Proposal: Indie-rock musicians, the new rockstars, are being paid for putting their music into commercials not only monetarily, but also in units of irony. Following “The New Slang” being used in a McD’s commercial (graciously pointed out to me by Ben Segal), we now have m83 in a car commercial.
m83 – Don’t Save Us from the Flames (Pontiac Commercial?)
This leads me to believe that the ad agency handling Pontiac’s ads have a better sense of humor than one could have expected. Or, Pontiac themselves have a better sense of humor. Either way, someone has a sense of humor, and m83 is most certainly in on the joke: “Yes, I’m selling my music for a commercial, but I’m also subtly undermining the commercial. Or making cars seem cooler by allowing a song about melting wheels and brains in your hair into a car commercial. Either way, I am being quite clever.”
There is some sort of subtle and only partially apparent machine at work here.
Lastly: the video for the m83 song is incredibly charming. In a noteworthy turn, it features a bicycle. And ghosts. “A ghost is screaming your name.” New GI theme song? This would be my humble submission.
thanks for the credit sean.
the other really great moment of hilarious song and commercial conjunction was when honda used a beulah song about car accidents. the actual commercial didn’t play the part where where he sings, ‘when you crashed through that windshield’.
I honestly think that ad agencies have nothing but contempt or an unstoppable desire to trick consumers. Maybe advertising really is the last great art form.