When good music happens to bad ads

RandomEsq, Chicago, IL — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:15:43 GMT

I agree that the ad created the impression that "dot-org" organizations are somehow more trustworthy. I actually asked myself what the requirement was for being a "dog-org." Apparently, nothing.

As for how the music may accomplish the thinking of potential investment vehicles...I suppose I may be splitting hairs but I am not sure that that is the goal. Maybe the next time an ad watcher hears the music, they will think of TIAA-CREF and not even realize that it is an investment vehicle. That is, it will increase visibility and name recognition, even if not necessarily driving all of those people to associate it with investing. There has to be some value in that, I would imagine.

RandomEsq.

When good music happens to bad ads

Bob Mould — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:43:03 GMT

Fair points to raise. Regarding perception of music use in commercials: I think it's an individual matter, both as fan and musician.

As musician, I made the leap of faith that they are least likely to be quietly investing in unseemly causes. I trust that TIAA-CREF is relatively benign, as companies go.

As fan, I did feel differently when I heard a Buzzcocks song used in an AARP ad. Not only was I happy they were making some money, I cringed at the fact I was watching a television show that aimed for the 50+ market. Stop laughing!

Bob Mould, 46

When good music happens to bad ads

Ian, Austin, Texas — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:25:26 GMT

I found myself mortified when I heard one of my favorite songs from the musical "Hair" on a ad for the Rondo. Cognitive dissonance between images of the unshaven, unwashed characters from the musical and the shiny happy plastic people in the ad make me look away everytime the ad comes back on. Ouch!

When good music happens to bad ads

Brian Blank, Chicago, IL — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:00:01 GMT

I still remember the first time I heard Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" used in a Carnival Cruise Line commercial. It made no sense: the godfather of punk who used to roll in broken glass on stage, now being used to promote leisure travel? Furthermore I've heard numerous classic ska songs used in the past several years to promote almost everything. I don't know if Bob is donating this song or if he's making money off it. I'm happy if he's making money -- he's one of my all time favorites. But artists must also realize that these songs also belong to us in a way. We relate to them, remember them fondly to mark times in our lives. When one of my favorite songs becomes a commercial jingle in cheapens those memories. And, as for Bob Mould, I saw him in Husker Du; I saw him in Sugar; and I've seen him solo. Bob: please don't ever sell "Too Far Down", "Could You Be The One", or "Makes No Sense at All".

When good music happens to bad ads

john, friendswood tx — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:17:32 GMT

I assume you meant to write "We HEAR that...."

When good music happens to bad ads

Bill- Eastlake, Ohio — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:34:04 GMT

I'll never forget when I heard Janis Joplin's "Mercedes-Benz", which basically mocked the status seekers, actually being used for a Mercedes-Benz commercial! Shouldn't there be at least a modicum of honor to what the artist meant? Or are they going to use Country Joe's "Fixin to Die Rag" to promote the Army next?

When good music happens to bad ads

Zoey,Scottsdale, AZ — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:35:34 GMT

Iggy Pop's Lust for Life is for Royal Caribbean not Carnival. Carnival used to use Kathy Lee Gifford in the commercials.

When good music happens to bad ads

Mason, Cleveland, OH — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:34:23 GMT

Hearing the music that's being used in advertisements these days, I'm coming to realize that "I am the target" - the music of my youth is now the soundtrack used to sell me products. They know it. If I was working in advertising right now, I'd be asking, what are the songs that strike an emotional nerve in folks who are 30 to 50 years old? What songs really hit me when I was in high school and college? (next stop, Replacements?) It's no accident that half the music used in tv ads recently is from the 80's. I think the choice of "See a Little Light" was inspired. It doesn't really bother me, because there's no way a 30 second commercial spot could erode the enjoyment I've derived from that song (and all of Bob's music) over the past 20 years. I just won't let it.

When good music happens to bad ads

Matt Cooper — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:04:07 GMT

I have noticed lately that the music I hear in ads (both those I know and those I don't) seems much better than any I can find on the radio. It seems strange that radio programmers can't seem to locate the same music that advertising people can.
I, personally, don't have any problem with artists selling their music to advertising. They goota eat to and if I wouldn't turn down a job with TIAA-CREF if I was out of work, why should I expect some kind of different behavior from them? Anyway, I can seperate the music from the images and enjoy the music independantly.

When good music happens to bad ads

Noah Tsai — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:53:50 GMT

I prefer to hear actual music than go back to the age of "jingles". Anything's better than that. And if you start associating the songs with the ads, rather than with your memories, then I suggest you get better memories and stop living such a dull life.

When good music happens to bad ads

Scott Morrissey, Santa Fe, NM — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:55:09 GMT

It's kind of funny... I live in Santa Fe, which is the capital but is also a very old-school town. Around here, everyone from car dealerships to technical schools have their own jingles, which are all kind of catchy and several of which have gotten stuck in my head numerous times. While I agree that Bob Mould gotta eat, I fear for the decline of the local radio and tv jingle. How many local artists are being put out of work because of this big artist music trend? I'm being a bit sarcastic, but I'll bet you can all remember some local jingle from your youth that still puts a smile on your face. Save the local jingle! You're awesome Bob. Black Sheets of Rain rules.

When good music happens to bad ads

Crazy Aardvark Indiana — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:26:08 GMT

Having been there when Anticipation first aired for Heinz, Like a Rock first aired for Chevy trucks, et al., I really don't notice it much anymore unless it "works for me". My favorite is a Chrysler commercial from this year featuring Smoke on the Water.

When good music happens to bad ads

Dale Sundstrom — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:26:06 GMT

As a huge fan of Bob’s, I’m always happy to hear his music, even in the context of this ad. As a fan, I don’t own it, Bob does; he can license it as he sees fit. It looks like he’s doing so thoughtfully (great to see his comments above).

The song fits the ad fairly well. The objective seems to be to create a warm-and-fuzzy .org association, and introduce TIAA-CREF as a .org. It works. The association is perhaps a bit too fuzzy, but this can get people thinking and help them discover exactly what a .org really is. If you want to de-construct the ad, it’s important to see that it’s also about the company’s main customers; many being .orgs themselves in education, research, etc. "serving the greater good."

It’s a shame that some artists don’t have control of how their music is used. This is the case with the most disturbing example I’ve seen, where Procter & Gamble used the Beatles anthem "All you need is love" to advertise Luv’s disposable diapers. Is this appropriate? Judge for yourself: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/710091/all_you_need_is_luvs/ .

When good music happens to bad ads

Rob Robertson, Baltimore, Maryland — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:50:19 GMT

I think you missed the point of the ad. "powerof.org" is used to relate to the core demographic of people who work for other .org's. TIAA CREF is available to nonprofits specifically and has it as their mission to help those members of the workforce (who usally earn less then their corporate counterparts) prepare for retirement

I work at a nonprofit, and gleefully take advantage of the higher yield/lower risk of TIAA CREF investment. The use of Bob's song worked for me perfectly.

As Bob mentioned on his blog regarding recording of the song for the ad: "The product is good"

Is it selling out if you believe in the product?

When good music happens to bad ads

Brian Westbye, Auburn, ME — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:09:05 GMT

I'll take hearing Bob (or the 'Matts) in a commercial a million times over Poison or Whitesnake. Shudder.

That said, I do hope "Wishing Well" is off the commercial table...

When good music happens to bad ads

Scott , Atlantic Beach, NC — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:29:53 GMT

I have been a fan of Bob Mould, Husker Du, Sugar since I enrolled at University of Minnesota in 1981, I always felt the Minneapolis music scene was ahead of its time with Husker Du, The Suburbs, The Replacememts, etc.
Unfortunately these bands did not receive their due financially, now we have bands like Fall Out Boy who are getting paid.
I am a HUGE fan of Bob Mould and read his blog weekly. I was fortunate to see him last year in Chapel Hill and he is far from selling out.
Bob, please do not feel you are selling out for selling your great library to advertisers that want to use your music. Please keep recording new great music. I can't wait for your next CD and concert DVD coming out soon

When good music happens to bad ads

Frank Peyton — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:11:24 GMT

Don’t assume it’s always the songwriter who is to blame. While most commercially successful musicians own the songs they have written, many do not. Signing away your publishing rights to the record company’s music publisher is common condition for getting a recording contract. If they become successful, they have the clout to publish their own songs, with the common situation that they own their later catalog, but have no control over the early songs. For example, Elton John has no control over any of his songs published prior to 1974, but owns all his subsequent work (with Bernie Taupin, his lyricist). The Beatles catalog was never owned by them, so they have never had any say in how their songs are used. Paul McCartney’s protestations of Beatles songs in ads strikes me as odd, since he has the money to buy the Beatles catalog and refuse all commercial requests. Like it or not, it’s the music business, and song catalogs are bought and sold by publishers like any other commodity.

When good music happens to bad ads

Auburn, ME — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:14:30 GMT

Also, and I may be mistaken, but I believe that Bob does not own the right to the name Husker Du. I think he offered to buy the name a few years ago in order to go the re-master/new profit route, but Grant Hart turned it down.

When good music happens to bad ads

Deb Harrison — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:40:57 GMT

I'm actually enjoying the use of the music of my youth - and not so youth - in TV commercials, so long as the folks aren't talking over it. I just listen to the music and ignore the ad. Not what they had in mind, I'm sure.

When good music happens to bad ads

Deb Harrison — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:49:14 GMT

Forgot to mention when I said I liked the use of music in ads, I WASN'T talking about "Viva Viagra!"

When good music happens to bad ads

Don, Chicago — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:03:37 GMT

In their next ad, they should throw down the Replacement's "Something to Du" just to see if we can get a little of the ol' rivalry going. Break the Mould...

When good music happens to bad ads

Chris, Philly — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:33:05 GMT

I'm still trying to figure out why Wendy's thought it would be a good idea to use the Violent Femmes' "Blister in the Sun" to sell hamburgers. Do I really want to associate a meaty sandwich with a festering sore?

When good music happens to bad ads

Yeah I'm in advertising — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:03:45 GMT

Hey: "Chris, Philly"

"Blister in the Sun" is most commonly seen as a thinly veiled reference to masturbation; not festering sores.
Neither is correct.

[According to lead singer Gordon Gano, this song is not about masturbation as popularly thought. He wrote this song about a girl he had a crush on in high school. Gordon was sensitive about his small hands, and on the first day of school a girl came up to him, held his hands in the air, and exclaimed, "Look what small hands he has!" So, he wrote the song from the perspective of a girl lusting after a boy with big hands. This explains the "big hands I know you're the one" line.] (-from VH1 interview)

Since the song is about *lust*, I think it's very apt for a company trying to instill a mouth-watering craving for their product. I think it's inspired. Big meaty burger indeed!

When good music happens to bad ads

Jeff Williams, Pullman, WA — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:21:12 GMT

I don't give a crap about TIAA-CREF, but I loved the song, googled the ad, found this site and BOUGHT THE ALBUM. I had never heard of Bob Mould before, so it seems while some might raise a concern over crass commercialism, I'd say it's smart business for mould.

If pressed, I could cite at least a dozen instances where this has happened to me.

I get my news and information from the web and talk. I have both terrestrial and XM radio, but rarely use that for anything but sports and information. The music that I listen to is on my iPod, and that means being introduced to new music can be a challenge for me.

I don't get the sour grapes at all. Get over it.

When good music happens to bad ads

Blue Meanie — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:24:41 GMT

I can't wait to hear Slayer's "Angel of Death" used to sell some high-powered muscle car.
Iron Maiden's "Aces High" would be a good one for a coffee commercial - it's a great song for my morning commute.