From Peter Becker Sent Wed, Jun 9th 1999, 03:06
From Peter Becker Sent Wed, Jun 9th 1999, 03:06
To follow the ads thread for a chunk, I'll add from personal experience.
*Some* labels *work* at getting artists ad gigs. *Some* artists *want*
to get ad gigs. Consider the fact that MOST electronic artists ( running
the range from
the hipster obscure artists all the way to suburban mall electronica) can't
pay their rent from making music. I do *also* have great respect for those
who choose
to stay away from the "mega corporate" for their own personal/idealogical
stance.
Two examples would be the Negativland mention earlier in this thread and
that *sad* story about Jello Biafra and Nike. Yikes!
HOWEVER, there are many instances when a fair deal is closed, music is sold
at a rate that
the artist is *happy* with to an ad that he/she *approved of*. This brings
me to
a thorn in my side re: Stereolab. Did that Volvo deal close well? I can't
imagine what Volvo
paid them but I'd guess it could buy them a *fleet* of new Farfisas. Hopefully
dropping socialist ideology from their oeuvre worked for this ad ( and that
exorbitantly
over priced box thingie that came out a few months back, whew, what's up
with *that* ?)
I must agree with PW below that ads can * ideally and often sucessfully*
help an artist out. *Too* often, however, labels either don't pay their
artists enough,
don't pay their artists *at all*, or contract full share of ad royalties.
This is all bad stuff
but an artist making money from advertising should'nt be considered an
*absolute* evil.
Regarding Kumquat's comments on putting music credits on ads, it would be
great
but I doubt it would ever happen. When a company spends a boatload of money
on ads ( and believe me, they *do*) they have to concentrate on complete
saturation
of *one* thing: the product or service they are selling. Ad clients don't
want a distraction
coming up on their screens such as a music credit. If say, Hunts Ketchup
decided to use
say, a Ryoji Ikeda track with a music credit *on screen* it would most
likely result in
a syndrome known as "target market product placement confusion". It might
lead to a
skyrocket in Ikeda sales : ) but more likely leave you forgetting about the
ketchup.
Re; Alex Reynolds comments:
"On the flip side, what real lessons are gleaned from the latest angry band
of the day (Korn) -- other than that youth angst is a marketable
demographic?
; )
Don't assume that lessons are ever sought out or yearned for.
In advertisising and most facets of the music "biz" morals and
ethics generally take a back seat to "the bottom line". Sad but true...
np: Herbie Hancock- Secrets ( which has'nt made it to ads yet, I don't
think and
I do'nt think has ever been sampled- dj's? )
>
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 11:38:39 EDT
From: xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx
Subject: Re: (idm) The real reason why ads use so much electronic music
Not to get into the whole debate about artists 'selling out' by having their
music used as beds for commercials. If the artist is okay about the usage
and who is requesting use of their music (artists have to approve the usage),
commercials are a way that an artist who may not sell loads of records can
make money or recoup their account, which can kickstart or rejuvenate their
careers.
>
xxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx, Peter Becker
fax: 718-246-6870 , attention "Becker, Box 282"
mailing adress: 138 Court St. , Box 282 , Brooklyn, NY 11201