" Jim's ghost was in my ear, and I felt terrible". Like all top classic-rock franchises, The Doors can exploit a lucrative afterlife in television commercials. Offers keep coming in, such as the $15 million dangled by Cadillac last year to lease the song "Break On Through (to the Other Side)" to hawk its luxury SUVs. To the surprise of the corporation and the chagrin of his former bandmates, drummer John Densmore vetoed the idea. He said he did the same when Apple Computer called with a $4-million offer, and every time "some deodorant company wants to use 'Light My Fire.' "
posted by PenguinBukkake
on Oct 5, 2005 -
119 comments
American Brandstand tracks mentions of consumer brands in songs in the
Billboard Hot 100. It's interesting to see which products get mentioned the most; Mercedes is currently on top with 29 mentions so far in 2003. (This week, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Li'l Kim all give props to the Benz.) Burberry and Puma round out the top three. Question: is this typically admiration of the product, projecting an image, or
product placement?
(Via Slate.)
posted by Vidiot
on Apr 4, 2003 -
21 comments
Beyond Benetton and Betty Crocker: This Boston Globe article suggests a new age of multicultural marketing is upon us, with ethnically cagey
Vin Diesel at the forefront. Instead of "
United Nations"-style ads in which each actor is selected to represent a different group, the new style is towards ambiguity, as in the nonspecifically "ethnic"
Barbies, or more casual, offhanded reference to race, as in the "
Whassup?" Budweiser ads. Does this new "color-blindness" say anything about real social change, or is it just
trendy hucksterism?
Meanwhile, some very tired
sexist chestnuts continue to appear in ads: despite her full time job and gleaming SUV,
Mom still relies on
classic brands to keep house and make dinner, still solely her responsibilities in TV-land. What gives?
posted by serafinapekkala
on Jan 13, 2003 -
30 comments
