Tuned In

The Wheels of Commerce Go Round and Round

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It’s fall premiere season, yet all I want to do is write about car commercials. (Maybe because I’m in the middle of buying one of these. Warning: does not actually transform.)

This morning I complained about Nissan using a Clash song to sell the new Rogue during Heroes (scroll down). So why did that bug me, while I find this Magnetic Fields / Volvo collaboration utterly charming?

Partly, I guess, because Joe Strummer is dead and I have a hard time imagining him wanting his recording used by Nissan. Whereas Stephin Merritt is alive, and I’m sure he can use the dough. I’m all for my favorite artists making a buck off their work, as long as it’s not against their will, doesn’t run against the spirit of their work, and doesn’t permanently ruin my mental associations of the song.

Plus, it’s just so cute! Really, this a perfect combination of product, artist, children’s song and target market. Because in all likelihood, Volvo = (you have children) + (you own a copy of 69 Love Songs). And they manage to convey this without actually showing any sloppy children messing up the backseat with crayons and Cheerios. Brilliant.