Punk Gone Commercial?
LONDON (Billboard) - Never mind the bullocks. There’s more money in advertising.
Johnny Rotten (and some stampeding cows) have started a moooo-ve (had so say that. Sorry …) toward punk advertising in the UK.
The Sex Pistols frontman, now known as John Lydon, stars in popular U.K. TV commercials for the butter brand Country Life. Dressed like a country gentleman, the one-time rebel is seen watching English folk dancers, running from cows and yelling, “It’s not about Great Britain — it’s about great butter!”
On other UK channels, punk forefather Iggy Pop stars in ads for the online car insurance brand Swiftcover in which the shirtless Stooges frontman declares: “You think I’m selling car insurance? I’m not — I’m selling time!”
But he is selling car insurance — and lots of it! Swiftcover says its first-quarter sales soared 31 percent over the same period last year, thanks to the ad.
And Lydon has heated up butter sales — the ad brought an 85 percent increase in sales of its “spreadable” brands in fourth-quarter 2008!
Snowy Everitt, director of the London-based marketing agency Espionage, which specializes in putting brands and music together, explained what happened:
“Punk doesn’t mean what it meant 30 years ago. For most people in 2009, punk isn’t about music, it’s about attitude. Butter isn’t fun, edgy, sexy or cool — but, in times of economic crisis, advertisers need cut-through, and anything that gets you talked about is worth a punt.”
Swiftcover marketing director Tina Shortle agrees.
“We weren’t too worried if the target audience didn’t recognize Iggy as a celebrity,” she says. “We just wanted someone renowned for having fun and enjoying life.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if more brands looking to get cut-through go for rebellious figures,” Everitt added. “If it works, why not try it?”
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