Someone will eventually write a book about the obnoxious use of great music (and vice-versa) in cheesy advertising spots-- who knows, maybe me if you all respond with your great suggestions to round out a good list. Good songs used well and great songs used awfully, that's what we need to know!
I understand imagery and the use of emotion in advertising. I get the part where advertisers rope you in by making great associations with things you want to be associated with (I've seen those Coors Light ads with the little chicas that were NEVER around when I was in college!). I know that sex sells! But c'mon, really, Elvis and Viagra? And on the anniversary of his death, no less? Puhleeze! So I say this as a warning to all of us that need to market ourselves-- be careful about what you use to associate yourself and an image! It could come back to haunt you!
I heard it [not on the grapevine] this morning on the drive in to the office. An Elvis rip-off singer doing "Viva Viagra" loud enough to get The King himself to break his self-imposed hiatus from live shows and come out publicly against exploitation of the classics! Try not to have THAT song in your head all day!
Enough already with the 600 times a game John Mellencamp songs for Chevy. No mas with "Mr. Roboto" and the VW. If I hadn't seen Led Zeppelin in '73 with my own eyes I could maybe understand them doing a Cadillac commercial-- but I was there, man, and they played for 4 hours! How could Jimmy Paige do this to me? It's so bad that I've erased "Start Me Up" from the list of actual Stones "songs" and now just think of it as a cheesy commercial jingle. Help me out here: Devo's "Whip It" as the theme to a Swiffer ad? Save me! "Lust For Life" on a cruise ship line ad? Clearly somebody didn't read the liner notes! Creedence's "Fortunate Son" on Wrangler jeans? If that doesn't make a songwriter negotiate the copyrights to their music better-- nothing will (unless it's hearing The Who on a Nissan commercial-- Pete, I renounce you for free-- and that's the REAL Bargain!).
Some songs work in ads without destroying the song itself or the artist. If Microsoft torched The Stones with Windows 95's launch, using Madonna's "Ray of Light" for XP was genius. It works and I don't actually run from the noise if the song is played on retro radio.
But let's face it: What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas. Or at least it should have, Elvis (you remember what wise men say, don'tcha?).... Cue the Viagra ad and then cue the music to "Start Me Up"!
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