The use of rock songs in advertising campaigns can be wrong for so many reasons. We know, and we’re acutely aware of how embarrassing/aggravating it is to hear a beloved rock song from your youth used in the soundtrack for, say, your grandfather’s dream car. Other times, although we have no interest in the product – or organization – using a favorite song, we’re all for the band getting a long-overdue paycheck for a work sadly overlooked by the mainstream during said band’s prime. Hey, sometimes it’s simply cute to see how Madison Avenue applies the music from Our Generation to another demographic.
There are rare cases when the song being hijacked by the big bad ad men is just right for the product being advertised. My parents splurged and took my wife, the kids, and I on a cruise a couple of years ago. We dreaded ever receiving such a gift, and despite my best attempts at telling my folks they didn’t have to spend so much on us, that we loved them, blah, blah, blah, we found ourselves bound for a Royal Caribbean Cruise.
Jeez, you know what I’m talking about! To our surprise, the combination of the high seas, the ports of call, the natives, the ship’s staff, the ample buffet selections, the shopping malls, the shuffleboard, the pool, and company of other elegant seafarers added up to an experience that truly did inspire a lust for life. Commonly held wisdom around the Halls of Rock is to poke holes in the junkie-associated lines that were cut from the Royal Caribbean ad campaign. Honestly, though, can you fault the company for using some good taste while accurately hitting at the essence of a luxury cruise line?
Some rock snobs are just plain cranky and close-minded about all this. They should lighten the hell up. Take a good look in the mirror, consider the pleasure you derive from some products, and tell the truth: What rock song that you love was used appropriately in an ad campaign? What rock song used in an ad actually reflects your experience with the product?
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