Now this isn't new news, but those of you with a TV may have noticed an advertisement for the multi-million selling computer game Call of Duty: Black Ops. This excellent bit of selling candy manages to make the game seem like a movie with it's excellent choice of footage and use of editing. But what really makes the ad is the inclusion of what is probably The Rolling Stones best song, Gimme Shelter. This has seen a resurgence in interest in the song and subsequently in sales. In fact sales of the song are the highest they have been since it's release in the sixties. If you look at the comments under the multiple videos of the ad on the internet you will see a generation who were unaware of Gimme Shelter asking what this song is that so perfectly compliments the action. This is one of the savviest bits of business the Stones have done in a pretty business savvy career. Actually I was wondering why my younger brother, who had shown very little interest in music I had shoved his way, had come asking for my copy of 40 Licks. He had booked Black Ops months in advance. Mystery solved. Whatever you make of the medium of promotion, it's heartening to see the comeback of a truly brilliant song.
Friday 25 February 2011
Rolling Stones Promote Black Ops.
Labels:
40 Licks,
Ad,
Advertisment,
Call of Duty: Black Ops,
Computer Game,
Gimme Shelter,
Music,
The Rolling Stones,
TUNE,
TV
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Hi Sam: I wasn’t sure about the ‘Call of Duty’ game because that’s not something that I would know, but a friend of mine in NY who’s in a related business sent me an email this morning and said, “I like this guy’s insight”.
ReplyDeleteHope this is helpful?
Rich Marino
PS Say hi to Alex for me; she’s the best!
I think for that generation unaware of this song it's the visual impact of the game footage what make them like it. Actually, the opposite of what you think of the ad, because you already knew/loved the song before wathing the ad.
ReplyDeleteOr do you think they had never listened to that song? It's appeared in several media before.
Replies.
ReplyDeleteLucas- I am not denying the visual impact of the ad, it's quite undeniable. I'm not all that interested in computer games but was compelled to be interested by it. Basically I am talking about the interest in the song that has been generated by the ad. True it has featured in three Martin Scorsese films and a Heineken ad but those didn't boost sales of the song to the massive extent of this commercial. I think that's because the audience of those films and ad are of a generation and age where they are either aware of the song already, or have discovered it. But what was clever marketing on the band's part is that they knew that a large part of the demographic buying this game would be quite young, and may have been aware of the song but not registered it as something they can relate to or have anything to associate it with. But now for them it's "That song from the Black Ops ad" and they think it's cool. Anyway that was quite long and merely the opinion I formulated based on some research I did into the impact the ad had on sales of the song.
Rich- Thanks for the comment. I really appreciate that you took the time to read the post. What business is your friend in? It's quite nice to know he thought what I wrote was relevant in any way. And yes I shall pass on regards to Alex of course. Also even if you can't draw stick with art,there's nothing good in Glee club.