Reflection 2: As Heard on TV—The Music of Commercials

Let's face it, music can have great influence over us and that includes the ability to sell us things. Advertisers have known this for decades, which is why TV  commercials have been laden with music since the early days of radio. Today, music is still an integral part of commercials. Advertisers work diligently to find music that enhances the appeal of a product, knowing that pairing the right song with the right product can increase profits. Additionally, many artists' songs have been resurrected, or plucked from obscurity, after being placed in a major commercial. For many artists, having "that song from that commercial" can translate into a considerable bump in album sales. 

For this reflection, you will examine four of the following commercials to assess the overall impact music has in the ads. (Note we are not looking at songs that are modified for a particular campaign, but songs that are used in their original form in order to help sell you something.) Each of these songs was chosen for a reason. But what do you think those reasons were? What likely was the desired effect? How is the product enhanced by this music? If you are already familiar with the song, how does your prior knowledge affect your appreciation of the ad or the product? Finally, do songs in television advertising ever influence your own purchase of products?

Choose four of the following ads for your analysis:

• Bulgari's "Unexpected Wonders" featuring YACHT's "Multi-Family Garage Sale" (Land of Loops cover; 2022)
• Meta Quest's "Old Friends. New Fun" featuring Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me" (2022)
  
• Apple's "Doin' Laps" featuring O.T. Genasi's “I Look Good” (2022)
• Target's "Totally" featuring Anthony Ramos' "Good Time" (2022) 
• Dior's "Miss Dior" featuring Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" (2021)
  
• Apple's "Fumble" featuring Nitin Sawhney's "The Conference" (2021)
• Chanel's "Dancing on the Moon" featuring Marion Cotillarde's "Team" (Lourde cover; 2021)
  
• IKEA's "Every Home Should be a Haven" featuring Sampa the Great’s "Final Form" (2021)
• Apple, “Creativity Goes On” featuring The Young Ebenezer's "Asleep at the Parade" (2020)
• Uber's "Thank You for Not Riding" featuring a theme by Matt White's (2020)
  
• Amazon's "Christmas Commercial" featuring Phonotheque London's "The Show Must Go On" (Queen cover; 2020)
  
• Dove's "Courage is Beautiful" featuring Kevin Sargent's "Courage is Beautiful" (2020)
  
• Apple's "Color Flood" featuring Cosmo Sheldrake's “Come Along” (2019)
• Walmart's "Famous Cars" featuring Gary Newman's "Cars" (2019) 
• Budweiser's "Wind Never Felt Better" featuring CLOVES' "Blowin' in the Wind" (2019)
• Tiffany & Co.'s "Believe in Dreams" featuring Elle Fanning and A$AP Ferg's "Moon River" (2018)
• John Lewis' "The Boy and the Piano" featuring Elton John's "Your Song" (UK, 2018)
• Apple's "Sway" featuring Sam Smith's "Palace" (2017) 
• Levi's "Circles" featuring Jain's "Makeba" (2017)
• Target's "Vibes, TargetStyle" featuring Spencer Ludwig's "Diggy: (2016)
• Coca-Cola's "Break Up" featuring Alexander Cardinale's “Made for You” (2016)
• Apple's iPhone 6' s "Timer" featuring Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle" (2016) 
• Subaru Forester's "Making Memories" featuring Gregory Isakov's "Time Will Tell" (2015)
• Android's "Friends Furever" featuring "O-De-Lally" by Roger Miller (2015)
• Android's "And You" featuring Andrew W.K.'s "Party Hard" (2014) 
• Budweiser's "Puppy Love" featuring Passenger's "Let Her Go" (2014)
  
• Apple iPhone's "Metal Mastered" featuring "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp (2013)
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Misfit Right In" featuring Major Lazer ft. The Partysquad's "Original Don" (2013)
• Chipotle's "The Scarecrow" featuring "Pure Imagination" by Fiona Apple (2013)
• Target's "Party Entertaining with Threshold" featuring "So Groovy" by Jocelyn Alice & Right the Stars (2013)
• Taco Bell's "Viva Young" featuring fun's "We are Young" (in Spanish; 2013)
• Target's "Color Changes Everything" featuring "Alouette" by The Delta Rythmn Boys (2012)
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Let Him Go" featuring Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2012)
• Internet Explorer's "IE9" featuring "Too Close" by Alex Clare (2012)
• Chipotle's "Back to the Start" featuring Willie Nelson's (cover of Coldplay's) "The Scientist" (2011)
• Hieneken's "The Date" featuring “Jaan Pehechaan Ho” by Mohammed Rafi (2011)
• Chanel's "Train de Nuit" featuring "I'm a Fool to Want You" by Billie Holliday (2011)
• Volkswagen Passat's "The Force" featuring "The Imperial March" by John Williams (2011)
• Apple's "FaceTime" featuring Louis Armstrong's "When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)" (2010)
• Coca-Cola's "Avatar" featuring Cee-Lo Green's "Stranger in the Crowd" (2009) 
• Gucci's "Flora" featuring Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" (2009)
• American Red Cross' "Change a Life" featuring Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's "It Takes Two" (2008) 
• Apple iTunes' "Viva La Vida" featuring Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (2008)
  
• Apple iPod's "iPod Nano" featuring "1234" by Feist (2007) 
• Gap's "The Skinny Black Pant" featuring "Back in Black" by AC/DC (2006)
• Apple iPod's "Life is Random" featuring "Jerk it Out" by The Caesers (2006)
• Epic Games' Gears of War's "Mad World" featuring "Mad World" by Gary Jules (2006)
• Sony Bravia's "Balls" featuring José González's "Heartbeats" (2005) 
• Gap's "Pretty Khaki" featuring "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Flow Drum Song (2005)
• Chanel's "Le Film" featuring "Claire de Lune" by Claude Debussy (2004)
• Mitsubishi Eclipse's "Days Go By" featuring "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas (2003)
• Mitsubishi Outlander's "Breathe" featuring "Breathe" by Télépopmusik (2002)
• Volkswagen Jetta's "Big Day" featuring "One Million Miles" by J. Ralph (2001) 
• Gap's "Simply Irresistible" featuring Daft Punk's "Digital Love" (2001)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 500 words

Submission Window: Thu 9.2-Tue 9.27 (via Canvas)