Following on from the (not so) shocking news that stars from Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ were paid a small fortune to smoke on screen, I came across the slightly more shocking news that musicians are getting paid similar amounts for product placement in their lyrics.
The practice itself doesn’t surprise me as product placement in music videos has been going on for as long as music videos have existed – this is just an evolution of that practice. What surprises me is that the lyrics for these songs are obviously written after an advertising agreement has been made. Disappointing.
For the amusing back-story to this, head to Wired’s Listening Post and read about how companies pay artists to include brands in lyrics.
In the e-mail, Kluger (who has represented Mariah Carey, New Kids on the Blog, Ne-Yo, Fall Out Boy, Method Man, Lady GaGa and Ludacris) explained via e-mail that for the right price, Double Happiness Jeans could find its way into the lyrics in an upcoming Pussycat Dolls song. Crouse posted the e-mail on his blog at the Anti-Advertising Agency, an art project of sorts that’s basically the philosophical mirror image of a traditional ad agency.