Book" (from the brilliant Village Green Preservation Society album) to promote their digital photo printing products was a great use of those tunes.

Any other favorites out there?

posted by Doug Haslam @ 12:44 PM