There is something infectious about this song that makes me want to listen to it over and over. I am not normally a fan of dance music, but I really dig the beat. I am also not a big fan of the message, either, and I can chalk that up to being a parent, or maybe just leading a relatively boring life. But there is one redeeming feature that is actually a product placement. Trojan condoms took the unusual step and paid to be included in this video by Cobra Starship, featuring Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester.
According to an article in the NY Daily News, “even though Trojan is a regular advertiser on cable channels such as MTV, Comedy Central and Spike, Jim Daniels, vice president of marketing for the brand, said he is frustrated with restrictions the major broadcast networks continue to place on condom ads. ‘We have these media barriers, and so we are looking for ways to broaden our reach,’ Daniels said. ‘If this is effective, we will look at doing more of it.’ ”
This is one more instance of the blurring of entertainment and advertising due to the fragmentation and dissolution of mass media. Bands can’t get their music heard, so they license it to advertisers for use in commercials, and now brands are paying musicians to feature products in their videos so they can reach the band’s audience.
(Hat tip to Brand Freak)
