I hate to admit that I'm part of that stupid consumer demographic which is easily persuaded, fully manipulated and completely influenced by music played in television commercials.
Good music in my subjective opinion, at least.
I think in the same way that music always sounds better when played in a record store, a product just seems cooler if accompanied by an interesting song.
Take for instance, one of the latest Mercedes commercials featuring the string styling of the Balanescu Quartet. The ad works so well with the music, that, every time I hear those first notes, I drop what I'm doing and run to watch the commercial.
It is sad.
I almost went crazy trying to figure out why I was so drawn to the song. I knew I had heard it before but couldn't imagine where. It turns out that it's a cover of Kraftwerk's Robots.
The Balanescu Quartet actually did an entire album of Kraftwerk songs!
Before you make the obligatory Kraftwerk/Simpsons joke, consider that in the late 1970s Kraftwerk were way before their time.
Conversely, there is that other Mercedes commercial which features the Geggy Tah song, Whoever You Are. I've hated that song since I first heard it coming from every room of my college dorm. My hate for that song is so intense that Ben almost has to restrain me from throwing the remote at the television.
So what does this all mean?
Well, the next time I'm at a Mercedes showroom, I'll certainly purchase the M-Class all because of the merits of that one song.
What commercials do you like?
(I promise not to judge)
Is this the one where the Mercedes are driving through the desert, and sand is spraying the techs, etc.? Oh good, I thought it was just me :-)
I personally can't get enough of the guitar solos on those cotton commercials these days.
Posted by: Jess | October 23, 2001 at 08:39 PM
The Mitsubishi one set to "Get What You Give" by the New Radicals. Similarly running from one length of the flat to the other just to watch it.
The pretty brunette in the front seat of on of the cars singing "One dance left, this world is gonna pull through" might also have had something to do with it.
Posted by: Matt | October 23, 2001 at 11:41 PM
Well, for music, that one VW commercial where the guy is in the car doing some wierd dance, and then his friend gets in the car and it's playing "Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto".
Otherwise, I just can't get over Jack in the Box commercials. It's really just the shittiest possible food, but damn they have the funniest ongoing ad campaign.
Posted by: Daniel Talsky | October 23, 2001 at 11:49 PM
I hate to say it, but that VW cabrio commercial introduced me to Nick Drake. Since then, I've tracked down a lot of his stuff and I love it.
Posted by: mathowie | October 24, 2001 at 12:09 AM
Let me just say that the Styx Behind the Music was the ultimate BTM. Dennis de Young getting all conceptual onstage was brilliant.
Matt: I've got such pride when it comes to "discovering" music. Like the Banana Republic commercials with Nina Simone's song "Feeling Good." I actually bought that at a record store (opposed to online) and I just felt so embarrassed thinking that the clerks were going to make fun of me for buying a song because I heard it in a commercial. I'm paranoid like that.
Posted by: Mena | October 24, 2001 at 12:18 AM
God, this is a topic I love. With me, sadly, everytime I listen to music, I think about whether it would make a good commercial or not (I'm infatuated with the advertising biz). One song that I would LOVE to hear on a commercial (would make a great VW or Apple ad) would be Ben Harper's "One Road to Freedom".
As far as commercials I love - I really love Gap's Will Ferrell ad, sadly enough. "I wrote this on a back of a dixie cup..."
Posted by: Polyester Lester | October 24, 2001 at 01:11 AM
I tend to watch commercials for the "plot" rather than the music, which actually seems even MORE pathetic. There's this commercial over here for the french lottery with these lil' cartoon geese and a cartoon pig. The way the little cartoon pig runs away amuses me to no end.
I need help.
Posted by: kim | October 24, 2001 at 03:31 AM
Perhaps the best Kraftwerk cover band is 'Senor Coconut'. They play Kraftwerk latin style; with 'cumbias, merengues, and, of course, cha-cha-chas' Crazy or what? Some more info:
http://www.globalvillageidiot.net/coconut.htm
Matt
Posted by: matt | October 24, 2001 at 06:19 AM
one of my favorites is the VW wedding commercial with the song "One Million Miles" by J. Ralph. You see a woman getting ready for her wedding and this guy is racing to get there in time... and he runs in just as the priest says "...or forever hold his peace" (or something similiar) and we realize that he is trying to get there in time to STOP the wedding, not to get married. It just ends with "fasten your seatbelts" The song is just perfect.
Posted by: leandra | October 24, 2001 at 08:25 AM
Mathowie beat me to it... but a close second would be the GAP holiday commercial featuring LOW doing "Little Drummer Boy". Very cool... the album (LOW: Christmas) is great as well.
(Hey! You require e-mail addresses now... *sigh* ...When did that happen?)
Posted by: Vis10n | October 24, 2001 at 08:29 AM
I miss "Where's the Beef?" And when it first came on, I really enjoyed the "Make 7 Up Yours" commercial. That was before all the irritating sequels. Oh yeah, let's not forget those commercials with the guy who lives at home with his parents. I can't recall the product...
Posted by: timo | October 24, 2001 at 09:06 AM
"Zoom Zoom." I loved it when I first heard it. And freaked out even more when I found out it's actually a song from the movie "only the strong" which I thought was a great movie!
Posted by: Nathalie | October 24, 2001 at 10:42 AM
Leandra: I've got to agree with you about the J. Ralph / VW commercial. That's another commercial that catches my interest all because of the music being played. The ad people behind VW usually know what they're doing.
Old Navy on the other hand, drive me crazy.
Posted by: Mena | October 24, 2001 at 10:48 AM
Target seems to be on the right track with it's current ad campaign. While they all look the same, the one with Devo's "Beautiful World" seems to overpower my remote's ability to turn the channel....
That old eToy's ad featuring Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole's "Over the Rainbow" deserves mention too!
Posted by: Paul | October 24, 2001 at 11:19 AM
THANK YOU! It's been driving me crazy trying to figure out what that was.
As Paul wrote, another commercial that introduced me to good music was the eToys commercial last year. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Facing Future" cd is awesome and worth every penny.
Oh and from another vw ad - Jung at Heart by Master Cylinder in the rainy Jetta ad... "that was interesting"...
Posted by: jessica | October 24, 2001 at 12:51 PM
Three years ago, when Intel released the PIII, they used a Brazilian song by Jorge Ben called "Umbabaraumba" about a soccer player. I assumed a cool little tune like that, found in one of David Byrne's Brazil Music collections, would be way too obscure for TV commercials. I was wrong. I had to be peeled out of my chair after hearing it. Then, it turns out, it was covered by some band named "Soul Fly." The world is very very small.
Posted by: James | October 24, 2001 at 01:01 PM
Car commercials are the best for music (I actually like the Geggy Tah song because it reminds me of college). My favorite is the Acura commercial in which Sara Vaughan sings "Key Largo." Not a very effective endorsement for Acura, neccessarily, because while I remember the vivid landscape images and desperately want to visit the Keys, I had to look to the web to help me recall what car the ad was for.I also really like the Jack-in-the-Box spots - especially those "Meaty Cheesy Boys": It's so mee-tay and chee-say-ay - uh-uh-uh-Ultimate Cheese-buh-uh-guh - It's just a buck nahn-tay nah-ahn
Posted by: Jennie | October 24, 2001 at 04:18 PM
How could you not like the song 'Whoever You Are'? It's so great! I also like the Balanescu Quartet's 'Robot' cover. Mercedes is doing a great job at picking music for their commercials.
Posted by: Neal | October 24, 2001 at 04:30 PM
Oh My God! I've been all over the place trying to find the track they used in that Mercedes commercial! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Posted by: Adnan | October 24, 2001 at 04:38 PM
I can't explain why I hate it -- I just do. Maybe it's the singer's voice or the lyrics. It's a mystery :)
I'm glad I've been helpful w/r/t revealing the mystery song, though.
Perhaps someone can help me. Remember those American Express commercials for "Blue." I can't figure out what the classical music used in that darn ad. It's been driving me crazy for a very long time.
Posted by: Mena | October 24, 2001 at 05:37 PM
I second Paul's nod toward Target--When I first saw the commercial I thought "how subversive!"
Later I read a Mark Mothersbaugh interview wherein he mentions that it's really a joke on those who don't know the words to the unedited "jingle." Sneaky, but considering Target's uber-cool/slightly ironic product placement advert design as of late, I think they know exactly what they're doing...
Posted by: Nicole | October 24, 2001 at 06:09 PM
Ooh, such a great topic because this one song has been bothering me for weeks! I think it may be another Target one...it's a slow, sad song with a girl singer and it says something about a "motorcycle in my heart" or something like that...ack, I'm forgetting now. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? If you do, and you know who sings the song, please let me know!
Posted by: Kathryn | October 24, 2001 at 07:38 PM
Kathryn: Is is this song?
Track number 8.
If it is, I think I've found my new calling.
Posted by: Mena | October 24, 2001 at 08:17 PM
The "Lovely Day" Gap Khaki Soul commercial for the music (anyone know the aritist?) and the beautiful dancer.
The Gap Khakis Swing commercial ("Jump, Jive and Wail - Brian Setzer) for the visuals... I taped it to watch it in slo-mo - poetry.
I've also found myself humming the etoys commercial music - drove me crazy until I found out who it was...
But the "I'm coming out" commercial is just creepy.
Posted by: Sam | October 24, 2001 at 09:14 PM
Hey all, thought I would barg in...
I used to really dig the Lexus commercials, (since you're talking about cars and music) the commericals where the car would morph in and out of the happy nature scences. Maybe I just liked that too, who knows?
My wife hates the Target "Speedy Motorcycle" song, whatever that is. I just like to wonder around singing "speedy motorcycle." Fun times.
Anyone know what crazy big band jazz-type tune is in the background of the Home Depot commercials?
Posted by: Shawn | October 24, 2001 at 09:44 PM