The Oscars

Put me to sleep.

I read all about it this morning at newcritics.

I agree with all the winners but I wish Abigail Breslin would have won Best Supporting Actress (I didn't see Dreamgirls).

But my favorite moment was that Cadillac ad with the M Ward song. It's the first and only Cadillac ad that I ever liked.

Here Comes The Sun Again - M Ward - Transistor Radio

UPDATE: Andrew asked for the video in the comments. After a bit of googling and YouTubing, here it is. I love this ad. It's more like an M Ward music video than a car ad (at least to me) and it's the first time in a long time that I ever would even think about buying a cadillac.

Comments

[George]

I didn't make it through them either but I was really impressed with the Cadillac ad that used the Dntel song. And though I guess it didn't premier during the Oscars, the M&Ms ad with the The The song made me smile...and then feel really old ;)

[TheBillfold]

Don't really get into all of the Hollywood "let's pat ourselves on the back" hoo ha - I bet Ellen Degeneres was a good host, though.

[Andy Swan]

Sound effects choir was pretty sweet..never seen anything like that.

[Andrew]

The Oscars put me to sleep as well. Unfortunately, I was cooking some pasta at the time. Fortunately, I woke before anything too terrible happened, and in time to see Marty get his Oscar.
Do you have a YouTube (or other) link for the M Ward Caddy ad?

[swl]

Perhaps it is me, but have others noticed a marked increase in newer "indie" bands selling songs for commercial work? I certainly haven't done any research on it, but my gut says we use to hear that The Stones would sell a track in some big deal or ad agencies would commission music to "sound like but not infringe" on a musician.

Fred's comment about M. Ward is just one of what seems like an ever increasing number of tracks from smaller independent bands (that are gaining strong grass roots followings) and are surfacing on TV--for those of us with non-tivo'd lives who have to watch commercials.

Case and point: Badly Drawn Boy practically owns the Target account. The Postal Service pimps UPS (the irony cannot be lost on anyone) and Cat Power did at least one Cingular ad. I am sure there are about 100 I missed and I don't even count The Pogues who I heard in the other room last night.

Indie music is making inroads in TV ads in a big way, and it seems to me, disproportionately high compared to historical new music infiltrating historical new TV commercials.

So this raises the questions:
1) Why? (or is it not true)
2) Is the resurgence of music discover that is taking place on the web actually infiltrating Madison Avenue- and in a way that they can cost effectively license the music?
3) Do music lovers now accept that their favorite micro-band sells its music and instead of cringing they smile that the band is making money and gaining traction?
4) Will Subway EVER come their senses and get rid of Jared (for the love of God, its time to put that character down for a dirt nap).

Some random links I found:
http://adtunes.com/
http://clipland.com/Knowledge/0,100003,00.html

[Ayal Rosenthal]

There were two great moments at the Oscars this year: Steven Spielberg shooting a photo of Clint Eastwood for MySpace (which later generations may point to as the beginning of the end of MySpace) and the last ten minutes of the show. Four awards in quick succession during those minutes, including Martin Scorcese winning an award, made the evening worthwhile.

[Greg]

Fred you've got to see Dreamgirls. I'm no fan of the musical genre in general, but Jenifer Hudson KILLS IT. We walked out of there like, "that woman deserves an Academy Award." I'm glad she got one. And frankly Eddie Murphy was robbed...

[david]

I like the song a lot. But instead of the cadillac I´d rather buy a house in that neighbourhood the ad was shot in.

swl:

1. No record sales to make a living
2. I guess they finally get that "indie" bands put much more street cred to their ads than the Stones.
3. I guess. I was surprised/disappointed to hear that my then favourite band Texas is the Reason licensed a song for a Mercedes ad. A couple of years later when I toured with some of the member´s new band, they explained the "why" to me and I got it. The money they got from Mercedes made them pay the bills for a couple of months so that they could go on tour. My point is, music lovers have to accept that bands need to pay bills too and have to spent most of their time in a van. And they will prefer to hear a song they like rather than a Nicklback song.
4. never heard about that here in Germany.

[newtonfig]

I too never cared much for Cadillac commercials, or even for Cadillac in general...but nicely done ad. It doesn't compel me to run out and buy one, but kudos to them for a nicely stylized campaign.