As the two readings for this week discuss extensively, music has become increasingly caught up in the worlds of branding and advertising. With this have come various discussions about the meanings, implications and values that result from the interaction between music scenes and corporations. Some of the music / corporate alliances mentioned in the Carah reading include Coke Live, Tooheys Extra Dry Uncharted, and Jagermeister Jager Uprising. There are various positives and negatives associated with getting involved in such programs, and it’s a good idea to work out where you stand on the idea of aligning your music with a particular brand.
In the Klein reading, the association between popular music and the cola companies is given extensive consideration. Various discourses circulate around the use of music in advertising, many of them centred around notions of authenticity and ‘selling out’. Again, it’s a good idea to work out where you stand on music being used to sell particular products – if a company knocks on your door, do you take the cash like Madonna or reject it like the Super Furry Animals?
Homework for next week
Write a short blog post on what you think of the use of music by corporations / brands / advertisers. Would you let your own music be used in an advertisement? Would you or your band participate in a branded live music program? Explain the reasons for your decisions.
Essays and blogs are due in Monday of week 13: October 17. Please email your essay to your tutor (email addresses are on the course guide). Make sure you give the full URL for your blog in the email AND at the top of your essay.
To ensure you get the highest possible mark, look through the weekly posts and make sure you have completed all the required homework tasks, and add any features from the ‘Blog Checklist’ that might be missing from your blog. Ideally, you should have been posting homework tasks and other information on a weekly / fortnightly basis.
