Reflection 02: As Heard on TV—Music and 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 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 experience of a product, knowing that pairing the right song with the right product can result in increased 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 three 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 advertising ever influence your own purchase of products?

  

Choose three of the following ads for your analysis:

1. Target's "Color Changes Everything" featuring "Alouette" by The Delta Rythmn Boys (2012)
2. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Let Him Go" featuring Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2012)
3. Volkswagen Passat's "The Force" featuring John Williams' "The Imperial March" (2011)
4. The Gap's "The Skinny Black Pant" featuring AC/DC's "Back in Black" (2006)
5. Apple iPod's "Life is Random" featuring Caesers' "Jerk it Out" (2006)
6. Epic Games' Gears of War's "Mad World" featuring Gary Jules "Mad World" (2006)
7. Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro for Chanel, featuring Claude Debussy's "Claire de Lune" (2004)
8. Mitsubishi Eclipse's "Days Go By" featuring Dirty Vegas' "Days Go By" (2003) 
9. Mitsubishi Outlander's "Breathe" featuring Télépopmusik's "Breathe" (2002)
10. Volkswagen Jetta's "Big Day" featuring J. Ralph's "One Million Miles" (2001) 
11. The Gap's "Khaki Swing" featuring Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive, and Wail" (1998)
12. Diet Coke's "Diet Coke Break" featuring Etta James' "I Just Want to Make Love to You" (1994)
13. Cindy Crawford for Pepsi, featuring "Just One Look" by Doris Troy (1992)
14. Nike Air's "Revolution" featuring The Beatle's "Revolution" (1987)
15. Honda Scooters' "Don't Settle for Walking" featuring Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" (1986)

Required:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length

Due: Wednesday, Sept. 12th