Attack of the Horrid Commercials: Part A[C/]D[C] Infinitum
Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 12:01AM Today's post is from our friend HIM.
There are very few commercials that I enjoy that utilize metal or rock bands. I get a bit priggish and protective when the music of my youth is used to hawk products even if the music is, in fact, a product unto itself. Priest giving mini-vans a mojo injection? Nope. Bon Jovi shilling for DirecTV? Pass. Motley Crue imbuing their brand of cool onto a freakin’ Kia Optima? Please stop. Just. Stop. But the latest burst of metal marketing irked me in a way that feels different:
More power to Applebee’s for trying to spruce up their fading image, shoved as they are into an increasingly dated segment of the restaurant business. To compete with Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday’s and Shamus McCraptastic’s, they had to go out and buy a bunch of wood-fired grills and retrain staff so that they can hand-cut steaks. Beautiful! Go for it! If that puts enough lipstick on the pig to get them through the next earnings cycle, good for them. But the use of that music. It irks me no end. Yes, it is AC/DC. And, yes, it is the nice Johnson-era “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” off of Back in Black (1980). But you wouldn’t know that, would you, unless you were already a fan. And therein lies a problem. The song has nothing to do with the thing being sold, even in the tangential senses that the items Crue and Priest endorsed were attempting to lift musical cache and imbue it onto their products. Instead, it fills up auditory space behind a bunch of “go for broke” images of steaks being grilled. Compare that to another ad that I loathed, even as it made sense. In 2014, Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. used Dio’s “Go Eat Your Heart Out.” Yeah, that’s Dio—well, his estate—giving us two horns up while supporting an artery-clogging slab of pre-formed death. But it works on at least a couple of levels. You can also compare it to a band who simply recognized that they could make some scratch while making a bit of fun of themselves at the same time:
In my humble opinion, that is one of the best uses of a metal band I have seen in a commercial. Cheesy. Overly (and ironically) serious. Money exchanged hands. Norton sold some product. Perhaps a few people figured out that was only half of the original Dokken (that is fodder for another post). But it was just self-aware enough to work on a fan level and just ‘meta’ enough to work for people who don’t give a squat who Dokken were or are. I don’t bemoan a band using their art to make money. I really don’t. I just wish that there was some thought regarding said use. I also recognize that I should make a distinction. Lending one’s services to the sale of another’s product is different from selling products in your own name. But they are both about branding. And when promotion of both sorts get out of hand—the Bret Michaels approach or the KISS method, for just two instances—it cheapen the artist and the product, whether it is theirs or another’s. Sadly, even those with an impeccable enough reputation are guilty of branding themselves into a corner. More and more, Lemmy allowed his band’s imagery to be slapped on every conceivable item of which you can think. But he was also cool enough to lend his image to an ad campaign for milk of all things:
That the ad became a tribute is a sad reality. That Lemmy was self-aware enough to recognize that he fit the thesis of Valio’s overall message (itself an update of a much older ad) is genius on his part. Clearly, someone at ad agency Barkley of Kansas City loves them some AC/DC. Good for them. Equally clear is that this commercial is an attempt to make Applebee’s look a bit . . . edgier? Hmm. While I agree with the song they used, I have my doubts that wood smoke and dead cows are going to be enough to lead more people back to the trough.
Reader Comments (15)
As HIM points out in his excellent analysis (as usual), that is a prime example of excellent usage of music in an ad. Why? Because it's more than just a sound bed for the spot. Dokken is central to the idea.
Same goes with the Honda minivan commercial with Judas Priest... It's funny and relates to the target demographic -- Dad's and especially Mr. Mom's, as it implies that Honda's minivan is bad*ss.
With a few other exceptions, the rest, some of which HIM has so astutely dissected for us here, are uninspired, or worse, quite simply put... Awful!
p.s. BTW, Gary... You are right again -- they should have used "Get It Hot" -- speaking of which, I wish AXL/DC would mix up the set list a little. That song as well as what AXL claims to be his current favorite, "Touch Too Much", as well as so many others ("Ballbreaker", "Problem Child", etc.) would be killer!
These are thee best lines from quoted above...
"But they are both about branding. And when promotion of both sorts get out of hand—the Bret Michaels approach or the KISS method, for just two instances—it cheapen the artist and the product, whether it is theirs or another’s. Sadly, even those with an impeccable enough reputation are guilty of branding themselves into a corner." -Him
The question is who to get who can sing his a*s off like Tyler. Of course, he doesn't have to sound exactly like him, just have his ability. In fact, he doesn't even need to be as good but better than most.
I know people are joking when they say "Get AXL" since he's the man of the hour and I'm sure the move AC/DC recently made in retaining him to replace Johnson most certainly planted the thought in Joe Perry's head.
Thing is, it's pretty obvious Tyler's shoes are a lot more challenging to fill than Brian Johnson's, simply because Tyler's voice is is much more nuanced and finessed than his. And that means, while AXL is doing a helluva job in AXL/DC, the idea of creating AXLsmith just doesn't cut it. Axl just isn't cut out for that gig.
That said, who do you get? Hagar is not it as his voice is just too generic... My suggestions like the dudes from Nazareth or Starz who both have a similar raspiness like Tyler's is too far fetched because, not only are they not big enough but they're no spring chickens either. And the idea of getting Jagger or Stewart is, of course, ridiculous... Paul Rodgers? Nah...
The suggestion to get St. Holmes admittedly caught my eye. He's still got the chops and goes way back with Aerosmith from years of touring as the lead singer for Ted Nugent (before Terrible Ted became even more so) as their opening act, as well as his strong ties with Brad Whitford which recently brought about the reformation of Whitford/St. Holmes. I've met him several times and he's also a great guy. But again, I'm thinkin' his voice is still kinda straight up compared to VOX TYLER. And he lacks the name recognition crucial to pulling off a new Aerosmith sans Tyler. So...
Who, then?...
the updated scene in carrie is a bit far fetched.
And great discussion re: both AC/DC and Aerosmith as well. It is nice to see fans enjoying the fact that AC/DC are digging into some of their past catalog, esp. the Bon-era stuff. I am not so jaded as to not acknowledge that. I'd be interested to hear "Night Prowler" in spite of my reservations. And it was nice to read Johnson's latest interview. He is humble about his situation and respectful of the band, which is a lot more than I can say about that stupid PR they put out. He really does seem like a remarkably grounded fellow.
With Aerosmith, I think they have a lot of options. Even if, again, Perry stepped up in recent days and put the kibosh on Whitford's "what if" response to a hypothetical (at least, in part) question. It is so funny how the Toxic Twins now have to run interference for each other, keeping the rest of the band in place and firmly in line when it comes to Brand-o-smith. Thank goodness they at least still speak to each other . . . which is more than one can say for Cinderella and Poison these days!
I think St. Holmes would be great. And I am not entirely sure that you would want a singer who sounded like Tyler anyway, just one who could put a bit of bluesy sleaze and swagger into _Rocks II_ (inspired and simple suggestion, Metalboy!). An odd idea came to me as a result of all the recent talk about AC/DC. I actually think Storace would be unique. And, for a completely out of left field choice, I think Jesper Binzer would be interesting. But I think simple gravitational pull would tend to bend them into a 'Ryche sort of decision (no less a Foreigner and Styx and on and on). Funny how a long-shot hypothetical has gotten me the most interested in Aerosmith that I have been in years.
Now back to the hypothetical new Aerosmith with a new singer... Which still doesn't seem like punishment enough for Tyler going Country and making mediocre TV commercials... Gary... Indeed, Ron Young is a KILLER and I've got all of Little Caesar's stuff but if it ever reached the point where Aerosmith was gonna do it without Tyler, don't you think they would be forced to pick someone who's more well known?
I've actually figured out who could do it though he's only a tad more well known than Young...
Brace yourself, kids...
Believe it or not, I nominate Jeff Keith... He's totally got the pipes and some of that Raspiness necessary to pull off the Aerosmith stuff... And would probably be up to the task... Obviously, it would be a big move up for him as his present and virtually life long gig as the frontman of... ahem... Tesla is a life of sheds, festivals and arena opener.
Here he could really shine in the spotlight of all the PR and most importantly prove his weight on stage, fronting one of THE top bands in the world!
I'd be willing to overlook his recent jerkiness to audience members at the Faster Pussycat show on The Monsters of Rock Cruise a couple of years back to watch him kill it with Aerosmith. As I mentioned, I witnessed him open the Cinderella & Friends gig on the cruise the year previous with "Highway To Hell" and he was nothing short of phenomenal!
Now, if he could just lose that paunch, too!
I'll even go one further... As many of you are well aware, Tesla is not exactly my cup of tea to put it mildly. That said, I also know that they have a rabid and loyal following.
So, not only would Keith be killer in the role of new front man of Aerosmith but he would also sell a lot of tickets to Tesla's fan base, the majority of which I would assume are loyal Aerosmith fans, as well.
Keith should have called Aerosmith the minute he caught wind they were looking for s replacement! That's what AXL did and look where it got him!
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
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The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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