MBH
Acrobat
Originally posted by Matthew_Page2000:
It's really not that complicated. Target payed U2 13 million dollars to shill for them. U2 are doing advertisements for Target and Best Buy. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either living in serious denial or doesn't understand how advertising works. Releasing a DVD that's only available in ONE store chain for two weeks is an advertisement for that store. That particular chain (Best Buy wasn't it?)paid millions of dollars to U2 to get them to do that. I have friends who own and work for independent record shops and this is the sort of thing that marginalizes them and puts them out of business. Not that U2 cares. They can't afford to pay them enough to make them care.
Next U2 released an album of rarities that was only available at Target and received 13 million dollars in return. Target, a store found in only one country, (the U.S.) and only in certain regions of that one country. That's called doing ad work for Target. This is not debatable. U2 could have released 7 through Propaganda if they wanted the real fans to get it. They could have released it worldwide if they wanted casual and new fans to hear it. But it had nothing to do with the music and everything to do with 13 million dollars.
Each of us can make up our own minds as to whether U2 becoming corporate shills after holding out for so many years is a good or bad thing. I think it sucks. I'm sure all of you are ecstatic. After all Bono did it and he's a saint, right?
I heard Bono's going to be doing adverts for a sunglasses company next. There's going to be a "Bono" line of shades. How wonderful. Is there any doubt that a McDonalds commercial is on its way?
MAP
One other thing which you failed to point out: the potential sunglass promotion that Bono may partake in HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH U2'S MUSIC. Bono is lending his name to the sunglass company. U2 IS NOT using their music to sell a product(like Sting and Jagaur or The Stones and Microsoft).
This actually is a smart business decision.
However, I do agree with you that it is a bit shady(no pun intended) and I do not like this