Why now this sudden Corporate sponsorship?

[U2DeathBear]

Someone asked me this yesterday and I didn't know how to respond exactly. Why are U2 choosing to use corporate sponsership (apple) now when before they refused any of it previously? IMO, Apple is a great company and have been a loyal mac fan.

thoughts?

 

[starsgoblue]

Well the commericial for iPod isn't really a commercial in the sense that U2 is trying to sell anything other than their own product, Vertigo. And let's be honest, downloading songs is the way to go these days...it's a smart business move on thier part to try to ensure online sales of thier music is profitable. U2 isn't using thier image to sell anything other than themselves...every band should be so smart to do this...

 

[tkramer]

Aren't there four hundred threads on this with a billion posts?

 

[Liesje]

Well the commericial for iPod isn't really a commercial in the sense that U2 is trying to sell anything other than their own product, Vertigo. And let's be honest, downloading songs is the way to go these days...it's a smart business move on thier part to try to ensure online sales of thier music is profitable. U2 isn't using thier image to sell anything other than themselves...every band should be so smart to do this...

I think they were hoping people would respond this way but seriously, the truth is they made an ipod commercial which DIRECTLY promotes Apple. If they wanted to promote their new album or single or whatever, they could've done so (we've all seen commercials for the Slane DVD, Best Of album, etc). Personally, it's rubbing me the wrong way, not b/c I don't like Apple (I love Apple) but in general, there's not really any difference between using Veritigo in an iPod ad than using Streets in a car ad. And yeah, most of the fans are saying "well they're just promoting their new song, blah blah blah..." everyday people who AREN'T obsessive about the band keep saying "so, your band sold out, how d'ya feel about that?".

 

[Zoocoustic]

Ummmmmmmmmmm.........

BOTH Popmart and Elevation tours were sponsored by VH1 and MTV, which are owned by CORPORATIONS. So corporate sponsorship for U2 is nothing new.

And it doesn't matter.

Does having a corporate sponsor change the feel or experience of the show? Not one bit.

I dare say that without corporate sponsorship, U2 won't be touring as many cities. Music is a business, it's how U2 earn their living. Anyone who dares call it "selling out" doesn't understand the music business.

 

[bcrt2000]

U2 helped launched iTunes, I think this is Apple giving back a bit

 

[zoopop]

I still think U2 paid a pretty good penny out of their own pocket to Apple to advertise Vertigo on Itunes.

 

[tkramer]

AH! I keep telling myself that I'd stay out of the "U2 corporate thingy threads"...

But I do have one new thing to add that I didn't say in the others:

U2 could NEVER push the single like this without the itunes commercial. It would eat half their promo budget. Yes, they have 17 million in the can to promote, but TV time in North America is expensive. One 30 second spot on Joey or the MLB games could cost 300,000 to 400,000. Apple is obviously worth a bit more than our beloved heros, and was very generous to give the band 90% of the visability in the spot. So U2 gets a free plug while someone else spends millions. (I'm pretty sure we've seen no evidence of U2 paying apple anything.)

And saying this is the same as a car commerical is pretty off. They are selling THEIR music as a download. And it's not like they are ripping off record stores, as the physical copy won't be available for a while. So its the only place you can get it for now.

You wanna feel uncomfortable? Go look at D. Child. They are shilling for Mc. D's for goodness sake.

 

[Rafiennes]

If they've sold out, then they've sold out wisely. Yes, they may be using a corporate sponsor, but at least they're using one that's about music and pushing music into this next century. I don't know if I'd put 'Apple/Itunes presents U2' along the same lines as 'Michelob presents..." or "Trojan Condoms proudly presents..."

Here's the difference between using Vertigo for an iPod commercial and Streets being used for Toyota -- Vertigo has to do with music = what's one of thebest ways for you to have your music with you when you want it = an iPod. WTSHNN has nothing to do with a Toyota...unless the streets actually don't have names and the Toyota has one of those kick ass navigation systems with the maps and stuff? That'd be cool...but I digress!

 

[Liesje]

All I'm saying is that people I know that aren't into U2 are seeing the commercial and razzing me about how my favorite band has sold out. This worries me.

 

[bcrt2000]

I still think U2 paid a pretty good penny out of their own pocket to Apple to advertise Vertigo on Itunes.

i'm pretty sure sales on iTunes and iPod sales have increased a TON since the ad started airing

 

[Numb1075]

Also, if Apple sponsors the tour, meaning Apple gets a ton of signage at the shows, the $ U2 receives from Apple will help cover the massive costs for the tour. I remember the PopMart tour costed hundreds of thousands of dollars a day and wasn't very profitable....

 

[tkramer]

All I'm saying is that people I know that aren't into U2 are seeing the commercial and razzing me about how my favorite band has sold out. This worries me.

Honestly, you need to tell them to either grow up or use their heads. We had a great discussion a few days ago about this, and a lot of good points were made.

U2 did a commerical that sells their music and their band. They also tell you the one place you can go get it. How the heck is that selling out?

 

[ramblin rose]

The funny thing is the people that I know have had a totally different reaction.

Today at work I had a least 6 different people (who are not fans or are casual fans) came up to me to tell me they saw the commercial. They all basically said "Wow I saw U2 in this great commercial, I didn't know they had a new song out. The new song sounds great."

(No mention of Apple or IPODS).


I was rather surprised by the whole thing.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Also, if Apple sponsors the tour, meaning Apple gets a ton of signage at the shows, the $ U2 receives from Apple will help cover the massive costs for the tour. I remember the PopMart tour costed hundreds of thousands of dollars a day and wasn't very profitable....

that i would have a problem with... advertisements on the stage? no dice for me... i'd go anyway, but i'd be a little annoyed at that.

someone already brought the sell out thing up to me... i told 'em to feck off. when they start showing up in Gap ads, then they'll have sold out. as long as the product they're selling is their song, then i don't have a problem with it at all.

 

[tkramer]

The funny thing is the people that I know have had a totally different reaction.

Today at work I had a least 6 different people (who are not fans or are casual fans) came up to me to tell me they saw the commercial. They all basically said "Wow I saw U2 in this great commercial, I didn't know they had a new song out. The new song sounds great."

(No mention of Apple or IPODS).


I was rather surprised by the whole thing.

This is the only thing I've heard as well. No one I know with half a brain cell sees this as the end of U2's credibility.

 

[doctorwho]

I think they were hoping people would respond this way but seriously, the truth is they made an ipod commercial which DIRECTLY promotes Apple. If they wanted to promote their new album or single or whatever, they could've done so (we've all seen commercials for the Slane DVD, Best Of album, etc). Personally, it's rubbing me the wrong way, not b/c I don't like Apple (I love Apple) but in general, there's not really any difference between using Veritigo in an iPod ad than using Streets in a car ad. And yeah, most of the fans are saying "well they're just promoting their new song, blah blah blah..." everyday people who AREN'T obsessive about the band keep saying "so, your band sold out, how d'ya feel about that?".

But there's a huge difference here.

If "Vertigo" was used in a car commercial, that would be more along the lines of a traditional "sell out".

However, as of this moment, one cannot buy the song "Vertigo" anywhere in the U.S. EXCEPT from iTunes.

Therefore, it's basically iTunes advertising U2.

In the 70's, stores would always advertise albums in newspapers, radio or TV. Stores would advertise artists hoping to get customers into the stores. Even today, Best Buy will advertise CD's and DVD's to draw in customers. Yet no one considers this as selling out.

iTunes is doing the same thing. It's featuring U2 as a way to get customers.

Now, if you still think this is selling out, then I would say that ANY time U2 or a store has advertised ANYTHING at ANY time during U2's career is selling out.

 

[jick]

Corporate sponsorshp is just a sign that the end is near. Look at the Sting/Jaguar tie-up. So where is Sting nowadays? And where is Jaguar nowdays? It is a sign of desperation actually. Back in their more confident days in POPmart, Bono said in the Rotterdam concert "we ate the corporate monster before it could eat us." We now U2 are eating their own words while the corporate monster is eating them. Can then end be near? I sure hope not!

Cheers,

J

 

[bcrt2000]

U2 is advertising iTunes+iPod, Apple is advertising Vertigo

not only that, but U2 & Apple have taken the stance to push technology further... not only does the band take a stance that they don't mind bootlegs on the net, but they are also pushing music in the digital age, something which the recording industry hasn't really done successfully to date

 

[bcrt2000]

Corporate sponsorshp is just a sign that the end is near. Look at the Sting/Jaguar tie-up. So where is Sting nowadays? And where is Jaguar nowdays? It is a sign of desperation actually. Back in their more confident days in POPmart, Bono said in the Rotterdam concert "we ate the corporate monster before it could eat us." We now U2 are eating their own words while the corporate monster is eating them. Can then end be near? I sure hope not!

Cheers,

J

If you're taking that extreme of an approach, then U2 died when they made Rattle & Hum a Hollywood movie

 

[tkramer]

Corporate sponsorshp is just a sign that the end is near. Look at the Sting/Jaguar tie-up. So where is Sting nowadays? And where is Jaguar nowdays? It is a sign of desperation actually. Back in their more confident days in POPmart, Bono said in the Rotterdam concert "we ate the corporate monster before it could eat us." We now U2 are eating their own words while the corporate monster is eating them. Can then end be near? I sure hope not!

Cheers,

J

If you're going to stir the pot, please make a proper arguement.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

how come nobody bitched like this the last time u2 were in an apple ad?

 

[Berto87]

I really don't see a problem in it, like everyone says it's just Itunes advertising Vertigo. At least it goves us something to watch until the Vertigo music video debuts

 

[u2grace]

I like the point that doctorwho mentioned - I'd been thinking the same thing. Every Sunday in my newspaper, I get fliers for Best Buy, MediaPlay, etc - all featuring lots of cds and so forth - to get people in the stores AND to get people to buy those particular items. I don't see how this different - other than being cooler!

Plus, this is the future of music delivery - to me, U2 is smart to embrace it and help legitimize it, instead of sticking their heads in the sand and pretending it's not happening.

It's a partnership -that can help both parties and deliver some fun and new technology to us. Seems like a win-win to me.

But then, I actually work in "corporate America", so I must be evil and not know anything!

 

[ChangeTheTemperature]

Looks like more on the way. Let's home U2 doesn't go too far with Apple though.

Apple music event set for Oct. 26

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 12:00 PM EST
Apple and alternative rock band, U2, will team up to introduce new music related Apple products and services next week.

Apple Computer will hold a music-centric event on Oct. 26 at the California Theatre in San Jose, Calif., according to invitations distributed to select members of the media on Monday.

"Steve Jobs, Bono and The Edge invite you to attend a special event," the invitation reads. Bono and The Edge are members of the popular rock band U2. The event is scheduled to take place at 10AM Pacific Time.

Last week Apple unveiled a new promotion with U2 to celebrate the release of its new single. The track--titled Vertigo--was made available for purchase and download exclusively from the company's iTunes Music Store.

Apple chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, later hinted at additional collations between the two parties during a financial conference call. "You will hear more about Apple and U2 working together in the coming weeks," he said.

Apple will likely use the upcoming event to introduce the next wave of expansion for its popular iTunes online music store, which will feature a multi-country European launch. The launch is expected to include music stores in more than five new countries with recent reports indicating the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, and Switzerland as likely candidates.

The event, which will likely feature a live performance by U2, may also play host to the introduction of a 60GB color screen iPod with photo viewing and TV connection capabilities and iPhoto software for Windows.

 

[Bunbury]

Isn't U2/Apple connection go way back to the US Festival?
I'm no expert, please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[BluRmGrl]

Just to reiterate what others have already said, I don't see this as a "sell-out". Granted, it's novel 'cuz you don't normally see or hear U2 in commercials (which is really the whole reason for discussion, IMHO), but really - isn't this frickin' brilliant on their part? Like it's already been said, they're not letting an outside source use their music to sell soft drinks or cars or jeans or whatever - they're selling you their own new single! That you can spend your money on NOW. (i.e. : if you're all about the techno, you ain't gotta' wait for Nov 23rd to get you some U2 tunes!)

U2 embracing new technology is nothing new and personally, we should have seen this coming. It's the future, and as always, our boys are right there in the mix. I say kudos to them! Keep the i-Pod ads coming & keep on surprising people!

And the naysayers giving dedicated fans crap about it are just mad 'cuz their favorite band BROKE UP or SELF-DESTRUCTED all these years ago!!

 

[bonojr62]

This is all very interesting..... But not very rock n' roll.
Bono from Zoo TV dublin.

I think its a smart move on u2's part. Maybe by using the I-tunes commercial they'll attract some younger fans...

 

[GibsonGirl]

All I'm saying is that people I know that aren't into U2 are seeing the commercial and razzing me about how my favorite band has sold out. This worries me.

Why should their opinions worry you? U2 are still making great music, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Screw what anyone else thinks!

Goodness me, with the way some people are behaving around here, you'd swear that U2 have gone and done a commercial for McDonald's. All they're doing is promoting their song and a good music service. Where's the crime in that that?

 

[Rachel D.]

You know, this is kinda similar to when they released the 7 "album" exclusively at Target stores. Target was the only place you could get 7 and iTunes is the only place you can get "Vertigo," so they're advertising it with a TV commercial just like Target did two years ago. Is allowing a company to use your music to sell your music for you a sellout? It's not like Target, or Apple, have the rights to use U2 songs however they want now.

U2 are "supervising" this whole thing and I'm sure they won't allow themselves to be sold.