On Brands, Bands & The Commercial Concept Album
Guest post by Chris Borchert of kickshuffle.
Here’s an idea: I’m VP of Marketing for the Y___ Corporation and I want to make headlines with an advertising campaign. I have a boatload of cash, so I contact management for (insert Artist here) and propose the following offer: produce for me 10-12 previously unreleased songs for a new album. The Y___ Corporation will then release, one by one, 10-12 ad spots, each one featuring a different (insert Artist here)’s song, and the 10-12 songs will culminate in (insert Artist here)’s next official album release.
By way of example: Ford cuts a deal with Tom Petty, where Tom Petty pens an album’s worth of tracks to back a series of commercials for Ford’s new “Buy American, Drive America” campaign. Talk about product placement.
I know what some of you are thinking: this is exactly the kind of sleazy corporate profiteering that diminishes quality music and encourages commercialized dribble aimed at the product-consuming masses. Well, maybe. But why couldn’t this be just another creative frontier for artists to explore? After all, why is this so different than, say, composing music for a Hollywood blockbuster? After all, aren’t both artists tasked with writing music to help sell a product? – or even more simply, an idea?
Would it really be so surprising to hear that Kelly Clarkson released a string of tracks to back Weight Watchers’ new “Beautiful You” campaign, and that those tracks will culminate in her next official commercial offering? Or that P. Diddy just put out a concept album recounting the fanciful, yet clandestine tales of a night fueled by Ciroc?
Who cares if an artist has a product in mind when developing music? What is poor quality music will remain poor quality music, but what is creative and smart and engaging will survive and turn heads and remind us that we are individuals looking to be moved by things that are good and interesting. Is the source of the inspiration so critical to the character of the music that we need to reject altogether a particular medium by which it is conveyed? Can Radiohead’s IBM commercials do for me tomorrow what The War on Drugs’ Slave Ambient did for me last summer? I don’t know the answer to that, but I’d sure like to see Radiohead try.
And after all, it’s just an idea.
IMO there is nothing wrong with it as long as the artist is cool with it. For me I would want to make sure that it was I company who’s product I legitimately liked and the company reflected the same values I try to put across in my music. In other words, big Phrama, Summers Eve and Tampax, please do not call (no offense to the latter, just don’t use the them due to my Male condition).
Danger Doom did this for Adult Swim, and didn’t lose too many cool points. But if you did something for Ford or Pepsi or Monsanto or something, I feel like there would be no going back as an artist. Which could be ok, you’ll make money, maybe do it again for other companies and make more, but why did you start making music in the first place? Your fanbase, credibility as a true artist for people to connect with, that would all be gone. What Corey said, it would depend on the brand, and it would have to be noted thats the drive of creativity.
Would you guys really want to listen to an album made to support Tom’s shoes or something though? On it’s own, in your car and at home? And you’d connect with it like a piece of work straight from the artist for the sake of making it/conveying a message? Is it that hard to make a living wage in music and still have a soul?
I like this. This is the type of innovative ideas that artists need to be thinking about.
If the theme for the company or ad campaign is in line with a passion you have then you’re not sacrificing or “selling out”. Your helping to promote a similar platform to your own but just from a different perspective. You’re aligning your passion with your gifts.
Thanks for the article Chris !
Greg
Music Powered Strategies
Most of today’s pop starts entire careers are based on being a commercial sellout. So this is just a natural extension of what they already are. Doing this will not hurt their credibility in any way, since they never had it.
But otherwise, I this is a not only a terrible idea, it’s a real kiss of death. Radiohead might gain a small fortune in the short run, but they would loose out big-time in the long run from the negative impact it would have on their fan base.
Radiohead licensing their songs for film, TV, Commercials etc, is an entirely different thing. No fan would begrudge them the opportunity to make extra money on their catalog in this way. The songs where never written for a commercial in the first place. The advertiser just had the good taste to use their song in their advertisement.
And writing music for a film is totally different animal too, since it is an artistic collaboration.
All this said, there is the possibility that an artist of credibility can write a song for a commercial product, but the timing and the alignment of the stars have to be in the right place….Mojo Nixon once said he wanted to write advertising jingles promoting Jolt Cola (He even said he’d do it for free)…..Personally I would have loved to have heard a Mojo Nixon Jolt Cola Jingle (Would have bought the single too)…..But for the most part. This is a terrible idea. I would not want to hear (nor would I buy) an album from Radiohead promoting IBM, Jenny Craig, Toyota, or any other manufacturer.