by dorothy snarker

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Music that sells is as easy as "1234"

Dorothy Snarker

Let me start out with an apology. This post will make you watch commercials. Actually, if I’m going to split hairs, this post really only requires that you listen to commercials. So, if you’re against our culture’s rampant consumerism, just click play and turn your head. OK, end of apology. Though, really, considering all the great music in commercials these days, I don’t think I have much to be sorry about. In fact, quite the opposite. I mean, any ad that includes a phenomenal artist like Feist is an ad that will make me stop channel surfing.

Each time the ever-present iPod nano commercial featuring Feist’s video for “1234” comes on, I feel like dancing. Or, more accurately, I feel like dancing in a big Technicolor Broadway spectacular. Thanks to Scribe Grrrl, I had discovered the Canadian chanteuse before the ad hit the airwaves. Since the commercials began airing, Feist’s album sales have soared. To which I say, bless you Steve Jobs.

iPod Nano - Feist - 1234

Which brings me to some other ads — I mean, songs — I’ve been enjoying recently. For years now, Madison Avenue has tapped little-known indie artists for use in national campaigns. It’s the proverbial win-win for all parties involved. The company gets cool cred, the artist get exposure and we get to discover cool new music. Old Navy’s latest spots had me wondering, “Hey, who sings that sweater song?” Turns out it is New York–based singer songwriter Ingrid Michaelson. Her song is called “The Way I Am.” And while the commercial is decidedly heterosexual, the cute ditty could also be given a gay makeover. Seriously, what guy would willingly wear his girlfriend’s sweater? Totally gay. Or at least that is how it is playing out in my head.

Old Navy Ad - Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am

Almost as irresistibly cute, and catchy: The Icicles and their song “La Ti Da” for Target. Now, I love Target anyway. If I could, I would just live there. For real. And these ads make me want to pogo into the stores and go shopping with Jack LaLanne. Seriously, I’ve been humming this song for days now. The Michigan quintet also gets bonus points for the cute promo shots of themselves dressed as '70s era flight attendants.

Target Ad - The Icicles - La Ti Da

But my all-time favorite music in an ad is still Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon” for Volkswagen. This was the first ad that made me go, “Wow, who is that singing and how do I buy it?” It also made me want to buy a convertible and go driving along windy country roads at night. But, sadly, I could only afford Nick’s CD.

VW Ad - Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Now, I know some purists will cry sellout when it comes to commercial use of artists' work. But in an industry where it has become increasingly hard for independent musicians to find footing, unconventional exposure like this could mean the difference between having a hit single and eating ramen three meals a day. And as long as the music is good, I’m only too happy to listen. So, do you have any favorite ad tunes? Post ’em in the comments section below. Just don’t blame me when they get stuck in your head for the next two days.

dorothy snarker's blog

Submitted by

Dorothy Snarker

on October 8, 2007 - 9:07am.

TAGS ::

i'm digging..

Submitted by

Steph (43 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 9:28am.

the commercial i'm really into at the moment (and i think it might be a Canadian one) for for Virgin mobile with the song "We Are Your Friends" by Justice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc9OZlCHJKU

cat power!

Submitted by

heidi (32 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 9:57am.

i just love the one that has cat power singing "how can i tell you." i don't know what company it's for but they want you to buy diamond necklaces.

i love cat power

Submitted by

tlm7ea (5 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 11:14pm.

the ad is a "diamonds are forever" commercial. i heard this song for the first time and fell in love with it. unfortunately, cat power hasn't recorded the whole song, only the snippet for the commercial. no word on whether or not she will record the full song, but i hope so. it was originally recorded by cat stevens, but i've found that i don't like any of the other versions i've heard. cat power is awesome and you may want to check out some of her other songs, she records lots of covers. her rendition of "i can't get no satisfaction" is really good too.

its all about...

Submitted by

BrownEyedGirl (154 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:19am.

Its all about the Bouncy Ball Advert...

You know, for the Sony Bravia TV, with all the bouncy balls bouncing down the hill in San Francisco to Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibobJWQXQA0

~I've been watching your world from afar, I've been trying to be where you are, I've been secretly falling apart...~

omg I have a "commercial's songs" playlist

Submitted by

gonemad (3 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:20am.

I have a playlist with songs from commercials on my Ipod. Commercial music has gotten good. They have Iggy Pop's "The Passenger" in the Vera Wang commercial and Regina Spektor's "Musicbox" for some Old Navy commercial I think, these are some of my fave songs. How can I forget Queen "You're My Best Friend." So far the music has made commercials somewhat bearable for me. With one exception Beyonce's rendition of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" is definently not the best to be honest.

Absolutely!

Submitted by

allgood2 (35 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:53am.

I too keep a playlist for songs in commercials. I also have a tendency to write about them in my blog. Personally, music has always been a make or break factor in my enjoyment of commercials. I can like a commercial that doesn't use music, but I will always hate a commercial that uses music badly.

Apple has always been pretty good at using artists' just on the verge of breaking big in the US. But car commercials are also pretty good at their use of music. I don't even drive, and I'm always sitting down, watching VW commercials. Though a stand-out commercial for me is still the Sony Playstation PSP Point-of-View ad, using the Franz Ferdinand song 'Take Me Out'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoszkD46H80 . That commercial made me want a PSP so bad, and I'm not really the target market for it. Yeah I'm a techno-geek, but I don't do games or hardly anything Sony.

Luckily, reason prevailed. Possible assisted by the next generation PSP commercial called 'Pass'. That commercial was so stupid, and actually featured people throwing the PSP away—well to other people, but whatever. It made my 'Take Me Out' generated lust, dwindle like bar lights turned on at 2am—"Yes…I'll go home alone."

Music and commercials <3

Submitted by

Vee (215 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:22am.

I love Feist and it dates back, way before the Ipod Nano frenzy ;)

Here's one of my favorite ads that made me go "who's singing?" It's a Nivea commercial with the song New Days by Asher Lane <)

another commercial song

Submitted by

em (58 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:27am.

there's this really cool song called music box, it's in a JC Penny commercial about being different and unexpected.

The Feist Ad for the iPod nano is Fabulous!

Submitted by

allgood2 (35 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:31am.

I have friends that love it and those that hate it (because its too darn catchy). But its one of a few Apple ads, where non-Apple fans specificlly refer to it. I can't say, how many clients have asked me to justify their need for a new iPod nano based on that ad. In fact, a librarian, whom I work with was just asking me about the iPod nano. Though what she specifically said was, "the one with the 1234 song…". Asking me how it compares to her old iPod and her running needs. She's totally a technophobe to a degree, but she was experience technolust at its finest. I finally said, its not going to make your world go techno-color and burst into dance like Feist, but if you bought it, you could download the songs video, and learn the routineyourself, using your new iPod. She seemed happy with that.

O_o

Submitted by

Noclaf (51 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:41am.

I've been grooving to the JC Penny adds, especially the ones with Melanie Horsnell & Regina Spektor.

----

http://noclafsaerie.blogspot.com/

Shiny Toy Guns

Submitted by

Awesomely Awkward (12 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:41am.

I really like the Razor ads with the Shiny Toy Guns' song "Le Disko." The choreography goes well with the song and I just like the song a lot.

New Volvo Ad

Submitted by

TBA (2 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 10:52am.

one of my all time favorites is definitely an older VW new Beetle commercial that featured a really cool versin of Jimmy Cliff's I Can See Clearly Now.. But i just can't find it. Anyone remember? Not sure if it even aired in the US..

Right now i really love the new Volvo Ad: http://www.volvocars.com/campaigns/MY08/AllNewV70/OpenDoors/default.htm
first one in the gallery. Sorry, couldn't find a direct link.

Song is by Nina Nastasia - Our Day Trip

dreamy.. :)

Canadians...

Submitted by

Steph (43 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 11:10am.

To my fellow Canadians...is it just me, or does Zellers have amazing songs for pretty much all their commercials?

haha they TOTALLY do...too

Submitted by

Renee (136 posts)

on December 7, 2007 - 1:46pm.

haha they TOTALLY do...too bad the actual store is full of such crap!

A fellow Canadian

Submitted by

Tasha (9 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 11:40am.

It's so true about the Zellers commercials! When I heard one of the summer ones that featured Esthero, I almost peed myself. Seriously, if you wanna hear amazing music check out Esthero. I guarantee* you'll love her.

*This guarantee is not a guarantee.

:D

Submitted by

Steph (43 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 9:28pm.

yes! i think i remember hearing that song in the commercial. i was like "omg...that sounds just like Esthero"

i <3 her

Commercial Success on iTunes

Submitted by

boundtostone (165 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 11:53am.

A lot of these songs are posted every few months in a section of iTunes called commercial success, which just goes to show you how attune to the audience Apple and other companies are. They have a lot of the songs everyone is mentioning! And I love a lot of the songs. They're just lovely.

ingrid michaelson

Submitted by

alyssa (13 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 1:34pm.

i gey the gay vibe from ingrid too. listen to her song masochist, the first line is "She says you're a masochist for falling for me,"

hummmmm

Record Companies

Submitted by

Hawk (45 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 2:26pm.

John Mellencamp said Chevy was a thousand times better music company than his regular label. Good on ya' Feist for getting the Apple treatment, her music is amazing.

woah.

Submitted by

Nunzilla (43 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 5:46pm.

That VW commercial is exactly how I got into Nick Drake.

While I'm not a big fan of the consumer market injecting little ditties in my head I will forever come to associate with their products, sometimes a commercial can help direct me to a new and wonderful artist. Or a good Buffy episode. Or CSI.

And so on.

commercial songs

Submitted by

Peej (18 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 6:03pm.

I really like the Geico cave man song...when the cave man is on the people mover at the airport??? I don't know who it's by or what it's called though. Anyone else know that one???

I love commercials!

Submitted by

Janel (141 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 6:14pm.

I won't lie, I'm a commercial whore, I can learn any jinggle on tv and tv ocassionally has some power over me and I end up buying a bunch of products,wait I'm shopping whore too anywho, one of my fav songs to ever be used (and they still use it at times) is "Let the sunshine in", originally from the Hair soundtrack :)

"i don't suffer from insanity...i enjoy every minute of it"

Cavemann commercial

Submitted by

melody :] (4 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 6:39pm.

the song in the commercial is

remind me - by royksopp

they have a buncha good songs :]

I dont like when bands I

Submitted by

Brandi (33 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 7:35pm.

I dont like when bands I love, that are so unknown I feel they are exclusive to me only, start getting major recognition with commercials. My latest hate-fest is the new hyndaui commercial. The song is by Husky Rescue.

re: "bands I love...start getting major recognition..."

Submitted by

hellohello (28 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 8:43pm.

totally. it's like exposing my little niche to the rest of the world.

....

Submitted by

Steph (43 posts)

on October 8, 2007 - 9:27pm.

ooo, i like Husky Rescue! im not sure if that commercial is aired here in canada (i dont know where you're from)... which song of their's is featured?

if i'm not mistaken, its My

Submitted by

Brandi (33 posts)

on October 20, 2007 - 9:24pm.

if i'm not mistaken, its My World that is playing in the background.

Commercials and Music

Submitted by

Punkin (15 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 3:11am.

No doubt...."Days Gone By" by Dirty Vegas....I don't remember the car company, but I sure remember both the ad and the music

mitsubishi eclipse :-)

Submitted by

dirty third (27 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 3:39am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGaIe-4-2yg

Oh Laura - Release Me

Submitted by

StarStar (37 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 8:51am.

For Saab European Ad! This song rocks! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjQXMZe2ouk

Oh Laura

Submitted by

IfOnly (248 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 10:29am.

Here's the commercial which is beautiful! Saab, Release Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKViA_z6jwE I've had this song as a ringtone ever since I saw the commercial for the first time. You can/could download the song for free on Saab's website.

And here's my new favourite, Marabou Premium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JHlLs5XXws Might not just be the song that attracts my attention =D I recommend watching this.

And a long running favourite, Fritidsresor, Billy Paul - Your Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5EI1PWeGgk

I don't know if someone

Submitted by

ChemistryOfACarCrash (8 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 11:51am.

I don't know if someone already posted this..but..

Feist has been in other commercials. her song 'Mushaboom' is in a lacoste commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da2Xux0ch4Y

M&Ms had a commercial

Submitted by

BijouxIce (44 posts)

on October 9, 2007 - 2:32pm.

that used Iron and Wine's "Such Great Heights" which, in turn, made me go out and buy the Garden State soundtrack album. The line about "the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned" was what grabbed me.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N0rzvfa9A9Y

I also got into Nick Drake from the commercial featuring "Pink Moon". And there was a Pontiac commercial with music I obsessed over until I found it. The lyrics went "Evoke the rich tapestry... Twist! Snap! I love you..." As soon as I learned it was a band called I Am Kloot and the song was Twist, I made a beeline for iTunes to buy it.

"Never explain, never complain." - Katherine Hepburn

Sara Ramirez plays a lesbian in MTV commercial!

Submitted by

jess_g (11 posts)

on October 11, 2007 - 1:00am.

OMG! So I was looking up Zellers commercials on Youtube and some how this one was related. I very very positive it's Sara. I don't know if anyone else has seen it, but holy crap!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDonivYKX3E

I have to say for the The Way I Am, I got the lesbian vibe at first, but then i heard the rest of the song and it was like, "I'd buy you rogain, when you start losing all your hair" and that does not seem very lesbian to me. Sadly. But I still do love the song.

I'm canadian too, so who else LOVES those Telus commercials?! They're so cute! Little animals and catchy songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqaNHsTtbWA

I'm now a fan of Lily Frost thanks to commercials. Can't seem to find them on youtube though. She had "enchantment" on a Canadian Tire commercial, and "The Two of Us" on that car commercial. I don't remember what it was though... some hatchback I think.

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