Watch Lady Gaga’s promo for the new single ‘Bad Romance’ and you could be mistaken that you’re watching an advert for tech, FMCG and fashion brands.
We imagine the conversation might have gone something like this. “Hi I’m Lady Gaga. Now listen seriously, I’m wearing my ppppppoker face today. I’m shooting a super stylish vid for my new single which will be seen by millions. If you want to get some of that exposure too then pay me lots of cash money.”
The result is a slick high production piece of work that features eight brands.
The roll of honour opens with Parrot by Philippe Stark (0:11), followed by Ukranian vodka brand, Nemiroff (0:16, 02:28 and implied thoughout in drinking glasses).
Also featuring through the video are the triangular Heartbeats earphones as designed by Lady Gaga, alongside the HP Envy ‘Beats Limited Editon’ laptop from Monster. The Nintendo Wii controller also gets a look in (02:43).
Eagle-eyed fashion fans will spot a Burberry trenchcoat and a gold sparkly outfit with impossible heels, straight off the Alexander McQueen catwalk. A pair of white ‘Safari’ sunglasses from Carerra also get showcased.
The artistic explanation behind the work is that it’s about the human sex trafficking trade, but that’s by the by.
What’s more important for marketers is that it illustrates a shift in music marketing.
With record sales continuing to slump, artistes are looking at new ways of making a buck.
Meanwhile brands are only happy to sign up and be associated with a top star and appear in a video that will be seen by millions and remain in circulation online for, well, ever.
The secret? Making sure the branded content has a logically role to play in the storyline, rather then just being there for the hell of it.
Andy Warhol transformed the way the world thought about humble consumer goods, elevating to iconic status - boxes of Brillo pads and Campbell’s Soup cans.
Could La Gaga be doing the same in a 21st Century style?
Make up your mind by checking out the video below.
So, the future of music marketing? Tell us your thoughts below.