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News & ArtsTuesday, February 9, 2010
Music / Sports The White Stripes vs. the Air Force
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 10:55 AM
Remember that Super Bowl ad for the Air Force Reserve? The one that looked like a Mountain Dew commercial set to an elevator-cheese cover of "Fell in Love with a Girl"? Remember how everybody was all "the White Stripes gave the Air Force permission to use a shitty version of their song for a Super Bowl ad? What the fuck?"
Turns out the White Stripes didn't give anyone permission to use a shitty version of their song for a Super Bowl ad.
The Air Force Reserve was unavailable for comment.
2
Notice that the song in the ad is ever-so-slightly different than the real White Stripes song. You can hear this in ads all the time, and it would be foolish to assume the marketing folks behind the Air Force ad said to themselves "I bet nobody will notice."
On the contrary, high-end marketing companies hire musicians and legal teams to mimic songs just differently enough that they can stand up in court as different works of art. The industry term is a "soundalike" or "needledrop."
Frequently the marketing company sends a letter to the original artist, saying "you can either license the song to us and get some royalties, or we'll create a soundalike which will effectively put your song in the ad but you won't see a dime." The BBC article makes it sound like the Air Force folks didn't extend this courtesy to the White Stripes...
On the contrary, high-end marketing companies hire musicians and legal teams to mimic songs just differently enough that they can stand up in court as different works of art. The industry term is a "soundalike" or "needledrop."
Frequently the marketing company sends a letter to the original artist, saying "you can either license the song to us and get some royalties, or we'll create a soundalike which will effectively put your song in the ad but you won't see a dime." The BBC article makes it sound like the Air Force folks didn't extend this courtesy to the White Stripes...
3
I had a good laugh at those ads. You will *not* be doing any of that shit in the Air Force. Not in basic training (which is in San Antonio), nor when you're learning your job (most tech schools being in the South).
Maybe when you're at home *not doing Air Force shit* will get to be all EXXXTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEME-UH! but not because you're doing anything with the AFR, but because *you have a life.*
Maybe when you're at home *not doing Air Force shit* will get to be all EXXXTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEME-UH! but not because you're doing anything with the AFR, but because *you have a life.*
4
To add to what @3 stated:
That is of course if you're not deployed somewhere. And it sure as hell isn't the location any airman wished for. Same could be said for base assignments, usually.
That is of course if you're not deployed somewhere. And it sure as hell isn't the location any airman wished for. Same could be said for base assignments, usually.
6
3, 4 - I thought the ad was trying to appeal to thrillseekers, not saying that by joining the Air Force, you'll get to do all these cool things.
True, an AF insignia was briefly visible on a surfboard (I think it was) but clearly they're just trying to get adrenaline junkies to sign up, the same way the Army tried to recruit gamers a few years ago... Hey! Lookit our cool tanks! Night-vision and shootin' stuff, yo!!
True, an AF insignia was briefly visible on a surfboard (I think it was) but clearly they're just trying to get adrenaline junkies to sign up, the same way the Army tried to recruit gamers a few years ago... Hey! Lookit our cool tanks! Night-vision and shootin' stuff, yo!!
7
Join the Air Force, it's kinda like the military!
Seriously, they never show how you actually spend your days in these commercials (mopping, vehicle maintanence, sitting around smoking etc...)
Seriously, they never show how you actually spend your days in these commercials (mopping, vehicle maintanence, sitting around smoking etc...)
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