Dead_Fashion Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 2005 this is an article from tiny mix tapes:McDonald's Pays Rappers to Mention the Bic Mac in Songs; Hooray for Co-Optation and Fast-Food ImperialismIn the latest of corporate power wielding its mighty fists of evil, McDonald's is now offering to pay rappers between $1-$5 each time a song featuring a plug for the Big Mac is played on the radio. By this summer, Mickey D's hopes to have several songs on the air, in an attempt to apparently target both "urban" and youth markets. But the fast food giant doesn't have to pay up front, only by number of radio plays, giving them the opportunity to screen out any possible poor PR reps. Everywhere I've read seems to think this means they might not accept songs from heavier songwriters. God, I wish I was reading this in The Onion right now. Fuckin' A. What next from the mega-chain whose name is synonymous with Globalization and American hegemony?Equally repugnant is that McDonald's will have final say over the content of each song that mentions the Big Mac. However, Tony Rome, CEO of Maven Strategies (the marketing firm McDonald's hired), said that McDonald's will consider allowing artists to think of their own ways to incorporate the nasty sandwich into the song. Oh wow. So nice of them. "The main thing is to allow the artists to do what they do best," Rome told Advertising Age, the magazine which recently broke this story. "We're letting them creatively bring to life the product in their song." Director of brand entertainment strategy at McD's added: "The stars of hip-hop have become brands... This partnership reflects our appreciation and respect for the most dominant youth culture in the world."Okay, okay, I know that journalism is supposed to be about the news, rather than about opinion, but let me break down some of the arguments floating around. According to Advertising Age: "If 50 Cent says so, they're gonna buy so many Big Macs," predicted Kai Davis, 27, a customer service rep and Jay-Z fan from the Bronx. "[Rappers] have a big influence." The magazine added a quote from 16-year-old Benji Lusena, "Anything they say, people are going to do." So clearly, there's a list of complaints being formed, so let me add mine. McDonald's is offering hip-hop the opportunity to commercialize itself into becoming, well, a commercial. Hip-hop is being bought and sold as if it were always just a quaint commodity, as if the socio-political dimension that it was built upon didn't mean a thing; hip-hop as a dynamic social process is being reduced to a vehicle to sell unhealthy burgers. Although the notion of co-optation in music isn't new, it's certainly becoming more extreme. Like product placements in movies, it works on a more subconscious level to the extent that we can't really change the dial when the commercials come on. They're always going to be flooding us. But, this advertising campaign isn't unprecedented. Last year, the same marketing firm, Maven Strategies, got Seagram's gin mentioned in five raps by offering a pretty penny. Not to mention Run DMC's "My Adidas" hit in 1986 or countless others that have directly or indirectly influenced sales by mentioning a product. This move is just one link further in a chain of commercialization. And it's such a disgusting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmbientMood Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Surely 50 Cent wouldn't sacrifice his 'integrity' for one to five dollars per time?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarleyQuinn Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 did anyone ever see the rap style advert on Launch? that was pretty much jus to be "down with the kids" pathtic.......now if a grindcore band mentioned them..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmbientMood Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 now if a grindcore band mentioned them.....I could imagine maybe Metallica slipping the thought of a over-sized, dry testicle-burger (with mayo) upon their vulnerable, but darn hungry audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead_Fashion Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 yeh but think big ambient... a real mint could be made... fucking horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossP Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Surely 50 Cent wouldn't sacrifice his 'integrity' for one to five dollars per time?!? i'm pretty sure he has, a terrible Reebok advert springs to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumpy Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 ive been shot 8 times.......can someone shoot him again...please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerjoline Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 ive been shot 8 times.......can someone shoot him again...please50 more shots and he still wont have any common cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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