Of course it would be unfair not to point out the occasional brilliant musical choice used in a TV commercial. Let's praise the folks who chose and approved Peggy Lee's wonderful "Sweet, Happy Life" for Target's wedding registry service ("My wish for you: sweet, happy life. May all your sorrows be gone and your heart begin to sing"). I can't imagine a lovelier musical benediction for a couple embarking on a new life.
I'd also commend the appropriate choice of "Perfect Day" by Hoku for J.C. Penney. The commercial depicts a pretty, young mother introducing her pre-pubescent daughter to the glories of a consumption-embracing shopping spree, set to lyrics like "tomorrow's gonna come to soon...I could stay forever as I am...don't stop me 'til I'm good and done." Yeah, you go, Penney's. Lots of luck finding relevance in an ever-shrinking niche somewhere between Wal-Mart and Saks.
Kudos to the folks who revived Redbone's absurdly infectious "Come And Get Your Love" for the Healthy Choice brand. The singer beseeches, "What's the matter with you? If you want some, take some," as we're treated to pseudo cinéma vérité images of attractive-yet-somehow-regular-looking-folks just enjoying the heck out of stuffing their faces with chow, inter-cut with scenes from classic cartoons of people (and cows) eating similar fare. If there was ever a justification for even more intrusive consumer market research, it's this commercial's final shot of a pregnant woman silhouetted against the light of her refrigerator, eating ice cream directly from the carton, combined with the tagline: Go Ahead. Eat.
Although I poked fun at a Jaguar ad earlier, I'll send some accolades their way now. The choice of "History Repeating" by Shirley Bassey with The Propellerheads for the introduction of the new X-Type is absolutely brilliant. At the risk of pedantry, I'll remind everyone that Ms. Bassey also sang John Barry's theme to "Goldfinger" in 1964 ("He's the man...with the Midas touch."). If there was ever a voice that encapsulated the edgy sophistication of mid-century, swinging England (a time when Jaguar was, Jag-u-waar) it's the growling Ms. Bassey. Put her into a musical Cuisinart with the Propellerheads and you have Jaguar's heritage combined with the cutting-edge technology that today's luxury car buyers demand.
It's an inspired musical choice. Except, of course, there is that jaded, cynical, final verse in the song that, somehow, never made it into the commercial: "There is fashion, there is fad. Some is good, some is bad. And the joke is rather sad. It's all just a little bit of history repeating. I've seen it before... and I'll see it again."
Here's a little unsolicited advice to advertisers: when your ad agency brings you an idea for a TV commercial based on a piece of pre-existing music, evaluate it with an open mind. But please, ask them to play the whole song before you approve it.