Thanks to popular music, brands can now live forever. You don’t need to look further than Nelly’s Air Force Ones for proof.
I think this is a hilarious phenomenon. I would have loved to see this in the olden days, if only to see the evolution of brand attitudes. Imagine Beethoven naming “Symphony no 9″ something like “Cabernet Sauvignon Requiem” or reading a Shakespearean play that name-drops a Ye Olde Whiskey as his sauce of choice.
Make no mistake, this is an effective tactic, even on the supposedly media-savvy kids of Gen Y. This kind of advertising strolls through the front door of our minds, however blatant it may be. It’s wrapped in the harmless cocoon of the song-du-jour, which we are probably singing along to anyway.
The most mentioned brand names in songs in 2005 (wiki):
- Mercedes automobiles
- Nike
- Cadillac automobiles
- Bentley automobiles
- Rolls-Royce automobiles
- Hennessy cognac
- Chevrolet automobiles
- Louis Vuitton fashion
- Cristal champagne
- AK-47 rifles
Interestingly, despite Jay-Z’s well-known boycott of Cristal, the brand holds on to retain a spot in the top 10.
Even more interesting is the appearance of AK-47 rifles. Somewhere 50 Cent is laughing for sneaking an instrument of death in among a list of luxury items.
June 20, 2007 on 10:20 am
Don’t forget the constant re-affirmation that music videos provide. The product doesn’t even have to be mentioned in the song to attain the necessary brand exposure. Just look at almost every single Rap video ever made. If it’s a Rap video you know one of those automobile companies is getting some product placement. I’m just surprised Hooter’s hasn’t made a deal with anyone yet.
June 20, 2007 on 8:20 pm
i bet you half of those mentions are paid for, or rewarded.