Vinyl in the popular media

[richidoo]

I am seeing vinyl imagery all over popular culture.  Once you start noticing it, you'll find it amazing how the "vintage quality" image that vinyl represents is being used to sell stuff, and worn by dayouts to look cool.

Let's document all the appearances of vinyl records, turntables, etc. Jump on in...

1. Keith Urban was wearing a vinyl T-Shirt on American idol

2. Sleep Number Bed asks the question "analog or digital?" in TV ad, showing a TT and a digital pause button icon

[sleepyguy24]

Here is what I've seen in the past couple of months.

1) Yesterday when I logged out of Paypal there was an ad where  a person putting on an RCA record onto a Rega or Pro-Ject turntable and playing.

2) It may have been a Heineken or other beer commercial where there is a Technics 1200 TT playing a record at a bar in the beginning and then the party getting started.

3) I don't know if this counts but on NSFW site MeInMyPlace there are various models where I've seen they have vintage turntables in their rooms.

4) Some years ago there was a Lexus commercial where they were showing old analog technology and an older grey plasticy looking TT but it was pretty prominent.

5) Also in an older Ford ad with John Varvatos he goes to a record store searching for records. Drives off in his Ford to his studio and plays a record on his vintage set-up.

[rollo]

  Noticing lots of TV commercials showing TT or vinyl.


charles

[richidoo]

Thanks Sleepy!

 Noticing lots of TV commercials showing TT or vinyl.

Yeah, me too!! Please list them here, as you see them. I think the list will grow faster than anybody expected. Please post links to pictures and videos of commercials if possible. Most commercials are on youtube.

As boomers retire and turn to hobbies, vinyl will continue to grow in popularity. People long for the happiness of their youth, and music on vinyl is a touchstone for many in the baby boomer generation. Retirees are advertisers' 2nd most desirable demographic target, after the 20-something baby makers. But as the most recent Triode Wire review shows, 20-somethings love vinyl too, even if it's only to be as cool as the boomers. I think 20 somethings love vinyl because they are culturally barren after growing up with rap as their formative music, and those who recognize the need for music as a spiritual nourishment are forced to choose music from another era than their own to find satisfaction. Those who venture back in time find treasures beyond their imagination, but it's on vinyl. They know, as do we audiophiles, that music is usually best listened to through the media on which it was originally issued. Hence the cool factor of spinning vinyl among da-yoots.

[BobM]

kohler generator commercial
-saw it today while watching golf on nbc

[sleepyguy24]

found another one.

At the beginning of the new Dasani drops commercial a customized Technics TT is shown in very the beginning to start the music to the commercial.

DASANI Drops TV Commercial, Try Me On

Also if you watch re-runs of the show House the Dr. has a Sota rig. They are even mentioned in the ending credits as a sponsor.

[Nick B]

A very nice closeup of a turntable playing at the end of the TV show Suits on USA channel tonight. Was probably a good 30 seconds or longer. Wish I could have done a screen capture.

[sleepyguy24]

This was an interesting one I found yesterday walking from work to the train station. At a major Lord & Taylor store display the back drop was draped with vinyl records. I think this is a cross promotion for the Carole King Musical. This displays were pretty nice. I noticed the records more than what they were selling but that was just me.

[richidoo]

My wife made watch a chick flick with her the other night. "Down with Love," Ewan McGregor plays a 60s suave playboy. His house is all automated electric sex den, operated with switches. When his friend tries to operate it, his record changer starts throwing LPs like ninja throwing darts. They smash against the wall and shatter, leaving deep marks in the solid wood walls, chasing the people out of the room. The whole movie is 60s satire, but they were making vinyl out to be a symbol of ultimate cool for the ultra rich playboy living in the free-love age. Vinyl rig and reel to reel are behind the dude in this pic.



Very funny movie, btw.

[DRN]

Just to add the Sleep Number Bed commercial with what it looks like is an AR table.
I had also seen on HGTV the Kohler Generator commercial mentioned.

[sleepyguy24]

I was walking around outside to get some lunch and saw the Clarks store using records as props for their displays. I guess they are trying to liven up their image.

[richidoo]

I thought it was funny that U2 is giving away the shitty 128k mp3 files, but will still be selling vinyl on its new release. Now that's vinyl in popular media! It made drudgereport headline for a couple hours... the free mp3 part, not the vinyl part.   

[richidoo]

Dannon's new "Creamery" brand is advertising their new cheesecake flavored "goo in a tub" by pretending it is a spinning record, and the spoon is the tonearm. Pops and crackles on the lead in groove, then we're all doing "the twist" with Chubby checkers while the tub of goo spins and the spoon draws a groove in the synthetic strawberry topping.

watch it

Here's the Chief marketing officer of Dannon UsA explaining "The twist" to an advertising website interviewer:
"bc: So what's the "twist"?
Fuster: We're talking indulgence, but Creamery comes with some health attributes. The twist is that the healthy baggage that comes with it makes this indulgence a more permissible one, so our creative approach is based on that. The focus is on the artisanal quality of the product too; it's set in a "creamery." Most of the ads talk about being about 200 calories or under, and that's the twist. It's also a fresh twist on classic desserts."

Yeah, right, blablabla. He's obviously talking to women, paid to think like a woman and advertises to women, because women eat yogurt. Does this mean vinyl is appealing to women? Answer, yes, if it's in the form of cheesecake flavored greek yogurt with chubby checker music playing. Why?: chubby checker = 1950s = america's youth, age of innocence, decency, abundance and personal freedom. Vinyl = "the way we played good old real music way back when I was a svelte sexy little teenage tart."  (And if I eat this shit, I can be like that once again, because the TV says so.)

Pretty clever ad, actually.

Yogurt trivia: Did you know that Yoplait brand is American (General mills) while Dannon is a french company (Danone?)

[sleepyguy24]

Good find with this one. If I were a Danone or Dannon shareholder I would be pissed. Although it is a cool ad I swear Dannon is constantly playing catch-up. They were behind with the Greek Yogurt boom with their Oikos offering vs. Fage, Chobani and now with this yogurt they are trying to copy Noosa Yoghurt IMO.

http://www.noosayoghurt.com/

Sorry I'm hungry right now.

[richidoo]

Just saw a great ad for Scottrade. Collecting rare vinyl is the theme of the ad!

Link