1. "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas
2. "Perfect Timing" by Orba Squara
3. "Fly Me Away" by Annie Little
4. "Sleepyhead" by Passion Pit
5. "Smile On" by Anthems
6. "How it Ends" by Devotchka
7. "Pata Pata" by Miriam Makeba
8. "Danca Loca" by Sao Benitez
9. "Non, Je Regrette Rien" by Edith Piaf
10. "Trouble" by Ray LaMontagne
11. "Give up the Funk" by Parliament
12. "Jump, Jive, An' Wail" by Louis Prima
13. "Sweet Dispositions" by Temper Trap
14. "Daylight" by Matt & Kim
15. "Journey" by Michael Montes
16. "Tinker Spell" by Stephen Rees
17. "Pepsi, For Those Who Think Young" by Britney Spears
Artist: Dirty Vegas
Album: Dirty Vegas
Released: 2001
Label: Capitol Records
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This commercial was revolutionary it terms of music's role in commercial advertising. Mitsubishi featured the song "Days Go By" a year after its release, and while the song was internationally popular to begin with, the exposure launched Dirty Vegas to the top of the American pop charts adn even helped the song win a Grammy. We see the actors in the commercial interacting with the music, allowing the sounds to be a part of both the viewers' soundscapes and the characters. The electronic sound is somehow selling a car, two seemingly different entities entirely. Yet, the fact that these sounds are utopic for many of the commercial's viewers play in Mitsubishi's favor. The music is taking its listeners to a pleasant place and brings the idea of the car along.
Artist: Obra Squara
Album: Sunshyness
Release: 2007
Label: Indie
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The raw music heard here, with instrumentals of bells and guitars living happily in the space created, encourages the natural and carefree environment which Apple wanted its iPhone to represent. Instead of over-emphasizing the technology with electronic instruments, Apple chose to feature Squara and this simple melody to be, or at least become, the iconic sound of the iPhone. This advertisement may have helped sell the iPhone, but the iPhone also helped sell "Perfect Timing." The magic of music in advertisements is that an unknown song, such as this, can travel just as far through the commercial world as the product itself. Americans experience the happy-go-lucky feeling which this song produced every time they see an iPhone.
Artist: Annie Little
Album: Fly Me Away
Released: 2009
Label: Annie Little
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In this advertisement the lines between the music and the commercial are especially thin, as the actress also wrote and recorded the song playing. A very simply composition of piano and vocals, the song adds a whimsical feel to this commercial about the magic of literature. In all of its simplicity, the music does not detract from the beautiful visuals of the ad, yet it adds so much at the same time. The piano practically over-powers the vocals for most of the commercial. You are able to hear the pianist pounding on the keys and producing a loud and sharp sound. However, about halfway through the commercial the piano becomes soft and the notes are held a little longer, allowing for the soothing voice of the verse to fly the viewer away.
Title: "Sleepyhead"
Artist: Passion Pit
Album: Chunk of Change
Label: Frenchkiss
Released: 2008
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In the version of "Sleepyhead" featured in this commercial, the electronic instrumentals almost entirely overwhelm the vocals. The 30 second clip focuses on the interesting sounds of Passion Pit's synthesizer and match up flawlessly with the magical scene the Palm Pixi hopes to convey.
Artist: The Anthems
Album: Mystery
Label:Mystery
Released:2009
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The music of this tourism commercial compliments the atmosphere of the scene flawlessly. The natural sounds of hand-clap percussion, bells, and a bouncy-guitar match the home-video style shooting of this advertisement. the kid-next-door vocals could easily be coming from one of the actors featured in the short, and the for all we know the same sun could be shining on the band and the production of the commercial. In fact, the mystery of the music goes beyond the lens of the camera, for no one really knows who made this song. Once this commercial advertising the beaches of California came out, viewers were dying to know how to get their hands on this refreshing song. The buzz that was generated led listeners to a band called Mae Shi, though this band denied ownership, pointing listeners in the direction of an unknown band called "Anthems." The only trace of "Anthems" and their only connection to the song is through their Myspace. However, there is no information provided about the band or the song. For now, the simple, happy song remains just that.
Artist: Devotchka
Album: How it Ends
Label: Cicero Recordings
Released: 2004
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The unexpected combination of violins, piano, and sorrow-filled vocals of "How it Ends" with the war-themed video game, Gears of War, creates an interesting commercial shaped by the music. The advertisement focuses on the generally unseen emotional side of the these animated characters, telling the story behind the game. Without the deep sounds of Devotchka this aspect of the commercial would not be conveyed. The extended violin solo at the end of the commercial truly draws out the melancholy mood. Very little of the actual game is shown, instead the commercial depends on the music to achieve the desired effect.
Title: "Pata Pata"
Artist: Miriam Makeba
Album: Welela
Label: Sonodisc
Released: 1967
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This is the first advertisement we have seen in which the lyrics of the music features a language different from that of the target audience. Not only does the language create a barrier between the artist and the audience, but the difference between the time of the soundscape of Makeba and the soundscape of the audience causes a second cultural disconnect. "Pata Pata" became popular in the United States in 1967, while the commercial was released in 2009. However, it is precisely this disconnect that the makers expect and anticipate to advertise the Honda Accord. The slogan in the commercial is "it fits without fitting in." This is exactly the sense that Makeba also gives off: her music has a universally comfortable feel with an exotic twist. The makers of the commercial relied on the fact that the song was once popular in the United States, allowing for the idea that the song has the potential to be well-received. Yet, the 40 year time difference displaces the song enough for it to still be foreign. The piano notes which the commercial opens with adds to the sense of familiar for the audience, but Makeba and the language difference perpetuates the essence of "otherness." The result is exactly the idea that motto states: the song fits in without completely fitting in.
Artist: Sao Benitez
Album: Danca Loca
Label: Mr. Bongo
Released: 2010
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This commercial again uses a language different from the language of the target audience. Here the difference is not meant to be as foreign as the previous; however, the tropical sense of the Spanish is played off of to display a fun vacation vibe. The fact that the commercial opens with the vocalist, in English, inviting the audience to "make some noise" gives the commercial a familiar feel. The Spanish music that follows takes the viewer from their living room sofa to a tropical island in the sunshine. Even the sound of the vocalist's breath against the microphone contributes to the authentic vacation feel. The party is so intense that the beat of the music can be heard even under the blue waters. There are horns and guitars featured in the music, but the emphasis is on the percussion. The beat encourages dance and celebration. As we have seen in several contemporary commercials, the music and even the scene itself has little to the product, but is more about the feeling. This music associates Bacardi with a tropical party.
Artist: Edith Piaf
Album: At the Paris Olympia
Label: EMI Gold
Released: 1982
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Here the different language creates a different effect in regards to the product. The French language is not turning the exotic aspect of the foreign language into a commodity, but rather orchestra and borderline French opera feel gives a classy sense to these second-hand products purchased off eBay. Although a consumer may not be sure what "it" (the product their are purchasing) has been through or rather, where "it" has been, the makers of the commercial want the audience to feel as if the product is coming straight from an upscale French boutique. The music allows for this sense of class.
Artist: Parliament
Album: Mothership Connection
Label: Casablanca
Released: 1976
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Although "Give Up the Funk" is not separated from the audience by a language barrier, there is a time difference that creates a cultural dislocation. The audience of this commercial either remembers the funk of the 70s fondly or has was not yet born to experience the groove. The cultural difference is definitely played on as the characters in the commercial are school children dancing to the disco tune. The tag line is "being with people who understand you [is] priceless." This gives the audience the notion that disco is "different" and only a few people "understand" it. The use of this music with the dancing kids conveys the meaning of the advertisement.
Artist: Louis Prima
Album: The Wildest
Label: Capitol Jazz
Released: 1957
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Here we see another cultural difference, separating the audience and the artist by about 50 years. The jazz tune encourages movement with its trumpets, trombones, bass, and percussion. The commercial features various models dancing in the pants being sold. The upbeat and joyful mood would not be achieved without Prima's jazz influence. The fact that the music and the audience are culturally disconnected targets an older audience, giving the khaki pants a classic yet fun feel. The tag line is "Khakis swing," again perpetuating movement and thrill.
Artist: The Temper Trap
Album: Conditions
Label: Glass Note
Released: 2009
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There is another cultural disconnect displayed in this commercial; however, unlike the previous commercials, the song resides in the same soundscape as the audience, while the images of the commercial are from previous decades. The images begin farthest away from the soundscape of the audience, gradually traveling through time closer to the present. As the times change, the song remains the same. The constant throaty vocals, guitar melody, and steady percussion gives a sense of comfort to the viewer, keeping them close to home even as they travel through time. The commercial ends with the character arriving home after this long journey through time in Chrysler vehicles. The overall goal would not have been accomplished without the familiar sense of sound which "Sweet Dispositions" provides.
Artist: Matt and Kim
Album: Grand
Label: Nettwerk
Released: 2009
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This commercial features a contemporary hit single, "Daylight," while traveling back in time, the exact opposite tactic than seen in the previous commercial. Again, the music provides a comfort for viewers as a piece of popular music, while the images take the audience from our time to a different time. The music is the common element of comfort throughout the commercial, just as the Bacardi is the common element of the Mojitos throughout the decades. The song begins with just just a piano playing, building from there. First the vocals add in, then the percussion comes in strong, and eventually we hear horns and a complete collection of instruments. The building of the music parallels the main characters movement toward the bar and when the music is finally whole, the character has his drink. The sound of the music not only contributes to the meaning of the advertisement, but also moves both the viewer and the character smoothly through the decades.
Artist: Michael Montes
Album: None
Label: None
Released: 2008
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This is the first commercial we have seen where the music was specifically composed for the advertisement. The simple piano composition adds a sentiment to the collection of pictures which is so beautiful and extremely memorable, it inherently accents the theme of memories. The song was so memorable in fact, that the composer released an mp3 of the composition because of popular demand. In this case, not only is the song helping to promote the Canon Digital Rebel but the commercial is actually promoting the song.
Artist: Stephen Rees
Album: None
Label: Extreme Music
Released: 2008
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This song was also written specifically for commercial use; however, unlike the previous, it was not written to advertise specifically one product. In fact, this commercial has advertised everything from plastic surgery to a candy bar. Created by a company which makes commercial music, "Tinker Spell" is a composition which adds a mystical touch to various commercial advertisements. Above are links to a Mercedes-Benz commercial, Three Muskateers commercial, and a movie trailer for Disney's How to Train Your Dragon. The piece features a piano and strings combination which sounds magical and gives a mystical sense to any advertisement. The song is a common thread in these three commercials, each of which has a fairy-tale aspect to it.
Artist: Britney Spears
Album: None
Label: PepsiCo
Released:
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This Pepsi classic features the pop star Britney Spears endorsing the product by traveling through time, glimpsing bits of previous Pepsi commercial campaigns. The music changes as each time period changes, matching the musical stylings of that time. The ad ends with a piece of music very characteristic of Britney, in the contemporary style of popular music. This ad is the perfect example of how music has played an important role in advertising throughout the years. The music mixes the jingles of the past with the popular music of the present. Not only does the music help provide information about the product through the lyrics, but the instrumentals helps contribute to the desired tone of the advertisement and create meaning through changing styles.
