Popular Music Used In Commercials
Author: Robert Benson

Stop The Insanity-Hire Someone To Write A Jingle!

Many years ago, in a far away place and time, companies wishing
to promote their wares on television would hire songwriters to
develop advertising jingles to promote whatever they were
selling. But recently, in my mind, some companies have crossed
the proverbial line, so to speak, by using classic Beatles'
music to pitch their products.

Am I the only one who is absolutely appalled by the superstore
Target using the great Beatles' classic hit entitled "Hello
Goodbye" (although in the commercial they have changed it to
"Hello Good Buy," how clever) to hawk their wares? Couldn't the
corporate big wigs just hire Barry Manilow (who wrote the
classic McDonalds' jingle: "You deserve a break today") to write
a sappy jingle? Just when in my lifetime did the jingle writers
become an extinct breed?

However, sadly, this trend has been used over and over again in
recent years and there does not seem to be an end of it.
Moreover, if I hear the Badfinger song "Come And Get It" (in the
advertisement for GMC automobiles), I'll scream!

When Michael Jackson allowed Nike to abuse the legendary hit by
the Beatles' "Revolution," it seemed that the floodgates were
opened and an advertisement bandwagon was born. But, I am not
sure that these companies realize just how many people are
offended by their blatant misuse of these classic rock and roll
songs. In fact, I will purposely stay away from specific
products that are, in my mind, abusing the classic hits from
yesteryear.

But, apparently, these starving songwriters (or whoever owns
the rights to the music) are being very well compensated for the
right to use these classic songs for advertisement purposes. In
fact Randy Bachman, formally of the Canadian group the Guess Who
and later Bachman-Turner Overdrive, turned down a lucrative
offer from a bathroom tissue company to use his song "Takin'
Care Of Business" (how clever) for a television commercial. He
did, however, allow the song to be used for an Office Depot
commercial, calling the partnership "a perfect marriage."
Bachman also declared, "you make more in one year with that
commercial than you do in your entire lifetime of your band in
the 70's with that song." So I guess I can't blame the artists,
if I had written a song twenty years ago and someone offered me
six figures for the right to use the song in a commercial, I
will be honest, I wouldn't hesitate to sign on the dotted line.
But large corporations and specifically, marketing firms, are
just being lazy and careless with our beloved music by bypassing
the jingle writers and just plugging in a relevant classic song
and that will get people to buy whatever product they are
advertising. To me, it is just too convenient. I guess I am
naive, but when did it all become about the money, not the
music?

Sadly, this trend is catching on like wildfire, and nowadays
you can read about many rock legends allowing their classic
songs to be used for commercial purposes. Why we have Iggy Pop
for Royal Caribbean, Bob Dylan promoting Victoria's Secret
products, Billy Preston teaming up with the Zombies for Fidelity
Investments, Led Zeppelin pitching Cadillacs, Aerosmith for
Buick, the O'Jays for Coors Beer, Deep Purple promoting Dodge,
the Who allowing their music to be used in Cisco commercials,
the flower power group the Association pitching Allstate
Insurance, why we even have Helen Reddy's classic anthem hit
song "I Am Woman" being utilized in a Burger King commercial.
The list goes on and on and when will the insanity end, and are
these songs actually helping to sell the products they are
endorsing?

It won't be long before we hear he Donovan song "Mellow Yellow"
actually promoting the soft drink called Mellow Yellow. Or how
about the R.E.M. song called "Orange Crush" being used for, you
guessed it, the soft drink called Orange Crush. While we're at
it, how about beating down some more Beatles' classic hits such
as "Ticket To Ride" for the highest bidding airline company,
"She Loves You," for the latest stinky men's cologne or the song
"I Feel Fine," for an allergy medication? How about using
Blondie's hit single from 1980 entitled "Call Me" for an AT & T
commercial? We could be hearing the classic Hollies' tune
entitled "Bus Stop" (plug in any major city bus line here) or
"Angel Of The Morning" by Marrilee Rush for some feminine
product or even "Baby I Love You" by the Ronettes for a diaper
commercial. I have a few for the latest male enhancement product
on the market, how about the Three Dog Night ditty called "Easy
To Be Hard," Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love," the 1976 hit
by Heart entitled "Magic Man" or the Rolling Stones' hit "Start
Me Up?"

While we're at it, how about the Rolling Stones' song "Tumbin'
Dice" (plug in any Indian Casino), the Police hit called "Every
Breath You Take" for a cold remedy, the iconic Elvis hit "Hound
Dog" being used for a dog food commercial? How about the Who's
classic song called "I Can See For Miles" for Lens Crafter or
the Mama's and the Papa's 60's hit "California Dreamin'" for any
airline company?

We can take it several steps further with "I've Gotta Get A
Message To You" by the Bee Gees for a telephone company, the
Bobby Fuller hit entitled "I Fought The Law," (plug in any
lawyer's name) or Don Henley's hit song called "Dirty Laundry"
for Tide laundry soap? One could also make a case for the
Chicago single called "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It
Is?" being used in a Timex commercial, the Doors' classic song
"Light My Fire" being utilized by Kingsford Charcoal or the 1972
Rod Stewart hit "You Wear It Well" for any clothing
manufacturer.

It's just a matter of time before we hear the Tom Jones' song
"What's New Pussycat" in a cat food commercial. Or how about the
Raspberries hit "Go All The Way" used for a Trojan commercial?
And don't get me started on sleeping aids like "Sweet Dreams" by
the Eurythmics or "Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All" by
the Fifth Dimension, the Robert John ditty, "The Lion Sleeps
Tonight" or the Everly Brothers number one hit from 1958
entitled "All I Have To Do Is Dream." How about the Eagles'
classic hit entitled "Take It To The Limit" being used to pitch
a major credit card? And any local funeral home would be pleased
to use the Queen ditty called "Another One Bites The Dust" or
"When I Die" by Blood, Sweat & Tears or God forbid, "Knockin' On
Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan. And now that you got me started,
how would the hit song by Olivia Newton-John called "Have You
Ever Been Mellow" or the Elton John hit called, "I Guess That's
Why They Call It The Blues," the Chicago hit "Make Me Smile," or
better yet, "Do You Feel Like We Do" by Peter Frampton, being
used for the latest and greatest antidepressant to hit the
market? One could use the Johnny Nash tune called "I Can See
Clearly Now" for any eyeglass maker or "One Headlight," by the
Wallflowers in an Auto Zone commercial. Aren't you surprised
that the hit song by Sammy Johns entitled "Chevy Van" hasn't
been used for a Chevy commercial…..maybe it is the line "and we
made love in my Chevy van" that is holding them back.

We could get real creative and utilize the Beach Boys' hit
"California Girls" for the tourism council of California or the
Lynyrd Skynyrd hit "Sweet Home Alabama" to promote tourism in
that southern state. How about the hit by the B-52's called
"Rock Lobster" for, you guessed it, they could change the words
up a bit and call it "Red Lobster!" And we must include more
airline companies in this mess, like "Jet" by Paul McCartney,
"Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller, Eddie Money's "Two Tickets To
Paradise" or the worst one yet to come, the John Denver penned
"Leaving On A Jet Plane" that was sung by Peter, Paul & Mary.
And one more just for fun, the Neil Diamond classic "You Don't
Bring Me Flowers" utilized for an FTD commercial?

The list seems endless and we may hear some of the
aforementioned music paired up with their respective products.
Some may seem downright silly, but after all, it is all about
the money, not the music.


About The Author: Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop
music, vinyl record collecting and operates
http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com , where you can pick up a
copy of his ebook called "The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record
Collecting." Contact Robert at robert@collectingvinylrecords.com