Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
Jul
17
Written by:
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The recent trend of multinational companies using alternative/indie music in their advertisements raises an interesting question, namely, are musicians who use their music to promote products selling out or just being smart?
I can’t remember when it first started, but it appears that in the not too distant past all the musicians in the world got together in a room and decided it was suddenly okay for them to sell their music to the highest bidder and promote everything and anything in the hope that it would take their music to a wider audience.
Surely though when musicians, indie or otherwise, start pimping themselves to the advertising industry they should start devising business plans and hosting AGM’s as well? Music is supposed to be an art from, but when was the last time you heard anyone talk about ‘the art business’ or ‘the literature business?’ It doesn’t happen because it shouldn’t happen. Art in all its forms should be pure, how else can you believe what the artist is trying to tell you.
The late, great, Bill Hicks once said ‘Do a commercial, you're off the artistic roll call, every word you say is suspect, you're a corporate whore and eh, end of story,’ and while I’m not saying that Hicks was always right (his views on smokers ‘rights’ I particularly disagree with) he makes a very valid point in this instance. I remember when I heard ‘The Shining’ by Badly Drawn Boy on the Kellogg Cornflakes ad. I remember because I haven’t been able to listen to a BDB song since without thinking about that ad and, therefore, his music has lost its appeal for me.
On the local scene two Irish bands have recently been gaining exposure from high profile television advertisements. Saso feature in the most recent Coors Light ad while The Laundry Shop provide the music for the new Discover Ireland spot with their song ‘Highs & Lows’
It’s actually The Laundry Shop that inspired this blog. I saw them support A Lazarus Soul recently and was enjoying their set until they finished with the aforementioned ‘Highs & Lows’. People who weren’t interested in a song they’d played all night suddenly paid attention. All well and good, but do The Laundry Shop really want to be known as ‘that band with that song, you know, from that ad?’
Am I right to agree with The Beastie Boys when they state ‘Don't grease my palm with your filthy cash, multinationals spreading like a rash, I might stick around or I might be a fad but I won't sell my songs for no tv ad.’ Or should musicians use any means possible to promote themselves?
14 comment(s) so far...
Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
Trying to pretend that music isn't a business is hopelessly naive. There's a vast difference between someone like Lou Reed sneaking off to Japan to do an ad and some unknown band getting a bit of exposure via an ad. I have no problem with young unsigned bands using advertising to get some publicity.
By John Doe on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
So you don't feel that the minute a band has it's music used in advertising, and counts up all those euros that companies are willing to pay, that they may have making money rather than making music on their mind when writing the next song/album/whatever...i just think it comprimises you as a musician.
By Idiot Kid on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
eh, what about Bob Dylans 'victoria secrets' ad, or the ads with John Lee Hooker and Bob Diddley? Or U2's iPod advert, or Paul McCartney's iTunes advert or Jack Whites Coke ad, we are running out of artists here, or Joze Gonzalez or all that stuff used in the Levis adverts, to be purist about it you would also need to strip out music used in film and television soundtracks and also music used during political campaigns. At the same time, who mic christophers records still be available if Nick Kelly (copywriter and musician) had not used 'Hey Day' in that Guinness advert ? As long as the music is not being used to advertise something objectionable, I dont quite see the problem.
By Rev Jules on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
You don't find coke, a product that contains the high fructose corn syrup that has been linked to obesity and diabetes objectionable? You don't find the image of Bob Dylan in womens underwear objectionable? A band selling their music to an advert makes me ask questions about their motives, and if I were in a band I'd rather people didn't question my motives.
By Idiot Kid on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
I'm no defender of the CocaCola company but fructose is also an ingredient in a number of sports energy drinks for athletes and if you drink those without exercising you are going to balloon in weight 2.
By Rev Jules on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
I can see your point, Mr. O, but I think we have shifted as a society from sex sells to music sells? Music is powerful. It is motivational and inspirational, even if it is inspiring you boost economy. How many times have you...well maybe me...have been humming a tune you saw on tv and asked someone what the name is? "Oh, it's that song from the iPod commercial." For me at least I could care nothing about the iPod and I'm interested in the song. Likewise there have been a few bands, shamefully so, that I have been turned onto solely from an advert I have seen. I do have to admit that there is a certain amount of whoring going on when classic artists sell their tunes but maybe there is a positive out of it: maybe a whole new generation of kids are getting turned on to some legendary artists, albeit through a cheezy tv ad.
Oh, and for the record, sex still sells!!
By LPJ on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
in '9 Songs' they tried to sell both 2gether
By Rev Jules on
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
its a tricky one, i am with bill hicks but at the same time i did like hearing nick drakes pink moon used on a VW advert, so im a hypocrite...but if it had been used to advertise something else i might have had a different view on it...i guess to some degree it depends on the way its done then. helping it to promote yourself as an unknown artist like jose gonzales did, worked because it was actually quite a beautiful advert and it didnt seem like he had whored his music...im still with bill though on the established artists using it :)
By mattatatat on
Sunday, July 08, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
Hi Steven,
firstly the late great Bill Hicks changed his tune on smoking a few years before he died... of a smoking related illness. Still, a great loss.
Another of my heroes, Tom Waits, will sue advertisors even if it only sounds like him! He has successfully prosecuted Frito Lay (http://www.stereogum.com/archives/tom-waits-finally-settles.html) and GM amongst others. This makes me love him even more.
But I too can bite the hand that feeds. I've discovered many a lovely tune from an ad or from a movie soundtrack.
By stephen on
Monday, July 09, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
I'd like to pose this question: Is it any different if a song is used in a film? It's still part of selling the film if say, for example, Elliott Smith, who practically WAS good will hunting musically, was very influental in the film being a success. Good soundtrack is oft times a key component in the success of a film in that it delivers the right impact or emotion or whatever. Don't cringe but "Closer' would have not have had such an impact without Damien Rice doing his thing in it. How is it any different in a film than in a commercial? I'm not egging youon, just keeping the debate going.
By LPJ on
Thursday, July 12, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
Actually, I'm not sure that RiceCakes' music actually helped 'Closer' its Production Budget was $27 million (excluding the same amount again to market it Stateside), its US Domestic gross was $33,987,757, Variety reported it as a flop although it did much better abroad with Foreign accounting for 70.6% of its eventual Worldwide of $115,505,027. Paltry tho' compared to Good Will Hunting which did a Domestic Gross of $138,433,435 and Foreign of $87,500,000.
By Rev Jules on
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
Since when did sales equal quality...
By Garret on
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
I am only answering LPJ's point Garret
By Rev Jules on
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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Re: Music & Advertising: Acceptable Bedfellows?
I never have thought that the budget or the gross of any film dictates it's success. All i was saying is that for 2 artists i quite like the films they are credited for have had some impact on their notoriety. Me personally I had mever heard of Rice before Closer. (I'll shoot myself now!) The film, meh, it was not great. i don't think it was even good but the impact of Blower's Daughter to the film was what turned on many new fans to his music. The website message board will plainly tell you that.
Smith, on the other hand, i was turned on to before i saw the film. However, for many, theyhad never been exposed to his music until the film and a love affair blossomed.
Rev Jules, while you pointed out hard numbers (kudos for your research) you never stated what your opinioni s on if, in fact, putting your music to a soundtrack is the same as putting it to a commercial.
By LPJ on
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
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