Jazz & ads

Nate Dorward · August-6th-2005, 10:47 PM

Opened the paper the other day & was confronted with the usual Wynton Marsalis ad for pricy watches. Bleah. But it occurred to me that the last time I'd seen a jazz musician in a prominent ad campaign that I remembered was......Henry Threadgill, believe it or not, whom I distinctly remember appearing in an ad for Seagram's in the 1980s on the back cover of Scientific American. Anyone else remember that? (It was part of a series of ads featuring "creative types" from various disciplines.) & any other instances of notable jazz figures appearing in ads that you remember vividly?

John B · August-6th-2005, 11:01 PM

Captain Hate · August-6th-2005, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

But it occurred to me that the last time I'd seen a jazz musician in a prominent ad campaign that I remembered was......Henry Threadgill, believe it or not, whom I distinctly remember appearing in an ad for Seagram's in the 1980s on the back cover of Scientific American. Anyone else remember that?

No but I'm extremely impressed that they used his image. Was that when he was married to Cassandra Wilson? If so that might've upped his exposure and led to the ad. Somehow I don't see Seagrams ad execs discussing the intricacies of "Open Air Suit", bwtfdik.

Dunno if that resulted in any increased sales for Seagrams; except perhaps unfortunately by McCall and Hopkins.

bluenoter · August-6th-2005, 11:04 PM

No. The closest thing for me was an unidentified excerpt from the song "Key Largo" being used as the soundtrack for a car commercial. I tracked down the performance and bought an album that contained it--Jazz Profile: Sarah Vaughan.

(I'd long since forgotten the brand of car, but I see that it was Acura.)

Pete C · August-7th-2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluenoter

No. The closest thing for me was an unidentified excerpt from the song "Key Largo" being used as the soundtrack for a car commercial. I tracked down the performance and bought an album that contained it--Jazz Profile: Sarah Vaughan.

(I'd long since forgotten the brand of car, but I see that it was Acura.)

I forgot the product, but a TV commercial similarly gave a new life to Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares For Me."

Nate Dorward · August-8th-2005, 12:01 PM

Hm--I wasn't thinking so much of ads that just use jazz as a soundtrack, but ones which feature in-person endorsements from jazz musicians.

Ugh, I hadn't seen that keyhole ad with Armstrong before.....!

Lois Gilbert · August-8th-2005, 12:10 PM

Hey want about the famous Sonny Rollins tv commercial playing under the Brooklyn Bridge. The commercial was a resurrgence for Sonny, but no one remembered the brand - so the commercial was pulled

Bobby Sanabria was on camera a couple of years ago for Burger King playing percussion

Herbie Hancock for Bose informacials

Pete C · August-8th-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

Hm--I wasn't thinking so much of ads that just use jazz as a soundtrack, but ones which feature in-person endorsements from jazz musicians.

Lois Gilbert · August-8th-2005, 12:58 PM

got you Nate - you are thinking when jazz was the popular music.

I love (and there are a few others) of Armstrong's ads for Swiss Kriss.

I can see it now

Dennis Gonzalez for Nike - "I need my Nikes to get to my next gig on time!"

Dave Holland for Wheaties - "I eat my Wheaties so I can keep my strength to carry my bass

We should start a campaign to utilize musicians for ads and commercials!

walto · August-8th-2005, 02:37 PM

jazzy mary · August-8th-2005, 02:54 PM

Interesting thread topic. Btw, Movado isn't really that expensive of a watch. I've seen Wynton and some of the cats from the J@LC orchestra--Ted Nash, Herlin Riley and a couple of other of the band mates in ads for Brooks Bros. too.

A couple of years ago, I was walking by the Johnson & Murphy shoe store on Mad. Ave. near my work and was surprised to see this HUGE, beautiful, full color series of ads in the window of Eric Reed, Joe Farnsworth and some other cats modeling shoes, leather jackets etc. The tag was some thing like "blah, blah, blah swing". And one of the salesguys was in the doorway and I couldn't help but exclaim "I know these cats!".

Later, I asked Eric about it and he told me they had gotten to keep the clothes (including a nice leather jacket he was wearing) and shoes, so that's pretty cool. They were great ads!

Nate Dorward · August-8th-2005, 07:34 PM

Didn't James Carter do some modelling, I vaguely recall? About the time of In Carterian Fashion?

mke · August-9th-2005, 02:18 PM

Diane Reeves and Mercedes: http://www.mbusa.com/microsite/gst/index.jsp

Click on "The People" and "Docufilm: Comfort"