September 23rd, 2008 by Gnat
My good friend and former bandmate, Cheree, years ago penned this lyric to one of our band’s (bees are black) songs: “The joy of advertising/Keeps us in place.” I was always especially fond of that particular line, because “advertising” and “joy” are two words you never think of combining.
Advertising, especially the concept of “branding,” fascinates me because it’s really a sort of black magick. Signs and symbols, slogans and catchphrases all meld to become more than the sum of their parts. The patented Nike swoosh, for example, is basically a magickal symbol, a sigil, infused with energy over the years to create an immediately recognizable, global brand symbol. Same goes for the McDonald’s arches. We each have our own feelings that are brought up when we encounter one of these symbols. For instance, upon first glance the Nike swoosh fondly reminds me of my grandfather’s store where he sold many a pair of Nikes, and the dusty, leathery smell of his stockroom. On the filpside, in more recent years Nike has become widely infamous for using sweatshops. Thus my feelings associated with the Nike swoosh, and consequently brand, have been tarnished.
Advertising at its best successfully links products to our positive emotions. At its worst (though some would perversely argue, best) it becomes the Swastika. (See the Wikipedia entry for the history and evolution of the Swastika, perhaps history’s most instantly recognizable symbol after the crucifix.) I like to keep up with trends in advertising, because you gotta know your enemy. That’s why this article struck me:
Products Placed: How Companies Pay Artists to Include Brands in Lyrics
I’m not surprised. I mean, in a way rock and roll has always included product placement. Hell, some argue that Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88″ was the very first rock and roll song, and that’s about an Oldsmobile engine. And, bear with me here, one could even argue that the Beach Boys actually, if inadvertently, branded the California summer mystique through their sun-soaked harmonies and lyrics invoking images of cars, girls, beaches and waves. The joy of advertising, indeed…
